Bihar imposes month-long ban on 11 instant noodle brands

PATNA: The Bihar government on Saturday banned sale, storage, distribution and production of eleven brands of noodles, produced by seven companies, for a month.
This comes two months after Food Safety and Standards Authority of India banned Maggi noodles in the country on June 5.
The firms hit by the fresh ban would have an option to challenge the ban during the one-month period.If they do not, the ban would be extended.
“Bihar is the first state to ban so many products in one go,’’ said state food safety commissioner Anand Kishor.
Officials said the noodles were banned for the presence of mono sodium glutamate (MSG). According to the Food Safety Standards Act, MSG is not permitted in such products.
The Act states contents of every such product should be mentioned on its pack. None of these products indicate presence of MSG, Kishor said and added this offence is called “misbranding”.
The samples from these products were collected from different districts of the state in June and sent to Delhi-based FICCI Research and Analysis Centre. The lab has given adverse reports, an official said.
Kishor said, “These firms have been asked to recall their products with immediate effect. If anyone is found selling them, action would be initiated against various sections of FSSA.”
According to the lab reports, the samples of Hindustan Unilever Limited’s Knorr Soupy Noodles Mast Masala had 262.09mg/kg MSG.
The samples of Capital Foods Pvt Ltd’s Ching’s Manchurian Instant Noodles were found to have 154.02mg/kg MSG while those of its Ching’s Secret Veg Hakka Noodles had 1232.53mg/kg MSG.
The samples of GlaxoSmithKline’s Foodles Multigrain Ala Masala Noodles had 203.53mg/kg MSG.
Indo Nissin Foods Ltd’s four products have been banned. The samples of Nissin Top Ramen Super noodles had 184.62mg/kg MSG while those of its Top Ramen Curry noodles had 239.88 mg/kg MSG.
The tastemaker in the latter was also found to have certain amount of lead. The samples of Nissin Cup Noodles Veggie Manchow had 4504.93mg/kg MSG. The tastemaker in this product also had some lead. Its Top Ramen Curry Veg Noodles had 256.54mg/kg MSG.
The samples of ITC Limited Foods Division’s Sunfeast Yippee Noodles Magic Masala had 335.34mg/kg MSG.
The Sunfeast Yippee Noodles Classic Masala samples had 259mg/kg MSG.