Addressing the media on Friday, for the first time since the Maggi controversy broke out, Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke claimed that the instant snack is safe for consumption in India.
“Maggi Noodles in India are safe for consumption, we have same quality standards everywhere in the world. All results that came out indicate that Maggi noodles are safe for consumption,” Bulcke was reported saying.
Answering a question on why the noodles were withdrawn from the markets on Thursday, CEO Bulcke said that the action was taken due to confusion as consumer trust was shaken, adding to it that Maggi would stay off the shelves till the situation is clarified.
Responding to the laboratory test results claiming that the noodles monosodium glutamate (MSG) in them, Paul said, “We do not add MSG in Maggi noodles. There may be some MSG occurring in other ingredients. Will take off ‘No MSG’ from the label so that there’s no confusion about it.” He further added, “We are trying to learn why there’s a difference in test results carried out in other laboratories and ours. There is confusion about how you test…if we put them together, we can see why there is difference in test results.”
Assuring that the test results will be shared with full transparency and that the popular snack will be back, Bulcke said, “India is important to us. We have been in India for over 100 years, we are a part of India. We are talking to the authorities. I don’t think there is any problem there. I am confident Maggi Noodles will be back very soon.”
Nestle India decided to withdraw Maggi from the market on Thursday late evening, after six states, including Delhi and Gujarat, imposed a ban on the instant noodles following a food scare ignited by reports of excess lead and MSG content in some packets of the snack.