The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC) says it will investigate allegations of a cancer-causing
chemical found in Indomie noodles.
Health officials in Malaysia and Taiwan said they had
detected ethylene oxide, a compound, in Indomie’s special chicken flavour
noodles.
Ethylene oxide is a colourless, odourless gas that is used
to sterilise medical equipment and plastics. It is said to be a cancer-causing
chemical.
Malaysia and Taiwan have since recalled the Indomie special chicken flavour from shelves.
In reaction, Indofood, makers of Indomie noodles, said the
product was safe for consumption.
Taufik Wiraatmadja, a member of the board of directors at
Indofoods, said the noodles received standard certifications and were produced
in compliance with international food safety regulations.
‘NAFDAC HAS BEGUN
INVESTIGATION’
Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC director-general, said the agency
would begin random sample tests of the noodles and other brands from May 2.
Speaking with TheCable on Monday, Adeyeye said the 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.
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I just watched the 9:00pm network news of today being the 2 May, 2023 where the Director General NAFDAC says indomie is not banned in Nigeria. Please erase this broadcast
ReplyDeletepELE OOO.. Did NE say it was banned, this was a reaction to Taiwan fracas.. Imported noodles is banned in Nigeria.. the locally made indomie, that is, the one made in Nigeria has no issues and is not banned. Do you understand now?
Delete