Maggi row: Nestle India says Pazzta 100% safe, slams reports of lead content

New Delhi: Nestle India has slammed charges regarding the lead content in its Maggi 'Pazzta' products and said that the pasta was 100% secure and safe to consume.

"MAGGI Pazzta is 100% safe. The finished product and the raw materials used to make it undergo rigorous testing during every stage of the manufacturing process. We have seen media reports claiming that lead has been found in the product and we are investigating,” Nestle India said in a statement.

The company asserted that they have not received any formal notification from UP authorities of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India about any test result where their samples have failed the test regarding lead content beyond permissible limits.

"We regret the confusion that these media reports might be causing. Our products are 100% safe to consume. We will work with the authorities to resolve the situation as quickly as possible," the statement added.

Earlier, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh had stated that tests showed the presence of lead beyond permissible limits in samples of Nestle's 'Pazzta'.

This controversy comes only days after Nestle re-released its popular Maggi Noodles after the FSSAI banned the product terming it "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption. The ban took a toll over Nestle India, forcing the company into quarterly losses for the first time since its existence in India.

However, the ban was quashed after the Bombay High Court set aside the order, and had asked for fresh tests of all the variants of the two-minute noodles by pre-approved laboratories. The tests revealed that Maggi noodles were fit for consumption.