NAA finds Maggi noodles distributor guilty of profiteering

MAGGI is launching its first-ever Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in the OneRare Foodverse.

A leader in the culinary space, MAGGI has been at the forefront of innovation and bold experimentation for over 40 years in India. With a product loved by all age groups, MAGGI is now set to embrace blockchain technology to reach out to their fans and foodies in an all-new avatar.

Partnering with OneRare, MAGGI will be launching their iconic offerings – Recipes made with MAGGI Noodles, MAGGI Masala-ae-Magic and MAGGI Hot & Sweet as NFTs that can be used in the Foodverse. From nostalgic noodle recipes to classic Indian dishes, these exclusive NFTs will undoubtedly leave MAGGI enthusiasts excited.

“Cooking in India is undergoing a digital transformation. These are exciting times where everyone is engaging in cooking, regardless of their skill and expertise. MAGGI has been an ally to the Indian homemaker for over 40 years and we have always been at the forefront of innovation. In our latest innovation in the virtual world, we are proud to launch our first-ever Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in the OneRare Foodverse. With this partnership, we bring to people an immersive cooking experience, designed to bring alive the pleasure that people derive from the process of cooking, without any physical cooking involved,” said, Rajat Jain, Head – Foods Business, Nestlé India.

The MAGGI NFT launch in the OneRare Foodverse is a game-changer for the F&B industry, setting new standards for customer engagement, and paving the way for others to follow suit.

"We're thrilled to partner with an iconic brand like MAGGI," shared Supreet Raju, Co-Founder of OneRare by adding that this groundbreaking move demonstrates the potential of blockchain technology in transforming the F&B industry, and we're thrilled to bring these NFTs to life on the blockchain.

FMCG major Nestle India has strengthened the range of its popular instant noodles Maggi by introducing four new regional flavours.

The new range consists of four new flavours - Amritsari Achari, Mumbaiya Chatak, Super Chennai and Bengali Jhaal, which have herbs and spices used in various regional cuisines, Nestle India said in a statement.

Priced at Rs 240 for a box of three units each of all four flavours, it would be available exclusively at PayTM Mall, it added.

Maarten Geraets, GM Foods, said, "We are happy to introduce this new range and are confident that it will be appreciated by our loyal customers, who expect nothing but the best from Nestle India."

Nestle India's instant noodles brand Maggi, has cornered close to 60 per cent market share, a top company official said.

Maggi commanded a market share of around 75 per cent prior to the five-month ban in 2015.

Nestle India, which is looking to consolidate its leadership position in the noodles segment, is also working on new products and categories for overall growth.

Maggi was banned by FSSAI in June 2015 for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market.

Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestle India said, "We are now close to 60 per cent market share and we are at the market leadership position."

Asked how much time would it take for Maggi to reach its pre-crisis level, he said, "Its difficult to speculate. The energy and drive of the organisation remains to get back to the peak level, but it is going to involve a lot of efforts, a lot of imagination and perseverance, which we are willing to do."

The company has launched 35 products across categories in the last six months to diversify its portfolio.

"We have launched 35 new products in the last six months as for Nestle renovation and innovation is a key dimension of the growth equation of the company. This will continue. This would involve not just new offerings in existing brands but also in venturing into new categories," Narayanan said.

Government today rejected suggestions that the five-month ban Swiss giant Nestle's Maggi noodles was in retaliation to EU's clampdown on marketing of 700 generic drugs for alleged manipulation of clinical trials by GVK Bio.

"I don't think that these two issues are at all linked. Many countries take many decisions in what they deem to be appropriate regulatory steps to protect their population," said Rita Teaotia, Department of Commerce Secretary, reported PTI.

"This is the legitimate right of every country. So whatever action was taken on Nestle was legitimately within the domain of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

"Whatever the EU did in the GVK Bio case, whether we liked it or not, whether we protest, it was what they felt was legitimate. They represented their case and we represented our case. I don't think that we can get into tit-for-tat mode," she said.

Regarding the free trade agreement (FTA), she said the EU needs to convince its member countries on some of the issues raised by India to boost two-way commerce and investment.

On the exports front, she said there has been contraction during the current year on account of global economic slowdown.

The head of Nestle's Asian business is hoping to restore revenue in India within three years to levels preceding the recall of its Maggi instant noodles from the market last year over a health scare, newspaper Schweiz am Sonntag reported.

Nestle magi noodle which was banned last April by the Government banned after local regulators found unsafe levels of lead in some packages sold at roadside stalls, reported Reuters.

In August, an Indian court ruled in favour of Nestle to overturn the ban, but demanded the snack be tested again for safety before it can go on sale again.

Nestle, whose fourth-quarter sales in India fell more than a fifth, according to the paper, contends the noodles were safe, but ordered a recall that cost the company about 66 million Swiss francs ($66.68 million).

In an interview with the Swiss newspaper, Nestle's Wan Ling Martello said all five factories that produce the noodles were doing so again, although not all flavors had returned to Indian shelves.

