maggi row
Taste bhi, health bhi, lead bhi – For what has been the most heartbreaking news for the nation, Nestle’s landmark product Maggi recently landed into a big trouble after flouting food norms. The product was found to contain amounts of lead that exceeded the permissible limits. The 2-minute noodle which is a favorite of kids and grownups who don’t have much idea about cooking, was recently punished severely for failing safety standards. The high court has also ruled out a ban on its sale for the next 15 days in Delhi, starting 4th June, 2015.
How this hullabaloo started?
It all started almost 15 months ago, on March 10, 2014. V K Panday, an officer of Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration, collected samples of Maggi from a random store to check out if Nestle was complying with its stated claim of NO MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), a taste enhancer.
The testing that was done in a Gorakhpur-based laboratory revealed just the opposite. The product was found to have high MSG levels. The concern was taken to Nestle, who allegedly negated the finding. Later, a test was organized in one of the most authentic laboratories of India, which was located in Kolkata. It was finally inferred that Maggi does have dangerously high contents of Lead in it.
The discovery prompted the other states to send their Maggi samples for testing, which led to a nationwide withdrawal of this popular snack on a large scale.
The downfall of a legacy
If there is one thing that Maggi best knew, then that was Marketing. Although many noodle brands were introduced in the market over the time such as Yippee, Top Ramen, etc., none of them proved to be a worthy contender. Maggi stood unbeatable like a legacy over all these years only to be failed by its own ignorance.
The Maggi controversy has now taken a big shape. Supporters and agitators are playing their roles effectively while Maggi continues to be banned in states one after another. It is sad for the kids though who loved it so dearly. Well Ramen and Yippee, time for you brands to fill in the shoes!
What the future looks like?
An imbroglio like this is not new to the country. Many other products have faced quite similar situations in the past. For instance, beverage brands like Pepsi and Coca Cola were accused of using pesticides in their drinks. Later, the story was lost in the air and we all are fearlessly pouring these harmful fluids down our throat without giving a second thought. We believe the fate of Maggi would be the same, more or less.