Following previous recalls in Malaysia and Taiwan due to the suspected inclusion of a carcinogenic chemical, the Nigerian food and drug authorities said that they will investigate the popular Indomie brand of instant noodles.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) issued a statement on Tuesday stating that it was “taking swift actions” to evaluate samples of the product and its seasoning, as well as examining “other brands of instant noodles offered for sale to Nigerians.”
Indomie believes its instant noodles are still safe to consume despite recalls in Taiwan and Malaysia.
Last week, Malaysian and Taiwanese health officials withdrew the food after discovering ethylene oxide in the “special chicken” flavor.
According to the Nigerian government, Indomie is produced locally, but the “special chicken” flavor noodles are not offered in the country.
Indomie, the alleged instant noodle brand, is not authorized for sale in Nigeria. “It is important to note that noodles are on the Import Prohibition List of the Federal Government of Nigeria and are thus not permitted for importation to Nigeria,” NAFDAC Director General Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye said in a statement.
Indofoods, an Indonesian food company, has defended its products’ quality and safety.
Taufik Wiraatmadja, a member of Indofoods’ board of directors, released a statement last week emphasizing the safety of the company’s Indomie instant noodles.
Furthermore, “all instant noodles produced by (Indofood) in Indonesia are processed in accordance with food safety standards from the Codex Standard for Instant Noodles as well as standards set by the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM),” according to the statement.
Because ethylene oxide is a colorless and odorless gas, it may be used to sterilize both medical devices and spices. In a research, the United States Environmental Protection Agency determined that exposure to this gas may increase the risk of cancer.
Despite containing trace levels of ethylene oxide, goods for sale in Indonesia were certified “safe for consumption as they met its safety standards” last week by the country’s food and drug monitoring agency.
Indomie is the “market leader in the noodles industry in Nigeria,” with a stronghold in one of the world’s largest instant noodle markets: Nigeria.
According to Indonesian food giant Indofoods, Indomie noodles are available in over a hundred countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Indomie has been producing instant noodles since 1972, when they launched with a chicken flavor.
