After failing in UP, the “two minute” Maggi noodles samples collected from Delhi have also failed tests on two counts : content of MSG ( mono sodium glutamate) and the deadly Lead. Out of 13 samples selected, 10 failed the test, which seems like a conclusive result.
Reacting to news of the noodles failing the test, a court in Muzzaffarpur District of Bihar has filed cases against superstars Amitabh Bachan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta too along with Nestle officers for misleading advertising.
Meanwhile Kerala government has also banned Maggi noodles with immediate effect from shops in Kerala and it has been ordered that all the noodles packets should be removed from markets, where they have been prominently displayed for a long time.
Eight other states – Haryana, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Bihar, Punjab, Assam and Tamil Nadu have said that they are sending samples for testing at Government labs.
Cases have been filed against Nestle Managing Director Mohan Gupta and Dy Director Sabab Alam also.
A directive has been sent out from the Food Safety of Standards Authority of India (FSAAI) asking all states to test samples of the noodles in their markets.
Nagpur Today, would like to know from the Maharashtra state government why they are not being more pro active about this very popular ‘food product’ that is primarily consumed by growing children whom the lead and MSG poisoning will affect the most.
Why the massive advertising for this was allowed to target children directly is also a question.
If film stars who advertised for it are being presumed guilty what about the TV channels like Star TV, Zee, Sony as also News channels like CNN IBN, NDTV and Times Now not being held equally culpable too – they have been airing the ads at prime time when there is maximum viewership and families are watching TV.
The first episode of Maggi failing the test was reported from Barabanki in UP 15 months ago – why the inordinate delay in other states taking up the matter and the poisonous stuff being allowed to be sold and consumed in all this time?
It should be mentioned that both Lead and MSG have very detrimental effect on health and Lead can be fatal too. Constant stomach ache, loss of memory, mental disorientation are some of the signs of Lead poisoning.
Are these commercial ‘aspects’ making Indian governments go slow against this product?
- 52 billion Maggi noodle packs sold across the world every year.
- Rs. 10, 129 crores is the gross domestic sale of Nestle products in India in 2014 – just one year!
- Rs. 2,961 sales of the segment marketing mostly Maggi noodles.
While the product is failing test after test in many states, indirect advertising and misleading information is still floating on social media like Facebook, where a page sponsored by Nestle called ” love my 2 a.m. Maggi noodles” or simply ” I love my Maggi” and many Nagpur’s so called Foodies are supporting these ads by proclaiming that whatever the governments say ” they have not given up eating their favourite ‘food'” and will continue doing so.
It is doubtful if even newspapers and TV channels will forego such a lucrative ” milching cow” product – pun intended – to be banned so easily? What will happen to their lakhs of Rupees of billing they get from this MNC?
Are our children going to be held hostage for such commercial gains of commercial establishments?
