Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata Followed Prescribed Norms in Maggi Tests: FSSAI

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reported that the bonafides of the Central Food Laboratory (CFL), which conducted the tests on Maggi noodles in Kolkata, followed the norms.

The issue cropped up after reports that the lab that purportedly conducted the Maggi tests in Kolkata did not have the necessary accreditation when it gave its report to the regulator.

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In the gazette notification issued by the authority on Dec 2, 2014 CFL was among the laboratories accredited with it. But the laboratory’s name did not figure in the subsequent notification of April 1, 2015.

The issue of food safety has been in the news since late last month, following which the food safety regulator on June 5, 2015 ordered the recall of all the nine variants of Maggi noodles with tastemaker after receiving adverse lab reports.

Some laboratories to which the Maggi samples were sent to not only found higher-than-permissible levels of lead, but also high amounts of mono-sodium glutamate.

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Unless the regulatory authorities are provided with enough teeth contamination and adulteration of food products in India will continue unabated.

Nestle, during its presentation before the regulator had faulted the testing protocols followed by the labs and contended that they also had not been interpreted properly. It also said the packets tested by the Kolkata lab were open for a long time.

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Source-IANS

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