Will the Bombay High Court’s order lifting the ban on the sale of Maggi products in India set at rest the fears among consumers that were aroused by the ban? Maggi noodles manufactured in India were banned in several states following reports that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had found a high level of lead taste enhancers in them. The High Court lifted the ban on the ground that natural justice had been denied to the manufacturing company Nestle India, that FSSAI hadn’t given the company enough opportunity to present its case. The court order does not in any way de-recognize or doubt the authority or the credentials of FSSAI. The Bombay High Court says their order lifting of the ban does not mean that the product will be back on the shelves immediately.
The next six weeks will be very crucial and that’s the time the High Court has given for Nestle India to get samples of five Maggi variants tested at accredited laboratories in Hyderabad, Jaipur and Mohali. Expressing its concern over public health and safety, the court observed that these three labs will check whether the lead content was within the permissible limits and will present their reports to FSSAI within six weeks. The court has very clearly said that only if the lead content was found to be within permissible limit of 2.5 pap (parts per million) will Nestle be allowed to sell Maggi.
It was a fair judgment. Since the FSSAI did not issue show cause notices to Nestle before clamping the ban, the court felt that ban could be lifted with a rider of rigorous testing of the ingredients. However, the court will not be watching beyond six weeks. It is here that FSSAI needs to be more proactive. The national food regulator must regularly carry out surprise checks on Maggi products in order to keep the company on the toes. The Bombay High Court order, coming coincidentally with the results of USFDA(United States Food and Drug Administration)showing lead content in Maggi was within permissible limits, might seem to have given the popular two-minute snack a fresh lease of life, but Nestle India has to trek a huge distance to earn back the goodwill it once had in Indian households. For generations, the two-minute snack was a part and parcel of millions of families. From tasty noodles, to tastemakers to Maggi soups. Even if assuming Maggi clears the new tests, Nestle will have to reposition its product all over again. Also the ambit of the verdict has to be read in a broader perspective so that other companies dealing in packaged items should feel the heat and be more cautious.
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