New Delhi (Sputnik) — Maggi, India’s most popular brand of instant noodles, has invited trouble for its makers once again with a local court slapping Nestle India with a fine of approximately $70,000 for selling contaminated instant noodles on the Indian market. The court’s order is based on a laboratory test conducted in 2015 wherein it was found that Maggi instant noodles contained high quantities of material considered hazardous to human health.
Meanwhile, Nestle India said it is yet to receive the formal copy of the court’s order. It also clarified that the said samples are from 2015 and do not pertain to the quality of the product currently on the shelves.
Shahjahanpur District Administration imposes Rs 45 lakhs fine on Nestle India after Maggi samples failed lab test. The samples were collected late last year. Rs 17 lakhs fine imposed on three distributors also pic.twitter.com/W12uM9WLu9
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) 29 ноября 2017 г.
“We have been informed that the samples are from 2015 and the issue pertains to ‘ash content’ in the noodles. This appears to be a case of application of incorrect standards, and we will file an appeal urgently once we receive the order,” a Nestlé India spokesperson told Sputnik.
Maggi, Nestle India’s single-largest revenue earner, was banned by India’s food safety regulator FSSAI in June 2015 for six months across the country after a local food inspector in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh reported having found an excess of lead, ash, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) during a sample check.
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Following the incident, Nestlé India and other companies had represented to the relevant authorities, via industry associations, to set standards specific to instant noodles to avoid confusion amongst enforcement officers and consumers. “The standards have since been introduced and the product complies with these standards,” the spokesperson added.
