Madhuri dixit asks you to eat MAGGI everyday for a healthy breakfast and lifestyle. But the Food Safety and Drug Administration of Uttar Pradesh found lead and MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) way above the permissible levels in the random samples it tested. While nestlé stands firm that it has no idea where it came from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is yet to give its verdict. Meanwhile NGOs and people are pressing the Government for a ban on the sale of MAGGI. Maggi is a very popular product among the younger generation and from the past few days Maggi controversy has gripped the nation.
How does lead get into our food and why is there permissible limit instead of a zero?
Lead these days are a part of our life. They are present in water,paints,vehicle exhausts,containers etc. They find a way into our food somehow. Nestlé says that the lead found in the samples could have come through contaminated water. The source will be probed after the Central Government gives its verdict. Lead is a toxic substance which causes neurological and growth problems. It is particularly harmful for children below 6 years.
What is MSG?
MSG can occur naturally as well as added artificially to our food to enhance taste. It occurs naturally in tomatoes, potatoes peas etc. This is not harmful, but the synthetic ones are. The immediate symptoms of consuming high levels of MSG include nausea, flushing, muscle tightness, heart palpitations and chest pain. Studies are being conducted worldwide to determine whether MSG causes obesity,asthma and other major diseases. Nestlé claims that MSG is not one of its ingredients and that the vegetables used might have interlocked them in the packet.
While we wait for the final verdict on the Maggi controversy, we must ponder over the long term health effects of ready to eat food. The toxins act as silent killers by accumulating in our body over time. For a healthy lifestyle increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