A complete recovery of Indian revenue could take around three years, she said, citing experiences with similar crises elsewhere.

"But I'm pushing my team so it doesn't take that long," she told the newspaper.

She said Nestle was investing in TV commercials and an online campaign to restore faith in Maggi products.

Expressing concerns over quality of maggi noodles, the Supreme Court sought Mysore laboratory report on lead and msg levels in the instant noodles, reported PTI.

SC has asked Mysore lab to clarify whether test reports relating to lead and glutamic acid in Maggi are within permissible parameters under the law. The lab will give its report within eight weeks.

The apex court was hearing appeal filed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) against the Bombay High Court verdict.

The Bombay High Court had on 13th August lifted the ban on nine variants of the fast food and asked the company to go for fresh tests.

The food regulator had appealed to the apex court against HC order overturning the nationwide ban on Maggi instant noodles.

The SC had on December 16 ordered testing of samples of Maggi noodles in Mysore laboratory after the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had directed that it be done in Chennai.

A bench of justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant said, “During course of the hearing they (Centre and Nestle) agreed that the primary concern is health and the test has to be carried out to meet the parameters of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.”

“The consent was arrived that Mysore is well-equipped with all tests and being a referral notified laboratory, sample should be sent there,” it said.

Nestle India Ltd, during the arguments through senior advocate Harish Salve, opposed NCDRC’s direction for test at Chennai saying it is not accredited for salt and lead test.

This was vehemently opposed by Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, who said that on their request the sample has been sent to Chennai. Later Nestle India and the Centre agreed for testing samples at Mysore.

FIR has been registered against the CEO and founder of an e-commerce major for allegedly selling popular Maggi noodles online in five Indian states during the ban period, reported PTI.

A case was registered against Kunal Bahl, CEO of Snapdeal and Rohit Bansal, founder for online sale of Nestle's instant noodles in five states including Rajasthan during the period of ban between June 7 and October 30 last year, said police.

A complaint was lodged by Lalit Sharma, a Jaipur-based lawyer following which police registered an FIR under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the IPC and sections 59 and 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

The company spokesperson said they have not received any information on the same.

Last June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had placed a ban on sale of Maggi after they found high levels of lead in it.

Moreover, the Bombay High Court had revoked the ban on Maggi on 19th October paving the way for it to be back on shelves.

Nestle India, which has brought the favourite ‘Maggi’ noodles in the market after almost six month of struggle has so far sold 3.3 crore packs of its instant noodles Maggi in 350 towns across India.

In an analyst presentation, the company said it is selling Maggi at 1.2 lakh outlets through 724 distributors, reported PTI.

On the financial implications of the ban on Maggi, Nestle India said it had to bear an exceptional cost of Rs 476.2 crore, which included cost of destroying 34,663 tons of the noodles.

Nestle India said it took hit of Rs 161.4 crore as third party commitments, reverse transportation, cost of incinerating stock, handling, repacking, laboratory testing among others, while Rs 314.8 crore included cost of finished goods and duties and taxes paid by the company.

The noodles was relaunched in the market on November 9, 2015 after fulfilling conditions set by Bombay High Court which lifted ban imposed by FSSAI and Maharashtra FDA.

According to the company, the ban had impacted 3.97 lakh wheat farmers and 15,000 spice farmers besides over 10,000 employees of its suppliers.

It had also impacted its 3,000 contract workers also.

With Maggi back in the market, Nestle India said it is now aiming for "bring back double digit growth" and "back to stability".

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the Bombay high court order lifting the ban on Maggi noodles in the country, reported PTI.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India approached the apex court, terming the High Court’s August 13 order as “erroneous” and questioned the sanctity of the samples provided for re-test to government-approved labs.

In its petition, the FSSAI contended that the High Court “erred” by asking Nestle, the Indian arm of the Swiss company, itself to provide the fresh samples instead of asking a neutral authority to do so.

Prior, the High Court had quashed the orders of the FSSAI and the Maharashtra food regulator FDA, which had banned nine variants of Maggi noodles in the country.

It had said that the principles of natural justice were not followed in executing the ban as the manufacturer was not given a hearing.

After Maggi, Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has found excess lead in ITC's Yippee noodles and will soon file a case.

The FDA said that the samples of Yippee noodles, seized from a local mall here, have been found to contain lead “far in excess to the permissible limit”.

Chandan Pandey, Head of  Department FDA, Aligarh Division said “The laboratory report for these samples, which were received here yesterday, indicated that the lead content which should have been below 1 ppm was found to be 1.057 ppm”.

FDA authorities had seized 8 samples of different food products from a local mall on 21st June including the sample of Yippee noodles. These samples were sent to the state laboratory at Lucknow and Meerut for testing, Pandey added.

The excessive lead content can cause serious harm, particularly to children; he said that a report has been sent to the FDA Chief Commissioner for permission before filing an official case.

The process is expected to take a few weeks, he added.

