Maggi – one our favourite two minute treat, found itself in big soup last month. Thousands of packets of maggi were dumped in the garbage last month after the Food Safety and Drug Administration ordered the manufacturers of Maggi noodles- Nestle to withdraw all the packets from the market. The order came after dangerous levels of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) was found in the noodles.
Reports suggest that a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit, was found in the noodles (the permissible limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm). What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and what is the permissible limit? Monosodium Glutamate or MSG is naturally present in various food items such as mushrooms, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and soy sauce. It has a unique taste which is different from salty, sweet, sour or bitter. The taste is described as ‘meaty’ or ‘savory’ ma
Is it dangerous if consumed in excess?
Excess consumption of MSG promotes sluggishness in the body. It may also cause headache, nausea, increased thirst, chest tightness and a twitching sensation in the mouth. In some cases one may feel numbness, skin rashes and excessive sweating too.
So what now?
At present, there is an on-going investigation to fi nd out how and why this happened. Until such time, Nestle will not manufacture and sell Maggi noodles in India. Once the reason for the high levels of MSG has been discovered, the FDA will decide if it can be corrected and if Maggi can be sold after that. But for now, we have no choice but to wait and watch!
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