Tamil Nadu bans several noodle products, including Nestle's

CHENNAI (Reuters) - Tamil Nadu has become the first Indian state to ban several noodle products after tests found excessive levels of lead, extending a food scare triggered when some of Nestle India's noodles were found unfit for consumption.

The state government said on Thursday tests showed excessive levels of lead in Nestle's Maggi noodles and Reliance's instant noodles, as well as Wai Wai Xpress Noodles and Smith and Jones Chicken Masala Noodles.

"Manufacturing, stocking and sales ... will be banned for three months as an initial move," the state government said in a statement. "An order has also been communicated to the concerned companies to withdraw all stocks from the Tamil Nadu market." 

Nationwide safety checks were triggered after routine tests in Uttar Pradesh showed lead content of 17.2 parts per million in Nestle's instant noodles - seven times the legal limit. Nestle has challenged the findings.

Uttarakhand has banned Maggi noodles for 90 days, while Delhi on Wednesday imposed a 15-day ban. Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir have also banned sales of Maggi.

(Reporting by Sandhya Ravishankar; Writing by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Douglas Busvine and David Evans)