The troubles for Nestle India over ‘excess’ lead content in its Maggi noodles had also begun in UP first, while food regulators in other parts of the country and the central body FSSAI also later passed orders against the company.

After the Maggi fiasco, ITC has rolled out an advertising campaign that emphasizes on the safety and quality of its Yippee noodles.

"The noodles category has been impacted due to the recent spate of events. We, therefore, feel it is imperative to clear the air of confusion and reinstate consumer trust in the category," said VL Rajesh, Divisional Chief Executive of the foods division at ITC. 

"To this end, we have embarked on communicating to the consumer in an open and transparent manner with a reassurance campaign which is rooted in fact,"added Rajesh.

Yippee noodles, a prominent advertiser in the instant noodle category, had gone off air after concerns were raised over the safety of Nestle's Maggi and some other instant noodle brands. The latest commercial of Yippee noodles, created by Ogilvy & Mather shows the factory where it is manufactured. The commercial is being telecast on general entertainment channels (GECs), kid's channels and music channels.

"This campaign is further augmented by an initiative 'You Ask We Answer' (YAWA) through various media. The campaign on Sunfeast Yippee highlights ITC's uncompromising commitment to quality and safety, our state of-the-art manufacturing facilities as well as rigorous testing protocols," Rajesh said.

A distributor for the product in the district of Leh said sale of Yippee shot up four times. "While we used to sell 1,000 cases (each with 96 packets) of Yippee before the controversy, in July, a month after the ban on Maggi, we sold 3,000 cases. In August, the sale went up even further and I sold 4,000 cases of the product," he said.

Indian authorities have forced Nestle to burn 29,000 tones worth of food in a noodle health scare, said chairman Peter Brabeck, dismissing the allegations as unfounded, reported PTI.

"Laboratories in the United States, Britain, Australia and Singapore did not find anything harmful in the noodles. Our products are safe for consumers," he was quoted as saying by Swiss paper Handelszeitung.

He said the Indian case was "not harmless and not to be underestimated."

The government has filed a lawsuit against Nestle's Indian unit, seeking Rs 640 crore in damages on behalf of consumers after the country's worst packaged food scare in a decade.

Nestle India is taking into account to introduce new products under the Maggi brand driving growth with increased advertising spending, as it looks to overcome the setback from the ban on its flagship instant noodles, reported PTI.

Suresh Narayanan, newly appointed Managing Director, said at a media conference that bringing Maggi back to the market was at the top on his five-point agenda.

"In Maggi itself there are couple of ideas on which we are working. In other products categories there are couple of ideas that we have got. Nestle "spends maximum amount on R&D" worldwide, he said there are a number of projects currently underway.

Narayanan said that Maggi ban has affected sales of other categories too and the company was looking to drive growth of those categories.

"For me what is going to be the key focus is on growing some of other categories as well. We have got presence in dairy, presence in coffee and beverages and we have got presence in chocolate and confectioneries as well. There are opportunities there,” he said.

He, further, said the company was not diluting the importance of Maggi as it is "is a big part of our movement".

"There has been impact on the rest of the portfolio because it is also sold in similar outlets and in similar geographies. I can say that it has been reasonably uniform across all the categories. Uniformly it has affected,” he said for other brands. According to his five point agenda, Narayanan said Nestle India would also focus on enhanced engagement with stakeholders and authorities and communities.

He said when the company is increasing marketing spend to counter impact of Maggi ban on other brands, “That's part of the thinking really to shore up what really we can do on some of the other parts of the portfolio... One part of the portfolio is affected but we will be looking as to how we can shore up advertising and support activities on the other brands".

Ruling out withdrawing the Maggi brand from market, Narayanan said: "The journey on Maggi would continue but the journey on other categories would also will be significantly emphasized over the period of time."

On whether the company would continue to spend on promotions of existing products in the market under the Maggi brand, he said: "Today the question for the organization is where would we get the cost benefits of doing activities to generate more growth and I believe that in other categories there are opportunities."

When asked about lessons learned from the Maggi disaster, he said: "As a consequence of what has happened we will be having a process of introspection as an organisation, in terms of learning what was the thing happened, what was the thing that was right, what was the thing which we have done was not right because this is going to be constituting the part of the learning of the organisation.

Narayanan adds, "... Nestle is a part of this country. We will be a part of this country as we have been for the last 100 years respecting the laws of the land and also respecting all the authorities. It is my hope that we are able to find a solution and we are able to move forward."

Moreover, he declined to 'hazard a guess' on how soon Maggi will be back on shelves saying the matter is sub-judice as Nestle India has challenged the ban on Maggi by central food safety regulator FSSAI in the Bombay High Court.

When asked if the company would take legal recourse against FSSAI to claim damages if the verdict comes in Nestle's favor, he said: "We have come here to do business. Let us stick to the 'Karobaar' (business). I am a qualified sale and marketing professional, let me do the job that I know best which is to serve the consumer best. What are you speculating on; the issue has not come to the table."

