Maggi Noodles Found with Excess Lead: Doctors Respond

- May 22, 2015

-Mohammed Amir Shaikh

Reference NDTV, May 21, 2015 19:24

In the world of food, how long can you keep a secret? If reports are to be believed, then Maggi has kept the secret for almost 40 years. Food Safety And Drug Administration (FSDA) Lucknow had collected a few samples of Maggi noodles and sent them to Kolkata for testing. The report found traces of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead content to be beyond permissible limits. The FSDA officials said the acceptable limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm and what they found was 17.2 parts per million (ppm).

> What Lead Does to Human Body ?

"Lead can damage almost every organ system." - Web MD

According to Dr. Rupali, Dietician at Fortis Hospital, "Human exposure to lead can occur through soil, water and food. Lead deposits in your system over time and doesn't trigger an immediate problem. It's not acute and can only be diagnosed with a blood test. Children are more at risk for lead poisoning because their smaller bodies are in a continuous state of growth and development. Lead is absorbed at a faster rate compared to adults, which causes more physical harm to them than older people."

Dr. Ritika Samaddar, Dietics, Max Hospital says, "Lead is a toxin that is not required by your body. If it's allowed to accumulate in your body over time then it can spread to your brain, liver, kidney and bones causing long-term damage."

"Lead is gradually deposited in the liver and after a while the liver cells start to die. And what is left instead of normal cells are scarred tissues. Besides liver failure, other symptoms of ingesting too much lead are: inability to digest food, hormonal changes and bloating. It can also be deposited in the nervous and reproductive systems. What makes it worse is that the symptoms are so vague that doctors can't diagnose them" said Dr. Shikha Sharma.

> Too Much MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) in Your Food: What that Means :

MSG often goes by the name of hydrolyzed proteins, yeast extracts or protein concentrates. However, the names aren't exactly interchangeable. According to FDA's website, MSG occurs naturally in hydrolised proteins and so the food agency doesn't require that MSG be listed separately. At the same time, foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim "No MSG" or "No added MSG" on their packaging.