FDA serves notice on actress Madhuri Dixit for her claims in Maggi advertisement

LUCKNOW: The Haridwar Food and Drug Administration on Friday served a notice on actress Madhuri Dixit for her claims in a Maggi advertisement.

It has sought her reply within 15 days on Maggi’s nutritional value as claimed by her. Nestle itself is likely to face a case from the Uttar Pradesh FDA after high monosodium glutamate (MSG) levels were found in a random Maggi sample during check in April. Nestle had not responded to ET’s email query on the matter till time of going to Press.

Dixit has been asked to explain how the product is good for children and on what basis she made those claims. Haridwar FDA official Mahimanand Joshi said a police case could be registered if the actress failed to respond.

The Uttar Pradesh FDA’s claim of high MSG level was disputed by Nestle India and the sample sent for further examination to Kolkata, which not only confirmed the Uttar Pradesh report but also found high levels of lead in the Maggi sample.

Uttar Pradesh FDA additional commissioner Ram Araj Maurya said they had forwarded a recommendation to file a case against Nestle India to the authorities. The body has started collecting more samples of Maggi from various parts of the state. Maurya said three such samples had come out negative and reports were waited for the rest.

Since the product batch which was found to have high lead and MSG content was picked up from Barabanki, a case is likely to filed in that district, according to Barabanki FDA officer VK Pandey.