Nestle said “an environment of confusion for consumers” had resulted from the bans and insisted the noodles were safe. But after coming under fire in local media for reacting too little and too late the group said it would recall the product regardless.
At least six Indian states have banned Maggi noodles after tests revealed some packets contained excess amounts of lead. On Thursday Tamil Nadu became the first state to ban several brands of instant noodles including Nestlé’s.
“Unfortunately recent developments and unfounded concerns about the product have led to an environment of confusion for the consumer, to such an extent that we have decided to withdraw the product off the shelves, despite the product being safe,” Nestle said in a statement on Friday.
“The trust of our consumers and the safety of our products is our first priority.”
Nestle India said on Wednesday it had conducted internal and external tests of 125m Maggi packets that showed “lead levels are well within the limits specified by food regulations and that Maggi noodles are safe to eat”.
Maggi noodles are a hugely popular snack in India, where instant noodles are served to children and in roadside shacks across the country.
The food scare is a reminder of Indian consumers’ growing affluence and subsequent increased health awareness, at a time when social media can turn a scare in one state into a national cacophony within hours.
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