Wednesday, Jun 03, 2015

Dubai: A Dubai Municipality official yesterday said retailers here import Maggi noodles from Malaysia and not India, where samples were reported to have tested positive for high levels of lead.

No cause for concern has been found during routine tests in Dubai, he added.

Maggi noodles are safe to eat in the UAE, Nestle Middle East said. Lynn Al Khatib, a spokesperson for Nestle Middle East, said: “All our Maggi products in the UAE are safe and compliant with the highest quality standards as has been confirmed by the Dubai Municipality.

“Nestle Middle East is importing Maggi Noodles from Malaysia across the Middle East market. Quality and food safety are our top priority and non-negotiable for Nestle. We perform regular tests on our raw material and finished products to ensure food safety and full compliance.”

The Dubai Municipality official also said the issue in India does not affect Dubai. “Maggi here comes from Malaysia. Also, we found no reason for concern during routine testing,” he added.

However, Gulf News yesterday found Maggi from India being sold in some groceries here.

A major retailer said the imports from India were in line with “UAE regulations”.

“I am aware of the issue but we haven’t received any information from the [municipality’s] Food Control Department regarding the recall of the said products. We are waiting for instruction from the UAE authorities on this issue,” Dhananjay Datar, managing director of Al Adil Trading, told Gulf News.

“Once we receive the instruction, we will immediately remove the products from the shelves and destroy them. These products are imported through proper channels as per UAE regulations.”

Other Dubai retailers added they have no official instruction to stop sales of Maggi noodles.

India’s food safety authorities have asked all states to test Maggi samples after one state — Uttar Pradesh — found “very high levels” of lead in the noodles, local media reported.

Kerala state has already temporarily suspended sales at over 1,000 state-run outlets, Indian Express newspaper said. At least eight more Indian states are testing Maggi samples.

UAE residents, meanwhile, said they were not concerned about eating the instant noodles. “If there had been an issue here, authorities would have looked into it and issued instructions. I don’t think there’s any problem here. I trust the system in Dubai. I will continue to have Maggi,” said Ali Rashid, an Emirati consumer.

British expat Mohammad Omar added: “I don’t see any ground for alarm. Just about everyone is selling Maggi here and it’s not something the authorities would overlook. The fact that it’s there in such huge quantities is reassurance enough for me it’s safe. It’s a big brand, I like it.”

Retail hypermarket chain Lulu Middle East said the Maggi noodles sold in their shops are not from India.

“All the Maggi noodles sold here in our shops are from Nestle Middle East and sourced from Malaysia. We don’t import from any other country,” V. Nandakumar, chief communications officer at Lulu Group, said.

A store official at a leading supermarket in Bur Dubai said, “The issue in India is separate, it has no effect on Dubai.”

— Additional inputs from Sarah Algethami, Staff Reporter

By Faisal Masudi and Janice Ponce de Leon Staff Reporters

Gulf News 2015. All rights reserved.