Maggi noodle, which had prior controversy for allegedly containing lead, is again under scanner for infringing another safety norm. A court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 45 lakhs on Nestle India in a 2015 case for selling substandard instant noodles containing high ash content in it.

The case against Nestle was filed by regulators after they found excess lead, ash, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in different samples of Maggi noodles seized in Uttar Pradesh between 2015 and 2016. Maggi noodle was found to be sub-standard for human consumption and the main issue pertained to be the presence of lead in a quantity higher than permissible. This, eventually led to a ban on the products across the country on 5 June, 2015 as lead is very dangerous if consumed in that proportions. Then Nestle recalled its Maggi packets from the market. The product had gone off shelves for over five months. Maggi had returned to store shelves by again later after getting multiple clearances from government-certified laboratories.

But now the controversy is about the presence of high levels of ash in the instant noodle. The allegations of ash content by the UP district administration is reportedly above the permissible limits of human consumption, following tests claimed to have been carried out at a state government lab.

“Maggi noodles are 100% safe for consumption. We strongly reiterate that at no stage of the manufacturing process, ash is added to Maggi noodles,” Nestle said. Nestle is yet to receive a copy of the legal notice. Nestle added, “the lab report might have been formed on the basis of quality standards that are now obsolete”. Obviously Nestle referring to the modifications made to the regulatory standards in 2015.

However, the question that haunts millions of Indian consumers and its patrons is how the noodle failed a lab test again and whether to believe the reports that give clean chit to Maggi sometimes and later send legal notices. Anyway, it seems Maggi’s graph expected to go south soon!!!