Tamil Nadu government today banned Maggi and three other brands of noodles for three months after high levels of lead content was found in samples.
On the directive of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Commissioner of Food Safety has banned manufacture, storage and sale of Nestle's Maggi, Wai Wai Xpress Noodles, Reliance Select Instant Noodles and Smith and Jones Chicken Masala Noodles, a state government release said here.
The companies were also ordered to recall stocks from retail outlets.
"It was found that the four brands had lead over and above the allowed levels," the release said.
In all, 65 samples of noodles were taken from across the state for testing. Out of this, the results for seven samples out of the 17 taken from Chennai were received.
"In six out of seven test results received, it was found that lead content was higher than the stipulated limit of 10 lakh per 2.5 Parts Per Million (PPM)," the release said.
Jayalalithaa, on receipt of the data, ordered officials to take action according to law following which the Commissioner of Food Safety ordered the ban on the noodle products of the four companies for three months in the first phase.
The action had been taken under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the release said.
Maggi has also been banned by Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakand governments.
The Tamil Nadu government had sent samples of Maggi and other brands to the labs following reports that it had ingredients like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, beyond the stipulated levels in tests conducted by Uttar Pradesh and in some other parts of the country.