Ban on Maggi instant noodles lead to Nestle India reported a standalone loss of Rs 64.40 crore for the quarter ended on June 30, 2015, its first quarterly loss in over three decades. For the period of the April-June quarter of financial year 2014-15, it had posted a net profit of Rs 287.86 crore.

Nestle India Ltd, battling a reputational crisis after a food scare, slipped into a loss in the June quarter, as sales plunged after its hugely popular Maggi noodles were pulled off shelves over safety concerns, reported Reuters.

The unit of Swiss food giant Nestle SA said on Wednesday that net loss for its second quarter ended June was 644 million rupees ($10 million), compared with a profit of 2.88 billion rupees a year earlier. Sales fell 20 percent to 19.34 billion rupees.

The company reported one-off costs of 4.52 billion rupees in the quarter.

Nestle has been at the centre of India's worst food scare in a decade after local regulators reported that some packets of the company's Maggi instant noodles -- one of India's most popular snacks -- contained dangerous levels of lead.

India's food safety regulator banned Maggi last month, calling it "unsafe and hazardous for human consumption".

Nestle has maintained the noodles are safe, and appealed against the ban in court. But it has to continue with a nationwide recall of some 27,400 tonnes of the noodles until a verdict is reached.  

The Food and Drugs Administration of Maharashtra has told the Bombay High Court that Nestle India the manufacturer of Maggi noodles in India has violated laws with the lead level in the popular instant snack being above the permissible limit, reported PTI.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Nestle against FSSAI's June 5 order banning nine variants of Maggi, and Maharashtra government's order prohibiting their sale.

"If they (Nestle) had problems with the FDA report of laboratory tests showing lead content in Maggi, they could have told us, following which we could have referred the case to other accredited labs. Instead, the company challenged our authority," argued FDA counsel Darius Khambata.

He further said, to a question by the judges, that of the 20 samples which were sent to the labs, only five tested positive.

To another question by the division bench of justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawalla, Khambata said FDA had tested only two variants of Maggi, but banned all the nine variants available in the market. He would continue the argument tomorrow.

FSSAI had earlier argued that it had not banned Maggi, but only asked the company to stop the manufacture and sale as it contained lead beyond the permissible limit.

FSSAI also said that it was ready to give a hearing to the company.

Both FSSAI and FDA have claimed that they had issued notices to Nestle India keeping in mind the health hazards the product may have had due to the high lead content.

Nestle has argued that a particular batch may have contained lead beyond permissible limit but the blanket ban was "unfair and illegal".

Food Safety Standards Association of India (FSSAI) argued in the Bombay High Court that a mere suspicion about a food snack being sub-standard in quality would be a reasonable ground to take appropriate steps to stop the sale of the product, reported PTI.

Anil Singh, FSSAI Counsel stated that after a bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabwala raised a query whether the suspected food was unsafe for consumption or stop the sale of the entire product line.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Nestle India against FSSAI’s June 5 order banning nine variants of Maggi and Maharashtra government’s order prohibiting the sale of Maggi.

Anil Singh, senior counsel and acting Advocate General of Maharashtra, said that in the case of Maggi there have been violations of law. Maggi’s label is deceptive as it said “No MSG” in contents and presence of lead in the product is beyond permitted.

The company claimed that it had tested its product in 2700 laboratories in India and also in abroad and the tests have indicated that the lead content was less than the allowed limit of 0.5 percent.

In a recent development, Gujarat government has announced the ban on Yippee noodles and Bambino Macaroni after test results indicated presence of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in some of the samples tested by the state Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), reported PTI.

'Yippee' noodles of Sunfeast by ITC and 'Bambino Macaroni' by Bambino Agro Industries were banned in the state informed FDCA commissioner H G Koshia.

The government had extended the ban on Nestle's Maggi noodles for one month last Saturday.

According to Koshia, of the 23 samples of Sunfeast Yippee, one sample failed the safety test as it showed higher lead content while some samples showed presence of MSG.

"In one of the samples of Yippee, lead content was found to be 3.44 PPM (particle per million) instead of prescribed limit of 2.5 PPM. Such an excess of lead is harmful if consumed. We also found MSG in some other samples, while some samples were found safe," added Koshia.

"We had collected only one sample of Bambino Macaroni and found that lead content was 4.1 PPM," he added.

Gujarat government had banned the sale of Maggi for one month in June and later extended the ban for another month. Similarly, the one-month ban on Hakka noodles manufactured by S K Foods was also extended this month.

According to Koshia, FDCA has widened its net now.

"Till now, we have collected 133 samples of 22 companies selling instant noodles and pastas. Of these, 33 samples have failed the test till now, including Maggi. Results of some of the brands are awaited," said Koshia.

"Apart from noodles, we have also collected around 60 samples of other food products, such as soft drinks, wafers and ice cream. We will test them in coming days," he added.  

Ever since magi controversy has hit the country, there are several brands coming under the scanner after the issue. And in a latest development, a team including district magistrate and FDA of Meerut visited McDonald’s and Pizza Hut outlets in PVS Mall.

