Goa bans Maggi until further orders

Maggi noodles will be banned in Goa from Monday, as it was not proper to take risks with people's lives, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters in Mapusa, 10 km from Panaji, Parsekar said the decision to ban Maggi noodles was taken because "I feel it is not proper on my part to take risks with people's lives".

"Maggi will be banned from Goa from Monday until further orders," said Parsekar, who on Friday, along with the state Food Drugs Authority, had given the popular snack the green signal.

"Earlier, I was of the opinion to allow it to continue, but the way reports from other states are coming up, I feel it is not proper on my part to take risks with the lives of the natives," Parsekar said, announcing the ban.

Two tests conducted by the state FDA, which had given a clean chit to Maggi on both occasions, were rejected by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which called the tests "inappropriate".

On FSSAI's directions, a Karnataka-based government laboratory will now conduct tests on Maggi manufactured in Nestle's unit in Bicholim sub-district, 30 km from Panaji.

Many states have already banned Maggi after tests showed the noodles contained more than stipulated levels of MSG and lead.