View source for Maggi noodles safety concerns in India

{{Short description|2015 food safety controversy}}
In May 2015, the Food and Drug Administration representatives from [[Barabanki district|Barabanki]], a district of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]] stated that samples of the product [[Maggi]] 2-Minute Noodles had unusually excessive levels of [[lead]]. This finding led to multiple market withdrawals and investigations in India and beyond.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rajasthanpatrika.patrika.com/story/business/maggi-controversy-nestle-india-may-be-in-loss-again-1276240.html|title=Maggi controversy: Nestle India may be in loss again|access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Beware! Eating 2 -Minute Maggi Noodles can ruin your Nervous System|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2015/05/beware-eating-2-minute-maggi-noodles-can-ruin-your-nervous-system/|access-date=18 May 2015|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|date=18 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://m.ndtv.com/india-news/maggi-noodles-packets-recalled-across-uttar-pradesh-say-food-inspectors-764729|publisher=[[NDTV]]|title=Maggi Noodles Packets Recalled Across Uttar Pradesh, Say Food Inspectors: Report|date= 20 May 2015|access-date= 20 May 2015|location=[[New Delhi]], India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sushmi Dey|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maggi-under-regulatory-scanner-for-lead-MSG-beyond-permissible-limit/articleshow/47304615.cms |work=[[The Times of India]]|title='Maggi' under regulatory scanner for lead, MSG beyond permissible limit |date= 16 May 2015|access-date= 20 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Najar |first=Nida |date=2015-06-05 |title=Nestlé Pulls Maggi Noodles From Shelves Across India|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/06/business/nestle-pulls-maggi-noodles-from-shelves-across-india.html |access-date=2022-04-27 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Timeline ==
* 3 June 2015 – The [[New Delhi]] Government banned the sale of Maggi in New Delhi stores for 15 days due to these findings.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delhi-govt-bans-sales-of-Maggi-from-its-stores/articleshow/47525207.cms|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Delhi govt bans sales of Maggi from its stores: Report|date= 3 June 2015|access-date= 3 June 2015|location=[[New Delhi]], India}}</ref> [[First Information Report]]s (FIRs) against [[Bollywood]] Maggi Brand Ambassadors [[Amitabh Bachchan]], [[Madhuri Dixit]], and [[Preity Zinta]] were lodged by Sudhir Kumar Ojha, a lawyer, at Muzaffarpur district court, asking the authorities to arrest them if required. He complained that he fell sick after eating Maggi, which he had purchased from a shop at Lenin Chowk on 30 May.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maggi-case-bollywood-actors-face-fir/article7276001.ece |title=Maggi case: Bollywood actors face FIR |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2015-06-03 |access-date=2016-01-16|last1=Tewary |first1=Amarnath }}</ref>
* 4 June 2015 – The [[Gujarat]] FDA banned the noodles for 30 days after 27 out of 39 samples were detected with objectionable levels of lead, among other things,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gujarat-bans-Maggi-noodles-for-30-days/articleshow/47541846.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607080312/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gujarat-bans-Maggi-noodles-for-30-days/articleshow/47541846.cms|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 June 2015|title=Gujarat bans Maggi noodles for 30 days|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=4 June 2015|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref> and [[Assam]] banned sale, distribution, and storage of Maggi's "extra delicious chicken noodles" variety for 30 days after tests carried out at the state public health laboratory concluded that the particular variety contained added an excessively high amount of lead.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Assam-bans-Maggi-variety-for-30-days/articleshow/47546109.cms|title=Assam bans Maggi variety for 30 days|work=The Times of India|date=5 June 2015 }}</ref> On 4 June 2015 the government of [[Tamil Nadu]] banned Maggi foods due to an unacceptable amount of lead and other components.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dey |first=Sushmi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Centre-may-ban-Maggi-as-other-brands-fail-test-in-TN/articleshow/47547551.cms |title=Centre may ban Maggi as other brands fail test in TN|work=The Times of India |date=2015-06-05 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* 5 June 2015 – The [[Andhra Pradesh]] Government also banned Maggi foods.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150606/nation-current-affairs/article/andhra-pradesh-bans-maggi-telangana-awaits-report |title=Andhra Pradesh bans maggi, Telangana awaits report |work=Deccan Chronicle|date= 6 June 2015|access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* Also on 5 June 2015, the [[Food Safety and Standards Authority of India]] (FSSAI)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/did-not-order-maggi-ban-fssai-tells-sc/article7978147.ece|title=Did not order Maggi ban, FSSAI tells SC|last=Rajagopal|first=Krishnadas|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-02-26}}</ref> ordered a recall of all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles and oats masala noodles, suggesting that they were unsafe and hazardous for human consumption.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fssai.gov.in/Portals/0/Pdf/Order_Nestle.pdf|title=FSSAI Order to Nestle India|date=5 June 2015|publisher=FSSAI, India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616090435/http://www.fssai.gov.in/Portals/0/Pdf/Order_Nestle.pdf|archive-date=16 June 2015}}</ref> On the same day, the [[Food Standards Agency]] of the United Kingdom launched an investigation into the level of lead in Maggi noodles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/uk-launches-maggi-tests-for-lead-content/articleshow/47556524.cms |title=UK launches Maggi tests for lead content |newspaper=The Economic Times |date=2015-06-05 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* 6 June 2015 – The Central Government of India banned nationwide sales of Maggi noodles for an indefinite period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patrika.com/news/miscellenous-india/supreme-court-denies-to-give-clean-chit-to-maggie-orders-to-re-test-1159819/|title=Supreme Court denies to give clean chit to Maggie, orders to re-test|website=patrika.com}}</ref>
* 26 June 2015 – During a press meeting, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare of [[Karnataka]], [[U. T. Khader]], stated that Maggi foods would not be banned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newskarnataka.com/bangalore/maggie-will-not-be-banned-in-karnataka#sthash.wxFsBtki.dpuf |title=Maggi will not be banned in Karnataka |publisher=Newskarnataka.com |date=2015-06-27 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* July 2015 – The Bombay High Court allowed the export of Maggi while the ban in India remained.<ref>{{cite news|author=Maulik Vyas|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/hc-allows-nestle-to-export-maggi-though-ban-continues-in-india/articleshow/47878617.cms |title=Bombay HC allows Nestle to export Maggi though ban continues in India – timesofindia-economictimes |newspaper=The Economic Times |date= July 2015|access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* August 2015 – Tests performed by the US health regulator FDA showed no dangerous lead levels in the products.<ref name="indiatimes1"/> On 13 August 2015, the nationwide ban was struck down by the Bombay high court.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ban-on-maggi-lifted-bombay-hc-orders-fresh-test-of-noodle-samples/|title=Ban on Maggi: High Court lifts ban, orders fresh tests within 6 weeks|date=14 August 2015|work=Indian Express}}</ref> The court stated that proper procedure was not followed in issuing the ban and called into question the test results, as the samples were not tested at authorized laboratories accredited to the [[National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories]] (NABL).<ref>{{cite news|author=Shibu Thomas |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Relief-for-Nestle-Bombay-HC-sets-aside-food-regulators-ban-on-Maggi/articleshow/48463583.cms |title=Relief for Nestle, Bombay HC sets aside food regulator's ban on Maggi |work=The Times of India |date=13 August 2015 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>

