The Latest News From The Nestle Maggi Lab Is Going To Break Your Heart

The Indian childhood memory is facing some serious allegations regarding their chemical contents. A test conducted by the government has found that the noodles contain not only monosodium glutamate (MSG) but it also contains extremely high levels of lead – nearly seven times the permitted limit.

What Did This Test Say?

The manufacturer, Nestle India, had said in a statement that MSG, a taste enhancer, is not added in the product. Rather, glutamate, if present, occurs naturally in some of the ingredients used. And we so want to believe them but the test was conducted at the National Food Laboratories prove that the company’s claims of not adding MSG are false. And going by the levels of lead present – 17.2 ppm even though the permissible limit is up to 2.5 ppm – the laboratory has declared that it is not fit for consumption. Following this test in Uttar Pradesh, the state’s Food Safety and Drug Administration are withdrawing packets of the noodles, belonging to the batch that has been tested at the Kolkata laboratories, since yesterday from across Uttar Pradesh.

What Does Nestle Have To Say?

Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA, said it has strict safety and quality controls for all raw materials used to make Maggi noodles. Regarding the levels of lead, Nestle had stated that they regularly monitor for lead as part of their stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead levels in Maggi Noodles to be within permissible limits.

What’s The Deal With Lead?

If you are still wondering why there is such a hubbub about the lead contents, it’s because lead is a highly toxic material and its presence in blood in high levels may result in lead poisoning, which can lead to severe mental and physical impairment, especially in children. Scandalised much?

There goes my lead-y childhood.