Singapore reallows sale of India-made Maggi noodles: report

Food safety authorities in Singapore have allowed the import and sale of Maggi noodles manufactured in India after safety tests by food authorities there found that the popular instant snack does not pose any health risk to consumers, The Strait Times reported.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) is reported to have revoked an earlier order banning import and sale of the product and informed local importers that sale of the brand's noodles from India may be resumed, the newspaper reported.

AVA cleared the India-made Maggi noodles last night after results of laboratory tests at AVA showed that Maggi instant noodles imported from India met local food safety standards, the report said.

AVA had last week advised importers to withhold sales after laboratory tests in India showed higher-than-permissible levels of lead in the product.

The Singapore regulators are also reported to have tested Maggi instant noodles produced in other countries and found them to have met the relevant food safety requirements, the report added.

Singapore imports "a small amount" of Nestle's instant noodles manufactured in India.

Indian authorities had, on 3 June, temporarily banned the sale of the fast food after tests revealed excess levels of lead in samples tested in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh (See: Maggi: Two-minute noodles push Nestle into a 24-hour soup).

Lead content in 14 of 27 samples in India was found to be 2.8 PPM to 5 PPM (particle per million), which is above the prescribed limit of 2.5 PPM.

Nestle had said in a statement on 5 June that its noodles are completely safe but it had decided to take the products off the shelves. 

The company, however, promised that the popular brand will make a comeback "as soon as the current situation is clarified" (Maggi exits Indian stores, promises stronger comeback).