The officials has also collected two samples of eatables from both QSR chains and had sent them to the food-testing laboratory in Lucknow.

According the officials, the reports are likely to be out within next 20 days.

"Food authorities often skip inspecting big brands thinking they can never sell sub-standard products. So we decided to bring them under our scanner,” said Keshav Kumar, City Magistrate.

Giving details on the samples collected, chief food safety officer JP Singh, said, "We collected samples of chicken patty used in non-veg burgers and chocolate-coated crisps from McDonald's, while samples of tomato ketchup and tandoori sauce used to prepare pizzas were collected from Pizza Hut."

The chief magistrate further said other food chains such as Dominos and KFC would also be inspected soon.  

On June 5, Indian food safety regulator banned the supply and sale of Maggi in Indian market after it said tests showed the noodles contained excessive levels of lead.

Nestle had already announced it was pulling the product from sale when the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India imposed a ban following similar moves by some state governments.

The Nestle chief Paul Bulcke is trying hard to improve the brand image of the world’s top food company and bringing back Maggi to the Indian market with the brand image it carried before. He insisted that the hugely popular Maggi brand was 100 per cent safe, saying there are misconceptions of health risk in packaged food around the world.

Nestle notched up sales of USD 14.4 billion in ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals last year, the third most profitable sector for the company after soft drinks and milk products and ice cream. The company faced huge losses more than 27, 000 tonnes of Maggi which led them USD 50.5 million worth of goods being withdrawn from the market, the company said.

Bulcke said that we have to harder work to reconnect with consumers and to get a way back in Indian market with same reputation and reliability. "One can have facts on one's side but it's the perception that counts," added bulcke.

"The only thing that interests me is to have the product back as soon as possible and that things are cleared up," said Bulcke, "We are doing all we can to make contact with Indian authorities at the earliest," he said, adding: "The product is safe."

The experts warn that the ban of Maggi in India could have devastating implications for neighboring countries where it is also very popular.

According to Brand Finance, a consultancy firm, Maggi is set to lose over USD 200 million in brand value following the setback in India. Maggi was previously valued at USD 2.4 billion, Brand Finance said, adding that it had ranked the noodle manufacturer as the 23rd most valuable food brand in the world.  

Paul Bulcke, Nestle Chief said taht he want to see its hugely popular Maggi brand of instant noodles back on the Indian market as soon as possible after it was banned over safety issues, reported AFP.

The food safety authority of India has bannedthe popular instant noodle on 5th June after tests done by the state and the central authority shows that it contained excessive levels of MSG.

"The only thing that interests me is to have the product back as soon as possible and that things are cleared up. We are doing all we can to make contact with Indian authorities at the earliest as the product is safe,” said Bulcke.

On asking about the impact of the ban on jobs in India, he said production would resume "if we can resolve this fast." On Monday, the Swiss food giant said that the ban had led to 3.2 billion rupees (44.5 million euros, $50.5 million) worth of goods being withdrawn.

A Nestle spokesman said it was the biggest ever withdrawal of a product by the company.

The world's biggest food company is challenging the June 5 order from the government's food safety regulator and is in the process of destroying more than 27,000 tonnes of Maggi noodles after halting production.

The company had already announced it was pulling the product from sale when the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India imposed a ban following similar moves by some state governments.

Nestle does not give a breakdown of sales per brand but Jon Cox, an analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux, put it at around three billion Swiss francs (2.8 billion euros) a year.

The safety scare is a huge blow to the company, which has been selling its Maggi products for more than three decades in India, and has 80 percent of the country's instant noodle market.

Maggi scored as one of India's five most trusted brands in a consumer survey conducted last year.

Several celebrities have endorsed Maggi over the years, including Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

ITC, which sells Yippee noodles under Sunfeast brand, has decided to remove ‘no-added MSG’ from its labels on the instant noodle packets.

ITC has taken the decision to remove the same following the Maggi noodles controversy wherein FSSAI has pointed that  if a product does not contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), the manufacturer should refrain from using the phrase 'No added MSG' on its packets.

“In connection with another brand of noodles, the FSSAI has expressed the opinion that such a statement is inappropriate. Therefore, ITC is voluntarily taking steps to remove the phrase 'No added MSG' from its labels in its new batches of packaging and consumers should ignore this phrase on the current packaging,” added an ITC statement.

Hence, ITC claims that all new manufactured packets will now strictly follow the FSSAI norms by removing no added MSG on the fresh packets.

The company has also assured its customers of safe food products mentioning that YiPPee! noodles has been found to be in compliance with all food safety regulations and safe for consumption.

Ever since Maggi ban has hit the Indian market, other food products including Haldiram’s snacks, HUL’s Knorr noodles, Britannia’s snack products amongst others are facing the food safety haul not only in India but abroad.

United States food safety inspector has banned or rejected over 2100 Indian-made food products including food products, health supplements and personal care products reported WSJ.

