Government lab submits report on Maggi noodles in SC

New Delhi: A government laboratory Tuesday submitted its test report on Maggi noodles in a sealed cover in the Supreme Court which directed that copies of it be given to the Centre and Nestle India.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh directed the registry to give the report of the Mysore-based institute to the parties within three days.

"In pursuance of the earlier order, samples were sent to CSIR, Karnataka for testing of the product. The said institute has filed the report in a sealed cover. The report be given to the counsel for the parties in three days," the court said while granting liberty to the parties to argue on the basis of the report.

The bench also pulled up a private individual seeking intervention in the matter, saying it cannot allow everyone to come into the issue.

"This is a matter related to testing of products. This is a matter between the Centre and the manufacturer. How can any third person come into it? A procedure for adjudication of dispute needs to be followed," the bench said.

Earlier on January 13, the apex court had asked the Mysore based government laboratory to clarify whether test reports relating to lead and glutamic acid in Maggi noodles were within permissible parameters under the law.

The apex court had passed the order after perusing two communications received from the Mysore laboratory which had carried out the test about the monosodium glutamate (MSG) content in the samples.

While Nestle India, makers of Maggi, had claimed that the lead content was within the permissible limit prescribed under the Food Safety Act, the Centre said there was a need for comprehensive findings of all other parameters.

The bench had also said the institute in Mysore shall also give clarification on the test relating to glutamic acid.

The Supreme court had on December 16 last year, ordered testing of samples of Maggi noodles in Mysore laboratory after the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had directed that it be done in Chennai.

The apex consumer commission had on December 10, 2015,

sent 16 more samples of Maggi noodles for testing at Chennai to ascertain the quantity of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in them, in connection with the government's Rs 640 crore suit against company for alleged unfair trade practices.

The Supreme Court had passed the December order after noting that both the Centre and Nestle India had agreed that Mysore was well equipped with all tests and being a referral notified laboratory, and sample should be sent there.

The court had also stayed the proceedings before the NCDRC and directed that the test report, including the earlier one, be placed before it.

While posting the matter for January, the court had said that the plea be listed along with the appeal filed by food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on January 13, against the Bombay High Court verdict.

The Bombay High Court had on August 13 lifted the ban on nine variants of the fast food and asked the company to go for fresh tests.

The court's order came on a plea filed by Nestle India Ltd against the order of apex consumer commission.