Nestle goes on the defensive, claims unsafe packs no longer in the market

RI Bureau

Nestle India, one of the largest food manufacturers here, is facing allegation from the food authorities over its flagship product, Maggi. The issue also brought a wave on social media pages influencing lots of Maggi lovers against the product, who are deciding to no more have a bite of their favourite ‘Meri Waali Maggi’.

On 30th April 2015, the local authorities in Lucknow asked Nestle India to recall one batch of MAGGI Noodles,  which is around 200,000 packs, on the grounds that it contained Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit in the instant noodle.

According to a media statement issued by Nestle, the Maggi batch that FDA had asked to recall was manufactured in February 2014 and had already reached the ‘Best Before date’ in November 2014. And the company’s practice is to collect stock that is near ‘Best Before date’ from distributors/retailers.

“We are confident that these packs are no longer in the market. The company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities. In the meantime, it is important to note that there are no other orders to recall MAGGI Noodle products in the market. People can be confident that MAGGI Noodle products are safe to eat,” a Nestle Spokesperson commented on a telephonic query.

The statement also assured the quality and safety of the products being sold by Nestle in India mentioning that this is the top priority for the company.

“We have in place strict food safety and quality controls at our MAGGI factories, including thorough quality checks at each stage of our raw material sourcing and manufacturing process. This includes comprehensive testing to ensure that MAGGI Noodles comply with all applicable food safety laws, as well as our own high standards of quality and safety before they reach our consumers,” added the statement.

On allegation of lead and MSG contains in the instant noodle, the company stated that they are aware of the reports of elevated levels of lead in a pack of MAGGI Noodles analysed by the authorities. And the food company regularly monitors for lead as part of their stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories.

“We have submitted product samples to an independent accredited laboratory and will share the results with the authorities,” added the statement issued by Nestle.