Food officials await order to seize Maggi
The 2-minute noodle has been under the scanner over the last fortnight for MSG
Update: 2015-05-23 07:48 GMT
Coimbatore: The lip smacking Maggi atta, the spicy Maggi chicken or the tantalising Maggi masala, could all become just a thing of past. The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department is awaiting intimation from the State Commissioner of FSDA to remove them from the shelves in Kovai, said Designated Officer Dr R. Kathiravan.
The 2-minute noodle has been under the scanner over the last fortnight for Monosodium Glutamate(MSG) and lead content over the permissible limit. MSG is used as a taste enhancer and the salt-like product is allegedly in excess. While there is no upper limit that has been mentioned regarding MS G, the lead in the noodles is said to be 17.2 parts per million as against the permissible limit of 0.01 ppm, the officer said.
Consumption of lead can be dangerous among children as it can permanently damage their brain. Among children it may lead to stomach upsets and chronic pain. In worst cases, it may also result in damage to red blood cells which will in turn limit the ability towards carrying oxygen to various organs and tissues in the body.
On the other hand, MS G is also equally hazardous, at least four times more dangerous in children than in adults. MSG is sodium salt of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid which is used in food industries to enhance flavor.
As the Maggi products are quick to make and are most preferred by children than adults, sustained consumption of the glutamate may result in obesity among the kids. This may lead to further obesity related complications as they grow up, Dr V. Kavitha, Chief Nutritionist, PSGIMSR Hospitals, told DC.
K Sadhana, a homemaker and the mother of a eight-year-old from Karamadai is one of the “affected” mothers as she prefers to prepare the two minute noodle before her son leaves to school. “My son loves to eat Maggi and has it atleast thrice a week. The news is disheartening and I should take efforts to wean him out,” she said.