A major crisis is currently rocking Indofood, makers of Indomie instant noodles.
This is as the product has been banned in Nigeria by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, the importation of Indomie noodles into Nigeria has been banned with immediate effect.
Prof. Adeyeye, made the announcement in Abuja on Monday, May 1, at a media briefing.
She said the product is on the Prohibition List of the Federal Government, adding that it was not registered by the agency and had been banned from being imported to Nigeria several years ago.
Indomie has also been banned in other countries including Malaysia and Taiwan, where health workers recently detected ethylene oxide, a compound known to increase the risk of cancer in the Indomie “special chicken” flavour noodles..
In a statement, the health department in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital noted that, “The detection of Ethylene Oxide in the product did not comply with standards.”
In response to the allegations, Indofood’s board member, Taufik Wiraatmadja, defended the safety of the noodles, stating that all of its products are processed in compliance with international food safety regulations and have received standard certifications.
“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’),” Wiraatmadja said in a statement.
“Our instant noodles have received Indonesian National Standard Certification (SNI), and are produced in certified production facilities based on international standards.”
However, the ministry of health in Malaysia revealed that it had examined 36 samples of instant noodles from various brands since 2022, with 11 samples found to contain ethylene oxide.
As a result, it has taken enforcement actions and recalled the affected products. It is unclear if other brands were implicated.
This ban has sparked concerns among consumers who rely on instant noodles as a quick and convenient meal option.
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