After Maggi noodles, Nestle's pasta has now landed in trouble as its samples, tested at a state-owned food tes... Read More

MAU (UP): After Maggi noodles , Nestle's pasta has now landed in trouble as its samples, tested at a state-owned food testing laboratory, were found to be carrying lead beyond the permissible limits, a state government official said on Friday.

Pasta samples collected from Nestle distributor - Sriji Traders - here on June 10 were sent to a government food testing laboratory in Lucknow, said Arvind Yadav, Designated Officer at Food and Drug Administration Mau.

READ ALSO: Nestle relaunches Maggi noodles; begins market rollout

"After Maggi, the sample of macroni pasta was taken from Mau and sent to National Food Analysis Laboratory, Lucknow in which the lead was found to be much more that the permissible limit," he said. "According to report received on September 2, they failed the tests," the officer said.

"The standard limit is 2.5 PPM (parts per million) while it has been found to be 6 PPM. The letter informing the Nestle company sent at its Modinagar address has come back here undelivered," Yadav said.

He said, "On the basis of the report this food product now comes under the 'unsafe food category".

"The report has been sent to the FDA Commissioner (Lucknow) on October 12 for sanction to lodge a case and in case it is received it will be filed in the court of the CJM here," Yadav said.

"They (Nestle) were sent a letter over a month ago intimating them about the results. They had a month's time to appeal against the test but the letter sent by the FDA was not received by the company and was returned here," Yadav said.

District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivasatav also said, "The sample which has failed the test is of June and we will taken immediate action on the directives... we are in touch (with the authorities) on phone."

Firm says it's not aware of any test

Faced with a fresh controversy, Nestle India on Friday said its products are safe for consumption and it was not aware of any test done on pasta brands by a Uttar Pradesh govt-run lab, which has allegedly found lead contents beyond permissible limits.

"We are not aware of any analysis reports for Pazzta supposedly picked up from Sriji Traders," said a Nestle India spokesperson.

"The Pazzta manufactured by us is 100 % safe and there is absolutely no concern on lead. Therefore, we need to see the contents of reports and we also need to confirm whether these supposed tests have been conducted at FSSAI Notified and NABL accredited laboratory that has the expertise and is certified for testing lead under the Food Safety and Standards Act," Nestle India said in a statement.

Read this story in Telugu: ఇప్పుడు నెస్ట్లే వారి పాస్తా వంతు