==Additional market bans==
Some of India's biggest retailers (including [[Future Group]]'s [[Big Bazaar]], [[Easyday]], and Nilgiris) imposed a nationwide ban on Maggi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/business/future-group-bans-maggi-too-the-two-minute-death-of-a-indias-favourite-noodle-brand-2277008.html|publisher=Firstpost|title=Future Group bans Maggi too: The two-minute death of a India's favourite noodle brand|date= 3 June 2015|access-date= 3 June 2015}}</ref> In addition, multiple state authorities in India found an unacceptable amount of lead, leading to bans in more than five other states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maggi-s-twisted-tale-gujarat-jharkhand-decision-on-ban-today/article1-1354696.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605040254/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maggi-s-twisted-tale-gujarat-jharkhand-decision-on-ban-today/article1-1354696.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 June 2015 |title=North to south: 5 states ban two-minute Maggi noodles in a day &#124; india |work=The Hindustan Times|date= 4 June 2015|access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/uttar-pradesh/story/maggi-noodles-fail-lucknow-lab-test-279852-2015-12-31|title=Maggi noodles fail Lucknow lab test}}</ref>

Nepal indefinitely banned Maggi over concerns about the lead levels in the product.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/nepal-bans-import--sale-of-nestle-maggi-noodles/article1-1354986.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605021250/http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/nepal-bans-import--sale-of-nestle-maggi-noodles/article1-1354986.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 June 2015 |title=Nepal bans import, sale of Maggi noodles &#124; world |work=The Hindustan Times|date= 4 June 2015|access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref> Maggi noodles were subsequently withdrawn from the market of five African nations: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Sudan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33053683 |title=Maggi noodles withdrawn in East African supermarket |date= 8 June 2015|access-date=2016-01-16|publisher=BBC News }}</ref>

