DHAKA: Nestle India has said it is temporarily taking its bestselling instant noodle brand Maggi off the shelves in India, reports BBC.

It comes amid concerns about safety as several states have been testing the product for higher-than-allowed levels of lead.

They have also been testing for the chemical monosodium glutamate, widely known as MSG.

Nestle said in a statement on Friday that Maggi noodles were completely safe.

But "recent developments and unfounded concerns about the product have led to an environment of confusion for the consumer", it said.

The firm said the confusion had developed to such an extent "that we have decided to withdraw the product off the shelves, despite the product being safe", but promised the noodles would return to the market as soon as the current problem was dealt with.

Maggi noodles had already been banned for 15 days in India's capital Delhi and states including Gujarat. However, other states had deemed them safe.

BDST: 0915 HRS, JUN 05, 2015
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