Food inspectors order recall batch of Maggi noodles from shops across country over excess lead

Food inspectors have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from shops across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India

Two FDA officials said all the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated. They found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit. The FDA officials said 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.

"Maggi instant noodles contained dangerous amount of lead and MSG. We had to immediately issue orders against the company," D.G. Srivastava, deputy inspector general of the FDA in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, told Reuters.

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.

"We do not add MSG to Maggi Noodles, and glutamate, if present, may come from naturally occurring sources. We are surprised with the content supposedly found in the sample as we monitor the lead content regularly as a part of the regulatory requirements," it said.


File picture of a Nestle logo printed by a 3D printer during a display for the inauguration of the system technology centre for the design, development and deployment of their products in Orbe March 25, 2013. (Reuters photo)

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.

Srivastava said his team collected more than two dozen packs of instant noodles from stores across the state and tested each pack separately before making the findings public.

"Our experts conducted several tests and each time the results were shocking," he told Reuters, adding they had approached federal food inspectors in New Delhi to launch a wider investigation of the noodles. 

Google celebrates American journalist Nellie Bly's 151st birthday with a musical doodle

Today, Google pays tribute to the world famous journalist Nellie Bly on her 151st birth anniversary. Nellie Bly was the pen name of American journalist Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, who is famous for making a trip around the world in 72 days in 1889.

The musical doodle celebrates Nellie’s life and legend. Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (American indie rock band ) has composed this special song about Nellie.The video uses newspaper as a unifying theme, with paper tearing, folding and crumpling as the story of Nellie goes along.

Nellie Bly was born in a suburb of Pittsburgh on May 5,1864. Being an incredible woman she stood up for the people who didn't have a voice- the minorities, underprivileged and the poor. She also flouted society’s expectations for women; questioned a regressive society which made her an inspiration to the women of her times.

Nellie Bly is considered to be the pioneer of investigative journalism. She wrote for several newspapers on many controversial issues throwing light on the plight of the poor, immigrants and women in America.

But mostly, Nellie is remembered for her phenomenal trip around the world. Nellie set sail from New York in November 1889 determined to beat Phileas Fogg’s time, who was the hero of Jules Verne’s novel, “Around the World in 80 Days.”