A sample of Sunfeast Yippee noodles collected from Aligarh in May 2015 has been found to contain lead beyond permissible levels. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that the sample which had been picked up for testing from Vishal Mega Mart, Kishanpur Chauraha and had been manufactured on March 31, 2015. The FDA officials specified that the test showed that the noodles had excess of lead which was almost double the permitted level. The tastemaker also had lead content of 3.2ppm whereas the permitted level stands at 2.5 ppm. The noodles as well as the tastemaker both contained higher content of lead than permitted under the standards.
In fact even the Bombay Stock Exchange had sought an explanation from ITC limited and asked for clarification about reports that suggested that authorities in UP had found excess lead in Yippee noodles and pasta. The company has refuted the results of the tests and has been coherent in its view that their noodles are safe as they have had more than 700 samples tested internally at NABL-accredited and FSSAI-approved laboratories in India and externally in laboratories in Italy, Singapore and Japan. The company has pointed out that all test results showed that lead content in the samples was either not detected or was much below the permitted limits under the food safety regulations. The company has even posted the test samples on its website.
ITC Limited has also in a written statement to the BSE pointed out that they have had no communication on this issue from the UP government. They feel that such stories are misleading and can cause the consumer to view their noodles with suspicion. Besides damaging the brand they feel that such stories can have a negative impact on the industry and hamper future investment in the economy.
Meanwhile, according to reports, the tested samples in UP have been sent to the Department of Food Safety and Security in Lucknow for further testing. Upon confirmation of the results by food analysts in Lucknow, the FDA will file a court case against the retailer, manufacturer (ITC), and vendor / distributor.
The fact that their noodles have been found to contain excess lead in UP has come as a surprise to the company especially as the Gujarat government has lifted the ban on the sale of Sunfeast Yippee noodles in the state. The ban was lifted after ITC provided all documentation on the safety measures it takes in manufacturing noodles. The company has also invited consumers to visit their factories to have a look at the standards they maintain in the production process. The company has also been airing commercials about the safety of their noodles and are therefore going to find it difficult to accept that their noodles are not safe.
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