Maggi probe widens, casts shadow on Amitabh, Madhuri

Actors Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit were on Monday warned of action by the Modi government if advertisements of Maggi noodles featuring them were found to be misleading.

The warning comes at a time when the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) widened the probe by testing samples of Maggi noodles, a Nestle product, from across states for alleged lapses of food safety standards. The test reports were expected in the next two or three days.

Officials said the brand ambassadors for the popular snack could be in trouble if it was established that they “knowingly” promoted sub-standard products.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ramvilas Paswan said the Food and Drug Authority had found monosodium glutamate and lead in the samples it had collected in the state.

Nestle has maintained that it does not agree with the UP food regulator’s order and it “is filing the requisite representations with the authorities”.

A case has been lodged against Nestle India in a Barabanki court over safety standards of Maggi. Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta were also dragged to court for promoting the brand. “Yes, they would be liable for action if the advertisements are found to be misleading.

“It becomes a misleading advertisement if it is found that the product does not have the attributes that the manufacturer professed. And if the brand ambassador has promoted that product and said specifically that the product has those attributes, they are also certainly liable for action,” G Gurucharan, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, said here.