“The alleged presence of a cancer-causing substance in Indomie noodles has prompted the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to launch an investigation. Health authorities in Taiwan and Malaysia have reported the detection of ethylene oxide, a chemical compound, in the special chicken flavor of Indomie noodles.
A clear and scentless gas called ethylene oxide is utilized for disinfecting medical tools and plastic materials, but it is believed to be a hazardous substance that can cause cancer.
The special chicken flavor of Indomie noodles has been withdrawn from the market in Malaysia and Taiwan.
However, Indofood, the company that produces Indomie noodles, has declared the product to be harmless and suitable for consumption.
Indofoods’ board of directors member, Taufik Wiraatmadja, affirmed that the noodles obtained customary certifications and were manufactured in adherence to global food safety rules.
‘NAFDAC HAS BEGUN INVESTIGATION’
From May 2, NAFDAC’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, announced that the agency will commence random sample tests on noodles and other brands.
Speaking with Newsmen on Monday, Adeyeye said NAFDAC started investigating once it got wind of the recall of the products by Taiwan and Malaysia authorities.
“Tomorrow, May 2, 2023, NAFDAC’s food safety and applied nutrition directorate will randomly sample Indomie noodles (including the seasoning) from the production facilities while post-marketing surveillance directorate (will) samples from the markets,” she said.
“The compound of interest is ethylene oxide, so the director, food lab services directorate, has been engaged. He is working on the methodology for the analysis.”
The DG said the product is on the prohibition list of the federal government, adding that it is not registered by the agency and had been banned from importation to Nigeria years ago.
She said NAFDAC is working to ensure that the product is not being smuggled and that the feedback from the investigations would be communicated to the public.
“It should be noted that Indomie noodles have been banned from being imported into the country for many years. It is one of the foods on the government prohibition list. It is not allowed in Nigeria, and therefore not registered by NAFDAC,” the NAFDAC DG told TheCable.
“What we are doing is an extra caution to ensure that the product is not smuggled in and if so, our post-marketing surveillance would detect it. We also want to be sure that the spices used for the Indomie and other noodles in Nigeria are tested.
“That is what NAFDAC food safety and applied nutrition (FSAN) and post-marketing surveillance (PMS) are doing this week at the production facilities and in the market respectively. The public will be duly updated with the outcomes of the investigation.”
The World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) says Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is currently among the largest consumers of instant noodles with 1.92 million servings as of May 2020.
The country also ranked 11th in the global demand for noodles, with Indomie instant noodles being the most consumed brand in Nigeria.
The alleged presence of a cancer-causing substance in Indomie noodles has prompted the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to launch an investigation. Health authorities in Taiwan and Malaysia have reported the detection of ethylene oxide, a chemical compound, in the special chicken flavour of Indomie noodles. A clear and scentless gas called ethylene oxide is utilized for disinfecting medical tools and plastic materials, but it is believed to be a hazardous substance that can cause cancer. The special chicken flavor of Indomie noodles has been withdrawn from the market in Malaysia and Taiwan. However, Indofood, the company that produces Indomie noodles, has declared the product to be harmless and suitable for consumption. Indofoods’ board of directors member, Taufik Wiraatmadja, affirmed that the noodles obtained customary certifications and were manufactured in adherence to global food safety rules.
‘NAFDAC HAS BEGUN INVESTIGATION’
From May 2, NAFDAC’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, announced that the agency will commence random sample tests on noodles and other brands. Speaking with Newsmen on Monday, Adeyeye said NAFDAC started investigating once it got wind of the recall of the products by Taiwan and Malaysia authorities.
“Tomorrow, May 2, 2023, NAFDAC’s food safety and applied nutrition directorate will randomly sample Indomie noodles (including the seasoning) from the production facilities while post-marketing surveillance directorate (will) samples from the markets,” she said. “The compound of interest is ethylene oxide, so the director, food lab services directorate, has been engaged. He is working on the methodology for the analysis.”
The DG said the product is on the prohibition list of the federal government, adding that it is not registered by the agency and had been banned from importation to Nigeria years ago. She said NAFDAC is working to ensure that the product is not being smuggled and that the feedback from the investigations would be communicated to the public.
The NAFDAC Director-General informed Newsmen that Indomie noodles have been prohibited from being imported into Nigeria for an extended period due to their inclusion in the government’s list of prohibited foods. As a result, they are not registered by NAFDAC. The agency is taking additional measures to prevent the product from being smuggled into the country, and if it is found, their post-marketing surveillance will identify it. Additionally, NAFDAC aims to verify the safety of the spices used in Indomie and other noodles available in Nigeria.
NAFDAC’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN) and Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) departments are currently conducting inspections at production facilities and markets. The investigation outcomes will be shared with the public in due course.
According to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous nation, is one of the top consumers of instant noodles with 1.92 million servings as of May 2020. Additionally, the country is placed 11th in terms of global demand for noodles, with Indomie instant noodles emerging as the most popular brand in Nigeria.
