THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT MAGGI

There are a number of questions which both the Food Inspectors and the Government need to answer

 See the time line: March 2014 - District Food Officer in U.P. collects sample which was found harmful. After 4 months in July 2014, it is sent to Kolkata. After another 10 months in April 2015 Kolkata test results confirmed the original finding. When the government is aware that Maggi is consumed all over India in large quantities even by children, why was the delay in declaring the result? Was there bargaining going on between all those who were involved from the lowly Food Inspector to Laboratory people to Ministers concerned? Since the demand was finally refused by Maggi, was the matter escalated?

There was more than sufficient time for the Nestle during this period to correct the harmful ingredients to acceptable limits. Has there been any noticeable difference between the samples taken in March 2014 and recent samples? If there has been, it will go to show there was some hanky panky earlier.

It is said the sample sent for examination to Kolkata was time expired. Is it the stand of Nestle that over a period MSG level in Maggi INCREASES by itself to a harmful level? If yes, did it give a clear indication of the same on the packets of Maggi to this effect? If not, why not?

If the MSG level does not increase by itself, why Nestle is giving this as an excuse for the higher level?

Nestle says MSG is a substance which occurs naturally in the ingredients. If there is a regulation restricting the level of MSG in any product, is there any exception to naturally occurring MSG and manufactured MSG contained in a product? It appears there is no difference. So why this excuse again? Surely Nestle would have studied and found out the levels upto which the ingredients can occur naturally. Why it was not controlled within limits?

It is claimed that in Chinese food MSG is found to be at much higher levels but it is ignored by government? Again while it cannot be an excuse for Nestle, what does the government have to say about this? If it is so, why Nestle is being hounded?

Nestle is a very well established international company manufacturing and trading all over the world. It cannot afford to do anything like adding harmful substances to its product as it would be suicidal. So why it seems to be helpless and got caught with its hand in the cookie jar? It could only be because it is sure that its stand is correct. As any other international brand, it will also be able to stand by what it says.  Let's wait and see.

One thing is sure. While for the present it might look as though the corrupt bureaucracy along with elements opposed to the ruling party has won the first round, the final victory will be that of the Prime Minister who will make sure the investigation brings out the truth and the guilty is punished.