After the ban on Maggi and Hakka noodles, the Gujarat government has banned the sale of Sunfeast YiPPee noodles for one month. The decision came after samples that were tested by the State Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) indicated the presence of higher lead content than prescribed and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in some of the samples. This has come as a surprise for ITC Ltd. because so far, all the food analysis reports sent to the company by the Gujarat food safety authorities were found to be compliant with the regulations.
ITC is also surprised at the detection of lead above permissible limits. In recently carried out tests on 576 samples across 263 unique batches of Sunfeast YiPPee lead was either not detected and if detected was well within prescribed limits. The tests were carried out at NABL accredited and FSSAI-approved laboratories in India and international laboratories in Italy and Singapore.
The company is also pained that the decision about the ban was not communicated to the company. This has deprived the company of a chance to explain its position. The company says that these “kinds of actions tend to create suspicion and mistrust” which affects growth in the entire sector. Those who wish to invest in the food processing industry could be constrained to do so which also does not augur well for the food processing industry.
The Gujarat Government has not only banned Sunfeast Yippee noodles but also Bambino Macaroni produced by Bambino Agro Industries. Out of the 23 samples tested for Sunfeast Yippee, one showed 3.44 ppm of presence of lead instead of the prescribed 2.5 ppm limit and other samples showed presence of MSG. The one sample of Bambino Macaroni tested showed lead content of 4.1 ppm.
The FDCA say they have collected 133 samples from 22 companies selling noodles and 60 samples of other food products like ice-cream, wafers and cold drinks. Out of these collected samples, 33 have failed the test while tests results of other samples are awaited. The Gujarat government has also extended the ban on Nestlé’s Maggi and SK foods Hakka noodles for a further one month.
Seeing how the industry has been affected the Food Processing Industry Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has urged the FSSAI to streamline the regulations so that the environment of fear does not affect innovation in the sector. At a recent CII event the Minister said that there is concern among the food processing industry that “ an inspector raj was being enforced” because noodles that were found safe by several countries importing noodles from India were banned. Other noodles were withdrawn from the market because of lack of FSSAI product approval and still some others have had to change their labelling to conform to FSSAI regulations.
Seeing the changed environment on the food processing industry because of these happenings she says her Ministry will set up a task force. This will help the food processing industry to overcome their fear and to take up issues with the FSSAI which works under the aegis of the health Ministry. The Minister also said that the task force would prepare a road map for the various states to not only leverage the potential of the sector but to strengthen the vital links the food processing industry has to farmers’ incomes.