Maharashtra to move SC against HC order lifting ban on Maggi

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government was going to file an appeal against the Bombay High Court's order lifting ban on Maggi noodles, state food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat said Tuesday.

The ban should stay, he said.

"Sample reports received from government laboratories had mentioned lead traces. We imposed the ban to prevent any health problems for the consumers," Bapat said.

Karnataka and Gujarat had yesterday revoked ban on manufacture and sale of Nestle India's popular instant food brand.

The announcements by the two states followed clean chit given by three government-approved laboratories to Maggi noodles, which was banned by central food regulator FSSAI and various state-level watchdogs in June on quality issues.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had banned Maggi noodles saying it was "unsafe and hazardous" for consumption after finding lead levels beyond permissible limits, following which the company had withdrawn it from the market.

Nestle India had then challenged the ban by FSSAI in the Bombay High Court.