In a recent statement issued by health officials in Malaysia and Taiwan where they claimed they had detected ethylene oxide, a compound in Indomie’s “Special Chicken” flavour noodles produced by Indofoods, has jolted the global noodles giant to a series of investigation to ascertain the claim by the health officials.
The Ministry of Health of Malaysia (MOH) immediately issued a directive to hold, test and release the Indomie Special Chicken Flavour instant noodles products from Malaysia at all entry points of the country and urged its manufacturer to voluntarily recall the affected products from the markets in Malaysia and Taiwan.
Despite this occurrence happening in faraway Asian countries, it has created series of concerns among Indomie Instant Noodles consumers globally and raised the level of concerns about the safety of consuming the brand particularly in Nigeria, which is one of the largest consumers of noodles globally.
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured Nigerians that importation of Noodles into the country has been banned for a very long period and such ban has not been lifted, so consumers have no cause for alarm.
NAFDAC follows very strict food safety controls in monitoring noodles production in Nigeria.
While responding to the information of the detection in Malaysia and Taiwan, the Director-General, NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said, “Instant noodles is on the importation prohibition list of the Federal Government. This variant or flavour is not registered by the agency, nor is it produced locally here, and has been banned from importation to Nigeria many years ago.”
However, NAFDAC is working to ensure that the product does not come into Nigeria. NAFDAC Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN) organ, has commenced a post-marketing surveillance (PMS) and the Food Lab Services Directorate has also been activated on the issue.
NAFDAC’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate will commence a random sample of Indomie noodles including the seasoning from the production facilities here in Nigeria and the markets to ascertain that the variants of noodles produced and marketed in Nigeria are safe for consumption.” She stated.
While reaching out to the manufacturer of Indomie Instant Noodles in Nigeria, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, on their position on the ongoing investigation in Malaysia and Taiwan, the Group Public Relations Manager, Tope Ashiwaju stated that Nigerians have nothing to fear as there is no such detection in Indomie Instant Noodles produced here in Nigeria. He stressed that Indomie Instant Noodles is produced locally in Nigeria under the strictest manufacturing processes that is constantly audited by government regulatory authorities from time to time.
He emphasised that the company have consistently met the standard procedures set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the International Standard Organisation (ISO), and other international standards and it is highly rated as a healthy nutritious meal for the whole family. He emphasised that Dufil is committed to provide best quality Indomie noodles to its consumer always.
The outcome of the random sample testing by NAFDAC which will commence today will go a long way in assuring Nigerians that their favourite Indomie Instant Noodle is truly safe for consumption.
Anthony Ifeanyi Elikene
