UP FDA Finds Lead in Yippee Noodles, ITC Denies Receiving Notice

Domestic giant ITC Ltd clarified that it has not received any communication from the UP government regarding the presence of excess lead in its instant noodle brand Sunfeast Yippee. It further claimed that the company manufactures Yippee noodles to the highest standards of safety, hygiene and quality.(How Lead in Food Can Affect Your Health: Doctors Respond)"The company has not received any communication from the UP government authorities on this issue. Stories such as this can be misleading and can only help create suspicion and mistrust in the minds of the consumer. This will not only damage the brand but also severely impact industry as a whole and future investment for the economy," ITC said in a clarification to the BSE.(Some of the Most Shocking Food Controversies)The company said it has tested a large number of samples of Yippee noodles and pasta, both internally and externally, recently at NABL-accredited and FSSAI-approved laboratories and has found that all the samples conformed to the Food Safety Regulations."We rigorously and regularly test our products for all parameters including heavy metals both in our in-house NABL accredited laboratory at the ITC Life Sciences and Technology Centre, Bengaluru and external NABL accredited and FSSAI approved laboratories," it added.(ITC to Remove 'No Added MSG' Disclaimer From Yippee Noodles)This was in response to media reports that the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Authority (FDA) had found excess lead in Yippee noodles manufactured by ITC and will soon file a case. The UP FDA said that the samples of Yippee noodles, seized from a local mall in Aligarh, have been found to contain lead "far in excess to the permissible limit"."The laboratory report for these samples, which were received here yesterday, indicated that the lead content which should have been below 1 ppm was found to be 1.057 ppm", Chandan Pandey, head of department, FDA, Aligarh Division, told PTI.(The Dark Side of Instant Noodles: What Makes Them Harmful?)On June 21, FDA authorities had seized 8 samples of different food products from a local mall including the sample of Yippee noodles. These samples were sent to the state laboratory at Lucknow and Meerut for testing, Mr Pandey added. The process is expected to take a few weeks, he added.