East Africa’s biggest supermarket chain Nakumatt, has withdrawn Nestle’s Maggi noodle brand from its shops in five countries, amid concerns over food safety.
Nakumatt branches IN Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan, will not sell the product following demands from a Kenyan consumer group.
The group Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) wants the product recalled from supermarkets until a thorough analysis of the product is made.
Also it follows revelations by the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India where the product is also popular that (FSSAI), that the product exceeded permissible levels of lead and contained monosodium glutamate that is unmentioned in the ingredients’ list, compelling the company to withdraw the sale of Maggi product.
Cofek secretary general Stephen Mutoro said lead is extremely dangerous, even fatal, if ingested in large enough quantities.
“The permissible limit in Indian food is 2.5 parts per million and the examined batch of Maggi noodles is said to have had seven times that much” Mr Mutoro said.
He asked supermarkets and other retail chains to immediately remove the Nestle Maggi noodles from the shelves to save unsuspecting consumers
Nestle however maintains that Maggi noodles are completely safe.
Maggi noodles are very popular in Kenya, and the company’s seasoning cubes, which are not involved in the current controversy, are widely used in West African cuisine.
According to the World Health Organisation, lead is a toxic metal that can enter the digestive tract through contaminated food and water. Consumption of even low levels can result in hypertension, kidney damage and in extreme cases, death.
