In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unit of Barabanki, a district in Uttar Pradesh, reported that samples of Maggi Noodles had monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead content higher than the permissible level. Over the next few weeks, nearly 38,000 tonnes of Maggi Noodle packets were recalled from retail stores across the country, while the Bihar court ordered FIRs against brand ambassadors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta. Dixit also received a notice from the FDA. Five years later, in 2019, the Consumer Protection Act placed an obligation on endorsers to undertake due diligence for advertisements, failing which they could be penalised anywhere between R1s 0-50 lakh.

With the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) launching the Endorser Due Diligence Service, endorsers can now seek expert advice, before associating themselves with any brand. The paid service (Rs 75,000 for non-technical expertise, and Rs 1,90,000 for technical) will have a panel of about two dozen experts, who will assess the representations, statements, and claims in the advertisement from a consumer perspective.