New Delhi: In the wake of Maggi controversy, Department of Pharmaceuticals is mulling to bring a proposal to ban sale of baby food products and other supplements at pharmacies.
The department said only pharmaceutical items like medicines and syrups must be allowed for sale in such shops. “People purchase baby food products and supplements from chemist shops under the impression that these are good for health...what happened in the Maggi case we all know...it is mostly consumed by children.
So these should not be sold at chemist shops,” Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told PTI. The Minister further said: “I am of the view that baby food products like Nestle's Cerelac and Nestum; Johnson and Johnson's baby soap and oil; and other companies' products also...these should not be sold at chemist shops.”
Besides, other items such as nutrient supplements used for body building should not be allowed to be sold at chemist shops.
“Only pharmaceutical products should be allowed to be sold at chemist shops. I am also planning to bring a proposal in this regard,” the Minister added.
Last week, food safety regulator FSSAI had banned all variants of Nestle India's Maggi noodles, terming them as “unsafe and hazardous” for human consumption after tests found presence of lead and monosodium glutamate beyond permissible limits.
Meanwhile, Nestle has withdrawn its Maggi noodles brand from markets across India but insisted that its instant noodles are safe for consumption.
