Goa deputy CM wants re-think on Maggi ban

Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza on Wednesday favoured a re-think on the ban imposed on Nestle's Maggi following the latest tests conducted at a central government laboratory facility finding the popular instant noodle safe for consumption.

"Of course, there is a reason to re-think," D'Souza told IANS at the state legislative assembly complex.

"Why should you ban something when it is safe? If it was not safe I could have understood," the deputy chief minister added.

Five samples of Maggi noodles, manufactured at a manufacturing unit in Goa, which were sent to a central government-run laboratory in Karnataka for a re-analysis, have been found safe for consumption, state Food and Drugs Administration director Salim Veljee said on Wednesday.

Veljee, however, added that the negative result did not necessarily mean a clean chit for the company's product because of contrary findings made by other state and central government laboratories while testing the Nestle-manufactured noodles, which have been banned in Goa as well as across the country.

Sale of Maggi has been banned since June 8.