Dhaka: Bangladesh Standards and Tasting Institution (BSTI) has taken initiative to test Maggi noodles after dangerous levels of lead and monosodium glutamate were found in the product in India.

BSTI director general Iqramul Haque on Saturday said, ‘Samples of Maggi noodles are being collected from the market. It will be found whether harmful ingredients are there in the products after testing those in the BSTI laboratory.’

Iqramul Haque said, ‘License will be cancelled and order will be given to take the products back from the market if harmful ingredients are found in the product.’

It was not possible to connect and get any remarks from Nestle Bangladesh officials.

Earlier, food inspectors ordered Nestle India (NEST.NS) to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from shops across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India.

Two FDA officials said all the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated. They found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit. The FDA officials said the acceptable limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm.

The scientists also found high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, in the noodles.