India's Bombay High Court-appointed labs have stated that the fresh samples of Maggi Noodles are safe, a verdict that Nestle India has been eagerly awaiting to begin retail sales this month.
The fresh samples taken from its three facilities - Nanjangud (Karnataka), Moga (Punjab) and Bicholim (Goa) - have got clearances from National Accreditation Board for Testing Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited three labs.
Nestle India stated: "We have received results from all three NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited laboratories mandated by Bombay High Court to test newly manufactured MAGGI Noodles samples. All the samples of the MAGGI Noodles Masala have been cleared with lead much below permissible limits."
"Now that the orders of the Bombay High Court have been complied with, we will make our best endeavor to commence the sale of MAGGI Noodles Masala within this month as well as continue engaging with states where permissions are needed or specific directions may be necessary."
Armed with the lab approval, Nestle is planning to commence manufacturing of Maggi Noodles at its Tahliwal and Pantnagar facilities as well.
"For the other two locations at Tahliwal and Pantnagar, we are engaging with the relevant authorities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to obtain directions for commencing manufacture of MAGGI Noodles," it added.
Last month, Nestle India had resumed production of Maggi instant noodles at three of its facilities.
Earlier in October, Nestle India said that it has "conducted over 3,500 tests representing over 200 million packs in both national as well as international accredited laboratories and all reports are clear".
The company stated that it will continue collaborating with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), as well as other stakeholders.
In June, the FSSAI banned the sale of Maggi noodles after it detected higher-than-permissible levels of lead, and high quantities of mono-sodium glutamade in tests carried out on a batch of products.
Following this, Nestle destroyed close to 27,420t of Maggi noodles, valued at around $50m.
The company later challenged the Indian food safety regulator's ban, and approached the Bombay High Court in August, which ordered the regulator to complete re-tests within six weeks, in court-appointed laboratories. The court also lifted the ban on Maggi noodles.