==Testing controversies==
* [[Monosodium glutamate]] (MSG): Testing found some MSG in Maggi noodles. The packet stated "No added MSG"; however, MSG naturally occurs in hydrolyzed peanut protein, onion powder, and wheat flour (see: {{Section link|Glutamate flavoring|Natural occurrence}}). Maggi offered to remove the words "No added MSG" from the package to overcome the objection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/we-will-remove-no-msg-from-the-maggi-noodle-label-nestles-global-ceo-768951 |title=We Will Remove No MSG from the Maggi Noodles Label: Nestles Global CEO – NDTV Food |publisher=NDTV |date=2015-06-06 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>
* [[Lead]]: Maggi noodles include flavouring packets named Tastemaker, which are intended to dissolve in water during cooking. Maggi insisted that testing should be done on the product as it is eaten; however, the FSSAI insisted that the powder itself should be tested. On 5 June 2015, the FSSAI said that the prescribed standards of 2.5 parts per million would have to apply to all components of the product. Out of the 13 samples tested by Delhi authorities, 10 of them had lead content exceeding this limit. The packets that initiated the investigation from Uttar Pradesh had 17.2 ppm of lead.<ref>{{cite web|author=Rohan Venkataramakrishnan |url=http://scroll.in/article/732356/nestles-defence-its-only-real-lead-free-maggi-when-the-noodles-and-masala-are-boiled-in-water |title=Nestlé's defence: It is only real (lead-free) Maggi when the noodles and masala are boiled in water |publisher=Scroll.in |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref> Nestlé also questioned the reliability of the labs used. Results from testing outside of India ([[Singapore]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Singapore-resumes-sale-of-India-made-Maggi-noodles/articleshow/47597535.cms |title=Singapore resumes sale of India-made Maggi noodles |work=The Times of India |date=2015-06-09 |access-date=2016-01-16 |agency=Press Trust of India}}</ref> US<ref name="indiatimes1">{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-health-regulator-says-lead-in-Maggi-within-acceptable-levels/articleshow/48460940.cms |title=US health regulator says lead in Maggi within acceptable levels |work=The Times of India |date=2015-08-13 |access-date=2016-01-16 |agency=[[Press Trust of India]]}}</ref>) reported that Maggi noodles were safe. In the later Bombay High Court judgment, the court agreed that the test results by earlier labs were unreliable. The court mandated testing to be done at three specific laboratories (Punjab, Hyderabad, and Jaipur) where Maggi was found safe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/maggi-clears-bombay-hc-mandated-lab-tests-nestle-india/ |title=Maggi clears Bombay HC mandated lab tests: [Nestle] India |work=The Indian Express|date=2015-10-17 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref> The lead may have been naturally occurring in plants and soil<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Lead in soils and plants: A literature review|journal=CRC Critical Reviews in Environmental Control|volume=3|issue = 1–4|page=213|doi=10.1080/10643387309381602|year=2010|last1=Zimdahl|first1=Robert L.|last2=Arvik|first2=Jon H.|last3=Hammond|first3=Paul B.}}</ref> or from Indian spices, although within acceptable limits.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Park |first=Alice |url=http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1971906,00.html |title=Study: Indian Spices, Powders Linked with Lead Poisoning – TIME |magazine=Time |date=2010-03-15 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>

==Company response==
Maggi always insisted that its noodle product is safe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nestle.in/aboutus/ask-nestle/answers/maggi-noodles-india-test-results |title=What testing methodology does Nestlé use? &#124; MAGGI Noodles – Nestlé India &#124; Nestlé India |publisher=Nestle.in |date=2016-01-01 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref> Maggi recalled stock worth nearly ₹320 [[crore]] (₹3.2 Billion) from the shelves and paid ₹20 crores (₹200 million) to a cement factory to burn the product. In addition, the Corporate Affairs Ministry of India imposed a ₹640 crore (₹6.4 Billion) fine on Nestle India for the presence of MSG and lead beyond the permissible limit.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ruchika Shah |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-how-much-did-maggi-ban-cost-nestle-india-2140196 |title=How much did Maggi ban cost Nestle India? & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |work=Daily News and Analysis |date=2015-10-30 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>

==Return to market==
In India, Maggi products were returned to the shelves in November 2015,<ref>Bhusan, Ratna and Malviya, Sagar (17 October 2015): [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/maggi-clears-all-tests-nestle-india-to-restart-production-within-2-3-weeks/articleshow/49423524.cms Maggi clears all tests, Nestle India to restart production within 2-3 weeks]. Accessed on 19 February 2021.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/maggi-noodles-return-to-india-after-crisis/story-fnkgdftz-1227602617859 |title=Maggi noodles India ban: Celebrations as Nestle returns to shelves |publisher=News.com.au |date=2015-11-10 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref> accompanied by a [[Nestlé]] advertising campaign to win back the trust of members of the Indian community.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/look-maggis-latest-ploy-winning-back-consumer-trust-safety-concerns/|title=LOOK Maggi India's latest ploy to win back customers|author=marketing-interactive.com|publisher=marketing-interactive.com|access-date=2019-09-15}}</ref> At this time, a satirical song on the incident "Maggi anthem" by [[Vir Das]] and Alien Chutney was released.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Goswami|first1=Shreya|title=Try getting this Maggi song by Vir Das and Alien Chutney out of your head|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/food-drink/food/story/vir-das-alien-chutney-new-maggi-anthem-youtube-video-msg-lead-masala-is-my-king-319425-2016-04-22|access-date=5 August 2016|work=[[India Today]]|date=22 April 2016}}</ref> Nestlé resumed production of Maggi at all five plants in India on 30 November 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/nestle-brings-back-maggi-to-shelves-in-india/article7860831.ece|title=Maggi noodles is back|last=Bhargava|first=Yuthika|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-02-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.thehindu.com/business/Industry/nestle-resumes-maggi-noodles-production-at-all-plants-in-india/article7932803.ece |title=Nestle resumes Maggi noodles production at all plants in India : The Hindu – Mobile edition |work=The Hindu |date=2015-11-30 |access-date=2016-01-16}}</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:2015 in India]]
[[Category:Food safety scandals]]