Nestle did not respond to clarifications on safety
Maggi is expected to hit the market in second week of November with new labels
New Delhi: With Nestle India apparently getting ready to re-launch Maggi noodles in a big way before Diwali, an official of the Food Standard and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) claimed that the food giant cannot launch Maggi Oats Masala noodles with tastemaker.
Nestle had earlier released the variant without the grant of approval from the food regulator. The manufacturers, therefore, will have to wait for official clearance to re-launch this variant yet again. Even as preparations are on for the relaunch, some variants of Maggi will take some more time to hit the market. Available in the market earlier, the Maggi Oats Masala noodles cannot be re-launched.
The product, being proprietary food in nature, is covered under Section 22 of the FSS Act, 2006 and requires risk and safety assessment and approval before it is manufactured and placed in the market.
While the company had applied for approval in August 2014, certain clarifications were sought for safety and risk assessment about the product in February 2015. However, the company did not respond to the clarifications within the prescribed time, and it was found that the company had released the product in the market without taking the approval and started promoting its sales, said the FSA official.
Calling the act “illegal” and “violation” of the FSS Act, Rules and Regulations, the official added that the product, therefore, cannot be allowed for human consumption unless the risk assessment parameters are cleared and it cannot be re-launched along with the other variants the company wishes to re-launch in November. Maggi is expected to hit the market in the second week of November (pre-Diwali) with new labels without mentioning “No added MSG”.
While the colour of the packet is expected to remain the same, it is learnt that plain Maggi masala will be the first variant to hit the market. Talks are also on with major online selling platforms like Snapdeal so that consumers have options for gifting purposes. Nestle India chairman and MD Suresh Narayanan said that Nestle India has again started manufacturing Maggi.