FSSAI orders tests on major noodles, pasta and macaroni brands

FDAs across India may take punitive actions against manufacturers, if products found to be sub-standard

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday asked states to conduct thorough tests on “non-standardised food products” such as noodles, pasta, and macaroni made by seven manufacturers.

States may take punitive action against manufacturers if products are found substandard. The FSSAI sought reports from the states by next Friday.

Apart from listing the brands that had been approved by the FSSAI, the order declared products under all other brands illegal and unfit for consumption.

Based on Monday’s order, state authorities will test noodles from ITC’s three variants of Yippee, GSK HealthCare’s Foodles, Indo Nissin Food’s Top Ramen, CG Foods’ Wai Wai, and Nestlé’s Maggi and Pazzta.


The order directed the state authorities to test the “cake” and the “tastemakers” separately. Nestlé India executives had urged inspectors to test noodles after preparation and not the ingredients.

The FSSAI’s order came against the backdrop of countrywide anger over the dangerous levels of lead and monosodium glutamate reported in Maggi noodles.

According to Yudhvir Singh Malik, chief executive of the FSSAI, the regulator had issued licences for such products without thorough testing because facilities in the country were not adequate. “If we have to conduct thorough tests for all products in the market, licences will be delayed,” he said.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, makes manufacturers responsible for maintaining food and safety standards. “It is based on the concept of self-compliance,” Malik pointed out.

On June 4, after meeting Nestlé chief executive Paul Bulcke, Malik asked state commissioners “not to remain confined to one company” and to collect and test all other noodle brands available in the market.

“Nestle came as a trigger,” Malik said.

According to him, lead is present in the soil but its presence in processed food beyond the prescribed level indicates fault in the manufacturing process.



While, officials from Top Ramen’s manufacturer Indo Nissin declined to comment on the subject, a spokesperson from ITC Ltd. said, “All ITC products are manufactured in state of the art, world-class facilities complying to strict quality and hygiene norms”.

“Further, stringent tests are conducted for the company’s food products at ITC’s NABL accredited Life Sciences & Technology Centre as well as at FSSAI approved, NABL accredited external laboratories. In all these tests, our food products have consistently been found to be completely safe for consumption and in compliance with statutory regulations”, the ITC spokesperson added.

FSSAI has asked the state FDAs to send its reports to the regulator by 19th June.