The Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has announced that it would begin conducting random sampling of Indomie noodles, including the seasoning, tomorrow (Tuesday).
According to The PUNCH, NAFDAC stated that the products were prohibited from being imported into Nigeria and had been for a very long time.
This comes after health regulators in Malaysia and Taiwan found ethylene oxide, a chemical that may cause cancer, in Indomie’s “special chicken” taste noodles.
The merchandise has been recalled in Malaysia and Taiwan.
Indofod, the company that produces Indomie noodles, defended the security of its goods, claiming that all instant noodles made by the ICBP in Indonesia were processed in accordance with the Codex Standard for Instant Noodles and the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control’s 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 the ICBP’s instant noodles are marketed,” a press statement by Indofood read in part.
The NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Monday stated that the organisation has begun an investigation and is reacting right away to the news of the Indomie noodles being recalled by authorities in Taiwan and Malaysia.
Prof Adeyeye said, “Tomorrow, (Tuesday) 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 samples from the markets. 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.
“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.
“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 and Post Marketing Surveillance are doing this week at the production facilities and in the market respectively.”
Adeyeye added that the public will be duly updated with the outcomes of the investigation.
