The Swiss food giant, Nestle, considered one of the bestknown multinational corporations with an admirable reputation for quality control and standards enforcement, finds itself in a potentially brand-damaging controversy that has snowballed ever since a laboratory in Uttar Pradesh claimed tests had revealed the presence of unacceptable levels of lead and monosodium glutamate, or MSG, in its most popular product, Maggi noodles.

State after state prohibited the sale of Maggi instant noodles while officials issued statements questioning the quality of the product and the credibility of Nestlé. On Friday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India claimed to have found nine variants of Maggi noodles “unsafe and hazardous” for human consumption.