New packets will have to be tested again in three laboratories; these laboratories are specified by the court.
Maggi noodles will not be available for sale before the festive season is over this year.
Samples of the instant noodles are being tested in laboratories at Mohali, Jaipur and Hyderabad on orders of the Bombay High Court.
Nestle India will not have to seek permission from the court to start producing Maggi if samples test for less lead than is permissible.
The court had on August 13 quashed the ban on production, distribution, sales and export of Maggi noodles.
On clarifications sought by Nestle over resumption of production, the court said if lead was found to be lower than 2.5 parts per million the company could start manufacturing immediately.
"The company can start production as soon as the reports come in, provided the lead content is under the permissible level," said Ashish Prashad, partner, Economic Laws Practice.
"We can start manufacturing if lead is found within permissible limits. The products will then undergo fresh tests at the three laboratories. Once the tests confirm lead within permissible limits, we can proceed with sales," a Nestle India spokesperson said.
According to Paras Spices, the largest supplier of spices for Nestle in India, as soon as the test reports come in production will start at Nestle's Moga factory at Punjab.
"According to our estimates, production of Maggi should start by the end of October," said Dharmendra Gill of the Ludhiana-based Gilco Flour Mill, another supplier to Nestle.
"A total of 90 samples that comprise six variants of Maggi noodles are to be tested. This process has commenced," the Nestle spokesperson added.
GEARING UP
- The new packets will have to be tested again in three laboratories
- These laboratories are specified by the court
- Paras Spices, the largest supplier of spices for Nestle in India, says as soon as the test reports come in, production will start at Nestle's Moga factory at Punjab
