Andhra Pradesh government to test other noodle brands

 

The state food safety commissioner has issued oral instructions to the assistant food controllers to begin collection of samples of noodles made by other firms and send them to the state food laboratory for analysis and the exercise is likely to begin from next Monday. 

 

It is learnt that the commissioner has directed the assistant food controllers to do the spade work to start lifting the samples as the state government is going to release the order relating to it soon. 

 

In addition to that, the food safety commissioner also instructed the AFCs to rope in the gazetted food inspectors to collect samples of noodles and other food items. Normally, food safety officers, based on the directions from the gazetted food inspector, lift samples and submit them at the food lab either in person or by post depending upon the nature of food item. However, following staff crunch, the food safety commissioner directed the AFCs to involve the gazetted food inspectors also to lift the samples and send them for analysis. 

 

The move is aimed to collect a large number of samples in a short time. The food safety authorities said that as Nestle recalled its stocks of Maggi noodles soon after imposition of ban on sale, huge stocks of such noodles were withdrawn from the popular shopping malls like Reliance, More, Spencers, DMart and others. At present, there are no Maggi noodles stocks available in the malls. 

 

Gazetted food inspector B.V.S.R.K Prasad said, “We have received oral instructions to lift samples of noodles made by other companies and will begin the exercise from June 15. We expect the orders to be issued in a couple of days.” 

 

The state relies heavily on the food safety auth-orities for lifting of food samples and analysing them but hardly provides even basic amenities to the officials in the department like a vehicle and a phone. Moreover, there is lack of adequate staff too.