In response to recent recalls of Indomie noodles in Malaysia and Taiwan due to the detection of a cancer-causing chemical, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced plans to conduct independent tests on the concerned products.
NAFDAC Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the agency will begin processes to test randomly selected products, including the seasoning, beginning on May 2nd. The compound of interest is ethylene oxide, the same substance detected in the recalled noodles in Malaysia and Taiwan.
While Indofoods, the maker of Indomie noodles, has denied the allegations, claiming that all its noodles are produced with standard certification, Taiwan and Malaysia have ordered businesses to immediately remove the products from their shelves.
Nigeria, a major consumer of Indomie noodles, is expected to take a position on the matter in the coming days. According to data from the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), Nigeria is among the largest consumers of instant noodles, with 1.92 million servings as of May 2020. Also, Indomie is the most consumed noodles brand in the country.
The recall and subsequent testing in Nigeria highlight the importance of food safety regulations and standards, particularly for products that are widely consumed. It is crucial for manufacturers and regulatory agencies to prioritize the health and well-being of consumers in order to maintain public trust in the food industry.
Checks by News About Nigeria revealed that Taiwan and Malaysia’s health departments said it detected ethylene oxide in Indomie chicken flavour after random inspections.
However, Mr. Taufik Wiraatmadja, a member of the board of directors at Indofoods, assured the public safety consumption of Indomie noodles
He said, “All instant noodles produced by ICBP in Indonesia are processed in compliance with the food safety standards from the Codex Standard for Instant Noodles and standards set by the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (“BPOM RI”). Our instant noodles have received Indonesian National Standard Certification (SNI), and are produced in certified production facilities based on international standards.
“ICBP has exported instant noodles to various countries around the world for more than 30 years. The Company continuously ensures that all of its products are in compliance with the applicable food safety regulations and guidelines in Indonesia as well as other countries where ICBP’s instant noodles are marketed.
“We would like to emphasize that in accordance with the statement released by BPOM RI, our Indomie instant noodles are safe for consumption.”