According to the US FDA’s website, they found pesticides and bacteria in high levels in the products manufactured in India.

The report stated that the Haldiram's products especially their cookies, wafers and biscuits are 'filthy, putrid or decomposed-otherwise unfit'.

The report also mentioned that the baked products are unfit for consumption and they are adulterated and contains poisonous content.

While, the Nagpur-based snack makers said that their food is completely safe. As reported by Wall Street Journal, a senior Haldiram's official said, “Our food is 100% safe and complies with the law of the land. A pesticide that is permitted in India may not be allowed there. And even if it, they may not allow it in the same concentration as it is here.”

Meanwhile according to US FDA, it was in September 2014 that pesticides were discovered for the first time in Haldiram's. Since then, the US has refused to import their products 86 times.

After coming on hot stove in India, Maggi is now under scanner in the US market.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is testing samples of Nestle instant noodle, a spokeswoman for the Swiss food group informed.

Nestle, one of the world's largest food company, is seeking to defend its reputation in India after it pulled Maggi instant noodles from stores following reports by state regulators that some packets contained excess lead.

"We have been made aware that the FDA has taken samples of Maggi noodles manufactured in India from third-party importers' containers for testing, and we have asked the importers to advise us of the outcome of the FDA tests," the spokeswoman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

The FDA was not immediately available for comment.

Nestle does not import, market or distribute Maggi noodles in the United States, the spokeswoman said. Any Maggi noodle products in US stores are sourced by retailers or imported through third parties, added the lady.

In a separate statement, Nestle India said it had lodged a judicial review with the Bombay High Court over an order from India's Food and Drug Administration, effectively seeking to clarify the state's method of testing the noodles.  

The Maggi ban has not only hit Nestle sale in the country but has brought over 500 contract workers at its Goa plant in soup.

The plant located at Maulinguem, Bicholim would hire 800 contract workers, ever since its Maggi noodles' production lines were shut down on June 5, about 500 workers have been asked not to report to work.

According to a national daily, who reported at the plant they found several grim-faced workers loitering outside the plant's main gate.

Laxman Gaonkar, a worker who was with the company for four years, and yet he and others with even more work experience have been asked not to report to work.

"They told us not to come to work and that they will call us when production restarts," says Laxman. He says he earned a daily wage of Rs 274 and can't think of finding another job since he has no educational qualification.

Till this Nestle plant began operations in 1996-97, agriculture was the only source of livelihood for most of the residents of Maulinguem and its adjoining villages. Today, the plant is a source of livelihood not just to locals but several people from other states too.

Meanwhile, the scene is similar at Jharkhand plant, as about 60 workers from the state have also lost their daily wages in the Maggi row. "My job was to mix maida and other ingredients," says Suresh Singh, who has been working at the plant for the last two years and has no idea what he's going to do next.

His Jharkhand mates claim they have not been paid arrears on their wages by the contractor. "If production doesn't resume soon we will have to look for jobs elsewhere. If we can't find employment here soon, we will have to pack our bags and go back home (to Jharkhand)," says another youngster.

Laxman's colleagues, some of who worked in the packaging section, while others were involved in housekeeping at the plant, wear somber faces; but they all rise in defense of the product 'Maggi noodles' that they produced.

"Most of us would eat Maggi noodles at the factory thrice a week. Some people have even been eating Maggi noodles for years now. None of us have developed any health problems," says Nitin Gaonkar, rubbishing allegations that the quality of the packaged food item has been compromised.

Nitin also claims that many villagers in Maulinguem have developed a "taste for Maggi noodles". "Many eat Maggi at home too," he says.

However according to Himanshu Manglik, media relations manager, Nestle India said,” Bicholim plant has 525 permanent employees and also provided work to 800 contract workers which is reduced to 300" after the Maggi noodles' lines were shut down on Friday, June 5.”

Apart from Maggi noodles, the plant also produces sauces, ketchups and soups.

"Nestle has labs in its factories, including at Goa, that are capable of testing the raw materials and products. In addition we send samples for monitoring at defined periodicity to our central lab at Moga (Punjab)," said Manglik.  

Food Security and Standard Authority of India has ordered the testing of various noodles, pasta and macaroni brands, including Top Ramen, Foodles and Wai Wai, manufactured by seven companies to check compliance of norms in the wake of Maggi controversy, reported PTI. The food safety body has also has to test different variants of Maggi Pazzta along with tastemakers.

"Various test results on Maggi and some other similar products have raised serious health concerns. In view of the same, it would be advisable to draw regulatory samples for similar products for which product approvals have been granted by the FSSAI. These samples should be sent to the authorised labs for testing," said YS Malik, CEO, FSSAI in a letter to Commissioners of Food Safety in all states and UTs.

As per FSSAI order, the companies whose products have been listed for testing are Nestle India, ITC, Indo Nissin Food Ltd, GSK Consumer Helathcare, CG Foods India, Ruchi International and AA Nutrition Ltd.

The regulator has ordered the testing of products registered with it.

