European Commission asks India for reports on Maggi

Asks India to send test results; Australia & New Zealand food regulators put Maggi under lens

India-made Maggi noodles’ contamination controversy has drawn attention of major importing countries’ food safety authorities. Following in the steps of the US and Singapore, Australia & New Zealand’s food regulator has put the product under scanner.

The UK Food Safety Authority (FSA) has asked its Indian counterpart to share test results and batch details of tested noodles’ samples through the European Commission. The request came via European Commission, a UK FSA spokesperson told the Business Standard.

Last week, UK FSA issued a statement saying the batch of noodles originally tested by the authorities in India, which was found to contain lead, was not sold in the UK. However, a spokesperson from the FSA on Friday said, “Nestle informed us that the only variety of Maggi noodles they import into the UK from India is the masala flavour. The FSA is now testing this flavour and other flavours as a precaution. We have requested the information on the test results and batches involved from the Indian authorities via European Commission channels.”



The Department of Agriculture & Food Standards, Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has also ordered testing of Maggi noodles imported from India. Nestlé Australia has informed FSANZ that the product they supply there is manufactured in Malaysia and is not associated with this issue.

However, as a precautionary measure, the regulator has increased border inspection. Presently, “a small quantity of noodles from India may be imported by other traders for sale in Australia”, a FSANZ spokesperson said. Under Australian law, food importers are responsible for meeting standards.



Lauren E Sucher from US FDA’s press office, said, we are “aware of Nestlé’s removal of Maggi brand noodles from the Indian marketplace”. Nestlé does not directly sell or distribute Maggi noodles in the US, according to a Bloomberg report. “At this time it is not clear whether US products are affected by the ongoing recall in India,” Sucher said.

A spokesperson of Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore, which halted import of India-made Maggi products in the country, said, “The AVA has informed affected importers that sale may be resumed as Maggi noodles’ test results meets food safety standards.”