Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 8: After Nestle India pulled out Maggi from the country, the state government chose to ban the sale of the noodles in the state. Many state governments including Bihar and Jharkhand had banned Maggi sale soon after the report on presence of high lead or monosodium glutamate (MSG) in Maggi noodles came out.
Health and family welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said the state government has asked Nestle India, manufacturer of Maggi food products, to take necessary measures to withdraw its products in the state.
“The test of the Maggi sample products, conducted by the state government at the state laboratory, has confirmed presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in Maggi noodles and other products of Nestle,” Nayak told the media here.
As specified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the presence of MSG in any food product is detrimental to health, the minister said. As per a report of the state public health laboratory, MSG was found in Maggi samples and accordingly, a decision was taken to ban all variants of Maggi noodles in Orissa with immediate effect, the minister said.
Meanwhile, the decision of the state government has raised eyebrows. A few days ago, the minister had said as the state public health laboratory does not have the facility to detect lead content in the noodles, the samples would be sent to Central Food Laboratory at Pune. But, before the report from the Pune lab came in, the state government banned the product.