Nestle Noodles Off Shelves Over Lead Scare

A popular brand of Nestle (VTX: NESN.VX - news) instant noodles is being pulled from the shelves in India after tests revealed unsafe levels of lead.

Several regions have ordered Maggi noodles to be withdrawn from sale immediately after food safety officials in Delhi discovered the product had 17.2 parts per million of lead.

Accepted limits in the country are between 0.01 and 2.5 parts per million.

Consuming excessive amounts of lead can lead to bones, the nervous system and kidneys becoming damaged - and it has been linked to learning disorders in children.

According to regulators, the lead was uncovered in the flavour sachets included inside each pack of noodles.

Also found inside the products were elevated levels of MSG - a flavour enhancer which wasn't included in the list of ingredients.

Nestle India (BSE: NESTLEIND.BO - news) have denied their product is dangerous, and claimed tests performed on 1,600 batches of Maggi noodles proved they complied with food safety standards.

"All the results of these internal and external tests show that lead levels are well within the limits specified by food regulations and that Maggi noodles are safe to eat," the company added in a statement.

It also claims the batch tested by inspectors had a best before date of April 2015, so any affected products wouldn't have been on sale anyway.

Popular (NasdaqGS: BPOP - news) with students in schools and universities across India, Maggi has become Nestle's fastest-selling product, generating sales of $240m (£157m) each year.

The controversy caused stocks of Nestle India to drop more than 10% during Wednesday's trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

A criminal complaint has now been filed against the company by food inspectors - and a petition has also been filed against Bollywood stars who have advertised Maggi noodles in the past.