Maggi Myths

Product of Swiss Brand Owned by Nestle which has been appreciated and liked by innumerate number of People irrespective of age group, Maggi-2-Minute Meals, Instant and Healthy Meals much more, But in 2015 has to undergo a controversial research study and needed much approval by the Health Industry and regulations of India.

Nestlé shares the commitment to food safety and the quality and safety of their products is a top priority. To strengthen the food safety commitment in India, Nestlé established the Nestlé Food Safety Institute, India (NFSI).Food Industries first Priority is Food Safety and its Safe Ingredients along the Process of making it under the regulatory rules, But as per lab test's from major food industries explains it is not safe having LEAD as it's ingredient which is more than the required amount for the human consumption, but many Nutrition Professionals - Nutritionist's,Nutrition Research Professionals underwent with much needed research on it for almost inorder to remove the MYTHS.

Below three Myths been answered by one of my Colleague Nutritionist and Team after visiting to the Research Site of Nestle for the clarifications.Before getting onto these equitable to understand that any food Product which is Preserved for a period of time after Semi cooking, Or complete Cooking been packed in Plastic/thermo (Paper) and Consumed gives a significant amount of toxicity it is natural,So adviced to consume freshly cooked for the healthy life style, under any circumstances need to consume Preserved Food,Please note to cook it with instructed notes and consume more water or detoxifier's by exercise as second step for the healthy lifestyle.  

Myth #1 – Maggi is Unhealthy

While No single food item is healthy or unhealthy. A balanced diet, moderation and an active lifestyle is the only way to ensure good health.A balanced diet should provide approximate 50-60% of total calories in a day from carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from fat. MAGGI Noodles, for instance, strikes this balance really well.The balance between Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat in MAGGI noodles is very similar to the recommendations made by Indian Council of Medical Research. This includes even the newly launched MAGGI Oat noodles provides energy in this recommended ratio –Energy from carbohydrates (56%), protein (10%) and fats (33%).

Myth #2 – Maggi Contains Added MSG?

Nestle doesn’t add the flavour enhancer MSG (E621) to MAGGI Noodles in India. However, the product contains glutamate from hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour. Glutamate produces a positive result in a test for MSG.

Myth #3 – Maggi is Deep Fried

A MAGGI Noodles cake goes through 6 step cooking process before they are packed. Almost like how we cook food at home.At first, the dough is prepared using wheat, then machines, roll & Cut it into cakes. Then they are steamed – very similar to the process of making Idli. Then they are baked. The 5th step involves quick frying of about a minute and a half which reduces the moisture in the noodle & cooks the noodles cakes enough for them to remain stable for several months before they reach consumers.

This also ensures that you can cook your MAGGI noodles in boiling water in just 2 minutes. Finally, after drying & cooling the noodles are packed. It was interesting for us to learn the R& D center tests both Oil Frying as well as Air Fryers to vary the Fat content. 

CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru) has submitted analysis reports on MAGGI Noodles to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. We have been provided with a copy of the reports. We are happy that all 29 samples tested by CFTRI are clear.

• - The reports state that lead levels for all samples are within permissible limits.
• - The second batch of 16 samples were tested not only for lead and MSG, but also for other safety parameters like metal contaminants, crop contaminants, toxic substances etc., that are applicable to Instant Noodles as a Proprietary Food. Every single sample was found compliant.
• - CFTRI has clarified that  glutamic acid can be due to presence of ingredients like tomatoes, Cheese, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein etc. It has further stated that there are no analytical methods to distinguish between naturally present glutamic acid and additive MSG.
• - CFTRI has further clarified that the additive MSG is allowed to be added to selected food commodities (seasoning for Noodles is one of them) under Good Manufacturing Practices basis proper label declarations as per ‘Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011’.

The CFTRI reports are in line with Nestlé’s stated position viz.

• - MAGGI Noodles are safe and lead is much below the permissible limits.
• - We do not add MSG as an additive in MAGGI Noodles.
• - The presence of glutamic acid comes from ingredients used in the MAGGI Noodles.

All 29 samples of MAGGI Noodles,( the initial 13 and subsequent 16 samples), were collected by the relevant authorities following due process and then directly submitted to CFTRI.

The CFTRI findings and the recent Order dated 31st March, 2016, issued by the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India, clarifies that additive MSG can be used under Good Manufacturing Practices in permitted food products and there is no prescribed level.

We wish to emphasize that health and safety of our consumers is our highest priority and we never compromise on the safety, compliance or quality of our products or services.

We strongly re-iterate that MAGGI Noodles has always been safe for consumption as demonstrated by tests carried out in independent accredited laboratories. In addition to the recent CFTRI reports addressing clarification sought by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, and the tests conducted as per orders passed by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court, over 3,500 tests have been conducted at internal and external accredited labs. These include several other national food authorities including the USA, UK, Singapore and Australia, among others. Every single sample of MAGGI noodles tested has been found to be SAFE. We have built our reputation around the world and in India by providing products that meet the highest food quality and safety standards. Nestlé has been in India for over 100 years and MAGGI Noodles has been a trusted brand in the country for over 30 years. We appreciate the positive consumer response to the return of MAGGI Noodles to the market and are working diligently to re-introduce more variants very soon.

What is the science behind the savoury taste?

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, was discovered more than a century ago by the Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda in 1909, who termed this unique taste "umami", the fifth taste beside sweet, sour, salty and bitter. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamate comprised of just sodium and glutamate. There are also other salts of glutamate such as ammonium glutamate and potassium glutamate.

It is not possible to distinguish between added glutamate and naturally occurring glutamate, because it is the same substance. When MSG is added to foods, it provides the same flavouring function (in simple terms 'savoury') as the glutamate that occurs naturally in foods. Today, MSG is mostly produced by a natural fermentation process that has been used for centuries to make foods such as beer, vinegar and yoghurt.

There have been some concerns raised about the contribution of MSG to sodium intake via the diet. However, MSG contains only about one-third the amount of sodium as table salt (13 percent vs. 40 percent) and so where we use it in products, in combination with a small amount of table salt, MSG can help reduce the total amount of sodium in a recipe by 20% to 40%, while maintaining an enhanced flavour.

The level of glutamate for example in MAGGI Noodles is around 0.2 g/100 g, which is close to the average level of glutamate measured in the same portion size of tomatoes or peas.

http://www.nestle.com/asset-library/Documents/About_Us/ask-nestle/Nestle-Science-Behind-Savoury-Taste.pdf

Regarding the Nestle's rigorous quality policies and testing protocol, these 11 laboratories test the raw materials used in our products as well as the finished product to ensure food safety.

For more information on the Maggi Myths been answererd by the NESTLE on it's site www.Nestle.in

https://www.nestle.in/brands/maggivegetableattanoodles

Stay aware Stay Healthy.