Finding itself in a fresh row over its pasta product now, Nestle India today said its products are safe to consume and it will work with the authorities to resolve the issue at the earliest.
In tests conducted by a government lab in Uttar Pradesh, samples of Nestle’s pasta product were found to have lead content beyond permissible limits.
While maintaining that it has not received any formal notification from the authorities in UP or from FSSAI about such results, the company said, “We will work with authorities to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
“Maggi Pazzta is 100 per cent safe. The finished product and the raw materials used to make it undergo rigorous testing during every stage of the manufacturing process.
“We have seen media reports claiming that lead has been found in the product and we are investigating. We regret the confusion that these reports may be causing. They are safe to consume,” a Nestle India spokesperson said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, a UP state government official had said that Pazzta samples collected from Nestle distributor Sriji Traders at Mau on June 10 were sent to a Lucknow-based government laboratory.
The National Food Analysis Laboratory, Lucknow found lead limit to be 6 PPM (parts per million), beyond the permissible limit of 2.5 PPM, Designated Officer at Food and Drug Administration Mau, Arvind Yadav, said.
“Nestle Maggi’s food product Macroni Pasta had been taken in Mau in June (2015) in which the lead content, which is permissible at 2.5 PPM, has been found to be 5.984 PPM and it has been sent to the Food Commissioner and we are waiting for his directives,” Yadav said.
He said the lead content found in the samples was beyond permissible limits.
“Against the permissible limit of 2.5 PPM (parts per million), the pasta samples were found to be carrying 5.9 PPM,” the DM said. .