Maggi row: FFSAI undecided on challenging Bombay High Court order

Food safety regulator FSSAI is reviewing the Bombay High Court order that last week quashed its order to ban Maggi, and has not yet decided if it will challenge the order in Supreme Court.

The Bombay High Court had on August 13 quashed the orders of FSSAI and Maharashtra FDA banning nine variants of Maggi noodles in the country.

The court had provided a conditional relief to the popular snack's manufacturer Nestle India as it ordered a fresh test of samples in three independent laboratories across India.

"Nothing has been decided so far on approaching Supreme Court. As of now we are reviewing the court's order," a senior FSSAI official said.

The court had said that if the fresh tests show that lead content was below permissible limit, then the company will be allowed to manufacture and sell Maggi again in the country.

When contacted a health ministry official said, "We are studying the order and will go by the rule book." Following the court's order, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chairman Ashish Bahuguna had said "Supreme Court option is neither ruled in nor ruled out." Bahuguna also said that if he finds that the court had not taken regulator's submissions only then he will think of going to Supreme Court.

FSSAI and FDA in first week of June had ordered the recall of Maggi noodles saying the samples of noodles tested by them contained 'lead beyond permissible limit'.