The products include Wai Wai noodles and bhujiya chicken snacks by CG Foods; Koka instant noodles from Ruchi International, Foodles by GSK Consumer Helathcare and Nestle's Maggi instant noodles with nine variants.

Others in the list are Indo Nissin's Top Ramen Aata Masala, ITC's three variants of instant noodles and Yummy chicken and vegetarian noodles of AA Nutrition.

When contacted CG Foods CEO GP Sah said: "Our brands meets all regulatory standards as listed by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India. We are not closed to any tests and will cooperate with authorities if required."

Comments from other companies could not be obtained immediately.

The development comes after the Indian unit of the Swiss multinational recalled Maggi from the markets after several states banned the famous '2-minute' instant food brand as tests showed them containing taste enhancer MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) and lead in excess of the permissible limits.

Meanwhile, FSSAI on Friday banned all variants of Maggi noodles terming them as "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.

Amid controversy over Maggi, Reliance Retail has decided to temporarily withdraw all 11 brands of instant noodles from its stores across India, reported PTI.

According to the sources the unprecedented step of removing all 11 instant noodle brands from its 2,621 stores in over 200 cities.

“This was based on health and well-being of customers and unflinching commitment to stock only products of the highest assurance,” said Reliance.

The names of the brands could not be ascertained immediately.

All instant noodle products removed from the shelves have been returned to the distribution centres and labelled as 'Not For Sale'.

Designated Food Safety Officers have been informed of the action and a memorandum to Tamil Nadu's Commissioner, Food Safety, is also being presented, they said.

However, Reliance Retail Value Formats - Consumer Business CEO Damodar Mall said, “We believe that the uncertainty is unwarranted and undeserved. But it merits the launch of a robust, nationwide process of reassuring ourselves and serves our valued stakeholders.

With the central food safety regulator ordering withdrawal of nine approved variants of Maggi, Health ministry said that is confirmed that the product failed to adhere to safety norms, reported PTI.

The health ministry also assured that no compromise will be done on food safety.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda said that his Ministry had received the reports from all the states and after assessing them it has come to the conclusion that the nine variants of Maggi should be recalled.

"We have come to the conclusion that the food safety and standards have not been adhered by Nestle Company and Maggi products and that is why we have given instructions that all nine products (variants) should be recalled from the market," added the Minister.

On asking about Nestle CEO's statement that Maggi was safe, Nadda said that his ministry has gone through the reports which every state has sent to it and then reached the conclusion.

"We have got the reports from every state now and we are of the confirmed opinion that the Maggi product was not following the ingredients and the safety measures which were required,” commented Nadda.

Coming down heavily on Swiss giant Nestle, the central food safety regulator FSSAI has earlier ordered recall of all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles from the market, terming them "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also said that Nestle launched 'Maggi Oats Masala Noodles' without approval and ordered its recall, saying the company did not undertake risk and safety assessment for the product.

Nadda asserted that Nestle had also not followed the regulations of labelling while another of its variant, Maggi masala oats noodles tastemaker, was in the market without prior approval of the government which is why it too have been ordered to be recalled.

"I would like to assure people of our country that no compromise will be done as far as the food safety and security is concerned. All measures will be taken and all levels of security and safety of food will be adhered to," Nadda said.  

Soon after the complaint was filed by a local person in Muzzafarpur  district of Bihar, the district court has asked police to register an FIR against two Nestle officials and film stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta, who have featured in the Maggi advertisements and arrest them if required, reported PTI.

The complainant claimed that he purchased Maggi from a shop at Lenin chowk of Muzaffarpur on May 30 and that he was taken ill after he ate it.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ramchandra Prasad directed Kazi Mohammadpur Police Station to register the FIR against the five and investigate the complaint.

The court also directed the police to go for arrest if required in the course of investigation. The order came during the hearing of a case filed by lawyer Sudhir Kumar Ojha on Monday.

The petition had named Managing Director of Nestle Mohan Gupta, its Joint Director Sabab Alam and the three film stars Amitabh, Madhuri and Preity, who have featured in Maggi ads at different times.

Lenin Chowk falls under Kazi Mohammadpur police station. The case has been filed under IPC sections 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 276 (sale of drug as a different drug or preparation) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty).

Meanwhile, Kerala government has also ordered pullout of Maggi noodles from its retail outlets while samples of the product in Haryana were lifted for testing.

In more trouble for Nestle India, Kerala Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob's office said an order had been issued to temporarily stop the distribution of Maggi noodles from its retail outlets in the state forthwith till there is clarity on the safety issue.

Kerala State Civil Supplies corporation, also known as Supplyco, has around 1,400 outlets throughout the state.

The probe into alleged lapses of food safety standards has already been expanded to test Maggi noodle samples from across the country following detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.

"We have taken cognizance of reports of alleged lapses of food safety standards in Maggi noodles. I have ordered my Department to lift samples of these noodles from across the State for laboratory testing," Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij told PTI in Chandigarh.

