BBS boils over noodles

Sri Lanka was becoming the largest garbage food dump in Asia because the food items imported were usually unsuitable for human consumption, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera charged today.

Addressing the media after visiting the Consumers Affairs Authority (CAA) to inquire on the reports of high levels of lead contents in Maggi brand of noodles, the Thera said the CAA officials had no answers to their questions on the issue.

“We inquired whether the noodle could be pulled out of the market at least temporarily as a precautionary measure, until the reports were released on the test carried out on the lead level. The Multi National food company in India had decided to temporarily take its Maggi noodles off the shelves. Several Indian States had banned the product, which was found to contain high levels of lead, making it unsafe for human consumption,” the Thera said.

He said as a good governance government, it should interfere in this issue without a delay.

He said it was questionable to have the HALAL certificate for Maggi noodles even in 2015.

“The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) organization had promised to stop the issuance of HALAL certificate for foods. However, today, the HALAL certification is issued as HAC (Halal Accreditation Council),” the Thera said.

He questioned the authorities to look into how the ACJU was given approval to issue the certificate, to obtain money to issue the certificate and what facilities they had to check on the levels of lead in food items. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

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Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi