The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stated that it would begin random sample tests of Indomie noodles and other brands from May 2, 2023.
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This is coming on heels of the detection of ethylene oxide, in Indomie special chicken flavour noodles by health officials in Malaysia and Taiwan.
Following the discovery, Malaysia and Taiwan recalled the Indomie special chicken flavour from shelves.
The Cable reported that the director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye said that 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 according to The Cable’s report also stated that Indomie noodles has been on the prohibition list of the federal government, and that it is not registered by the agency and had been banned from importation to Nigeria years ago.
“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 said.
“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.”
Nigeria is ranked 11th in the global demand for noodles, with Indomie instant noodles being the most consumed brand in Nigeria.
The USA’s National Cancer Institute defines ethylene oxide as a flameless colorless gas with a sweet ordour at room temperature. The compound is primarily used to produce other chemicals, including antifreeze.
In smaller amounts, ethylene oxide is used as a pesticide and a sterilizing agent. The ability of ethylene oxide to damage DNA makes it an effective sterilizing agent but also accounts for its cancer-causing activity.
Lymphoma and leukemia are the cancers most frequently reported to be associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide. Stomach and breast cancers may also be associated with ethylene oxide exposure.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