Also, The West Bengal Food department has convened a meeting tomorrow to take a view on the Maggi row.  

The Uttrakhand Food safety Department has collected samples of the 'two-minute' noodles from the company's Pantanagar plant and other places in the state increasing trouble for the noodle brand in India, reported PTI.

The company is already facing problems in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, where the food regulator FSDA (Food Safety and Drug Administration) had found higher than permitted levels of monosodium glutamate and lead in Maggi samples tested by it.

Now, the Uttarakhand state government officials have collected samples of the Maggi noodles from Nestle India's Pantnagar plant and other cities, including Dehradun, and have sent them to the state government laboratories for tests.

"A team comprises of state Food Safety Department officials visited the Nestle's plant at Pantnagar and collected the eight samples of Maggi noodles, which were sent to the state government laboratories," informed Pankaj Kumar Pandey, DM, Udham Singh Nagar.

Maggi noodles came under the scanner last month after the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found presence of non-essential taste enhancer MSG and high levels of lead in the samples.

Meanwhile, the Union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to look into the matter.

Besides, a class action suit can be initiated into the matter if a complaint with National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is filed, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said last week.

"It is a serious issue. We have referred the matter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Under the current law, FSSAI has the power to take action, including imposing fine and hefty punishment," Paswan said.

Yesterday, a case was lodged against Nestle India in a local court in Barabanki (UP) here, while actors Amitabh Bachhan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been separately dragged to the court for promoting Maggi brand.

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.

The case was lodged against the company's Nestle Nangal 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.

The UP 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.

Dixit was also slapped with a notice by Haridwar Food and Drug Administration to explain within 15 days claims made in the advertisement regarding the nutrition value of Maggi.

The Bollywood actress said yesterday she met officials of Nestle and they assured her that there would be no compromise on the quality of the popular snack.

"Like most of India, I have enjoyed Maggi noodles for years. I was very concerned after recent reports and met with the Nestle team," she tweeted.

The government has asked the Food safety and Standard Authority of India to look into the matter of quality issues by Nestle’s, reported PTI.

Adding to the same line, Ram Vilas Paswan, Consumer Affairs Minister, said, “ A class action suit can be initiated into the matter if a complaint with National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is filed.”

Last month, the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration has asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found high levels of added MSG, a taste enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond permissible limits.

Disputing the claim, Nestle India had said: "The Company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities."

"It is a serious issue. We have referred the matter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Under the current law, FSSAI has the power to take action, including imposing fine and hefty punishment," added Paswan. Besides FSSAI, the Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to take action against FMCG major Nestle India on the Maggi issue.

"It is a serious issue (but) the Commission has limited powers. It cannot take suo moto action. It can file class- action suit only after someone files complaint against the company," Paswan said.

NCDRC President Justice D K Jain said till now no one has filed a complaint against Nestle related to Maggi.

"There is a provision for class action. NCDRC is ready to take action after an NGO or any consumer body files a formal complaint,” added Jain.  

The government has announced that it will review reports about the presence of higher MSG and lead content in Nestle's Maggi noodles, said Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister.

"We will review the reports of higher monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in Nestle's Maggi noodles. We will look into the matter and decide on a course of action after the investigation," added Paswan talking to the media in Mumbai.

The Uttar Pradesh FDA had last month asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found high levels of added MSG, a flavour enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond legal limits.

On the performance of his ministry in last one year, Paswan said the Centre has decided to reimburse the amount of value cut on Minimum Support Price (MSP), if any imposed, to the states so that farmers get full MSP even for shrivelled and broken wheat grains or having lustre loss.

"In order to give relief to the farmers affected by unseasonal rains and to save them from distress sale of wheat, we have decided to relax the quality norms for procurement," the minister said.

Paswan said due to progressive procurement from farmers, the stock of food grains in central pool as on April 1, reached to 343.15 lakh tonne against the minimum buffer norms of 210.40 lakh tonne.

On strengthening the quality assurance regime for goods and services in the country, the minister said the amendments to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act has been finalised.

"We are setting up five new BIS labs by March 2016, besides modernising the existing labs. We have also launched simplified conformity schemes so that the industry can adopt the quality standards with ease and manufacture standardised products in the country," he added.  

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.

Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from stores across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead, reported Reuters.

According to FDA in Uttar Pradesh, high lead content was examined during the routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India.

"Maggi instant noodles contained dangerous amount of lead and MSG. We had to immediately issue orders against the company,” shared, D G Srivastava, Deputy Inspector General of the FDA in Lucknow.

During the check the officials found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit in the instant noodle. However, the acceptable limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm.

The scientists also found high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, in the noodles.

Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA , said it had strict safety and quality controls in place for all raw materials used to make Maggi noodles.

A company spokesman confirmed Uttar Pradesh had ordered it to withdraw the batch dating back to March 2014, but added the items concerned had either already been consumed or were beyond the sell-by date, making the recall difficult.

FDA has also approached federal food inspectors in New Delhi to launch a wider investigation of the noodles.