Never said Maggi will return to retail shelves soon: Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan

NEW DELHI: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said he never remarked that Maggi noodles will soon return to retail shelves.

Clarifying media reports in this regard, he said he never mentioned the test reports of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) nor about the credibility of the government relating to foreign investment.

"Paswan has clarified that he has been quoted out of context and has been attributed things which he never meant," the Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

It said that "a section of press has carried agency based news item quoting the minister that 'CFTRI reports have found Maggie safe. I have a gut feeling it will return to retail shelves soon'."

"He (Paswan) has also been quoted as saying, 'After Maggie ban the perception of people has changed. Foreign investors will also now think twice before investing in India. Our credibility is at stake'," the statement said.

The minister only said that once public perception becomes negative about a product, credibility of that product gets affected, it added.

There is controversy over the quality of Nestle's Maggi noodles. In June, food safety regulator FSSAI had banned Maggi noodles only after it found 30 samples "unsafe and hazardous for human consumption". Subsequently few states also decided to ban the noodles.

FSSAI had also said that Nestle violated labelling regulations on taste enhancer 'MSG' and ordered company to submit compliance report on its orders.