Maggi Noodles Controversy: Case Lodged Against Nestle India, 5 Others

A case has been lodged on May 30, 2015 against Nestle India in a local court over safety standards of its Maggi product.

IndiaCSR News Network

NEW DELHI: A case was lodged against Nestle India on May 30, 2015 in a local court of Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh over safety standards of its Maggi brand product, while actors Amitabh Bachhan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been separately dragged to the court for promoting the ‘two-minute’ noodles brand through various advertisement campaigns. Meanwhile, advertisement campaigns of promotion of Maggi products are still continue in various television channels in the country.

While the case against Nestle India and five others was filed by the UP food regulator FSDA ( Food Safety and Drug Administration), a local advocate filed a separate case against the three cine personalities.

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According to PTI report, Barabanki Food Safety Officer V K Pandey has said, following FSDA Commissioner P P Singh’s permission to file a case against Nestle India, a case has been filed in the court of ACJM (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate).”

Nestle India’s official statement uploaded on May 29, 2015 said, “We understand that consumers are concerned by reports that the authorities have found elevated levels of lead in a sample pack of MAGGI Noodles. We regularly monitor all our raw material for lead, including testing by accredited laboratories which have consistently shown levels in MAGGI Noodles to be within permissible limits. We are currently conducting further tests on samples of MAGGI Noodles and we understand the authorities are doing the same. We will share our results with authorities and continue to collaborate fully with them to bring this matter to a conclusion.”

” We understand that consumers are concerned by reports that the authorities have found MSG in MAGGI Noodles. We do not add the flavour enhancer MSG (E621) to MAGGI Noodles sold in India. However the product contains glutamate derived from hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour. Glutamate produces a positive test result in a test for MSG. We are fully engaged with the authorities in efforts to resolve the situation.” Nestle added.

The case has been lodged against the company’s Nestle Nagal Kalan Industrial Area unit (Haroli, Una in HP), Delhi-based Nestle India Limited, an Easy Day outlet in Barabanki and the Delhi-based parent firm Easy Day, as also against and their FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) managers, Mohan Gupta and Shabab Alam, Pandey said.

The FSDA had found monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in Maggi samples tested by it.

The FSDA had collected the samples from the Easy Day store in Barabanki and had sent the consignment for testing, which showed that the quantum of lead present was 17 times more than the stipulated limit, which is considered hazardous.

The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter while Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said yesterday that a class action suit can also be initiated in the matter if a complaint is lodged in this regard with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The second case has been lodged by a local advocate in Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court against the cine stars for promoting Maggi noodles, saying they have been found to be harmful for public health.

There were no comments from the company. Talking to newspersons, the advocate said he has lodged the case in the court of CJM against the three film stars who have claimed the instant noodles as healthy in TV promotions under sections 420, 272, 273 and 109.

He said these film stars have earned hefty sums by terming Maggi noodles as healthy in advertisements and alleged “this wrong publicity amounts to malafide intentions and playing with the health of the kids and young people of the country”.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh had collected more than two dozen packs of instant noodles from stores across the state. According to a Reuters report, they found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), which is way beyond the permissible limit. They also found very high levels of MSG.

Soon after the recall of Maggi Noodles from across Uttar Pradesh, other states like Maharashtra and Gujarat also got Maggi noodles tested, results of which are awaited. Recently, Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit also got a FDA Notice for endorsing Maggi noodles, with the FDA seeking a report from the actress within 15 days on claims made in the advertisement regarding the nutrition value of the ‘2-minute noodles’.

References:

https://www.nestle.in/media/statements/maggi-india-noodles-msg-recall-ban
https://www.nestle.in/media/statements/maggi-india-noodles-lead-recall-ban
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Maggi-noodles-row-Case-lodged-against-Nestle-5-others/articleshow/47482240.cms
http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/maggi-noodles-controversy-nestle-india-to-be-prosecuted-767133

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