news details |
|
|
| India Beyond Maggi | | |
S.S. Rissam
India may soon become the
land of controversies too.
Everyday we hear something from the political field or social field which creates a buzz in the country. The recent of all which struck India was of MAGGI - the noodle from Nestle sold in India. The trouble started when central food safety regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found a batch of Maggi noodles to contain dangerous levels of lead. There is now debate that how this thing went unnoticed for years as Maggi is not a new product sold in India. India is the world’s 5th largest instant noodles market with Maggi noodles having 60-65 per cent share of it. The generations of Indian people have heard of it or eaten it as Maggi is sold over three decades now. The panic struck noodle market forced companies like ITC to hand out notices to retailers, distributors and consumers stating that their brand of noodles ‘Sunfeast Yippee!’ is safe. After this controversy the FSSAI seem to risen from slumber & now ordered testing of noodles, pasta and macaroni brands like Top Ramen, Foodles, Wai Wai and others.
This controversy didn’t remain untouched from politics too and famous Baba Ramdev announced that he will be soon launching his own brand of noodles that will not be made with maida & will be safe. Baba Ramdev found a business opportunity out of it & went on to say that he would also launch his own brand of health drinks to compete with Complan, Bournvita and Horlicks.
Such has been the impact of Maggi controversy that now a countrywide alert on adulteration of food commodities like milk, packaged drinking water and edible oils was issued recently by FSSAI. Furthermore questions are being raised about role & working of FSSAI. Also how packaged food items are given license in India and why details of ingredients and composition as given by the manufacturers are taken as true while giving approvals. This whole episode has raised eyebrows on our laws on labeling too. As of today; the Indian safety authority does not have a law on nutritional fact labeling. The Indian consumer doesn’t know what they are buying and what kind of ingredients are there and what their nutritional value is. The punishment prescribed under this law is too soft as it ranges from a fine and/or jail. There is also the possibility of recalling a product till it meets the standards as is done after Maggi controversy but that cannot be a solution to the whole problem. The Indian government has to see that consumer is not cheated as we can see there is contamination in most of our street food, which goes unregulated too. This non regulation is also visible when contaminated food are served in government schools sponsored mid day meals to children. So should we just stop at noodles or rather formulate laws which protect the consumers of this country. The Indian Government should examine milk, flour, vegetables and even drinking water & surely results may surprise many.
There are plenty of gaps in the current system as far as packaged food industry is concerned. In the haste of achieving MAKE IN INDIA the government should not forget that the life is the most precious wealth of country. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
