West Bengal govt sends Maggi, Kurkure, Lay’s samples for tests

ENS, Kolkata, June 4, 2015: Amid a row over high quantity of lead and MSG in Nestle’s Maggi noodles, the West Bengal government Wednesday said it has ordered tests on the popular instant food as well as on two other snacks —- Kurkure corn puffs and Lay’s chips —- manufactured by PepsiCo.

“The state Consumer Affairs Department has sent samples of Maggi noodles, Kurkure and Lay’s for testing,” state Consumer Affairs Minister Sadhan Pande said.

Pande said he recently met Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Arun Jaitley in New Delhi and they both apprised him of the controversy over Maggi noodles following which samples of the snacks, as well as those of bottled water and some other packed beverages were collected and sent to industrial testing laboratory National Test House, He said, if necessary, samples will be sent to other laboratories as well.

“The reports are expected within a few days. We will show the reports to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and then initiate action. We want to give a fair deal so that business is not hampered and people’s health is also protected,” he said.

State Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, meanwhile, said that the state government could not ban the sale of any food product that was not produced in West Bengal. “We are just a marketing destination and not a manufacturing destination,” he said.

However, by evening, most of the departmental and grocery stores in shopping malls had withdrawn the Maggi noodles form their shelves.