Noodles produced in Nigeria are safe, free of ethylene oxide – NAFDAC

NAFDAC, the national agency for Food and drug administration and Control, declared on Thursday that noodles made in the nation were free of ethylene oxide and its breakdown products.

At a media briefing held to deliver the findings of NAFDAC's examination into whether noodles made in the nation contained ethylene oxide, Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye revealed this.

Mrs. Adeyeye claimed that the study was prompted by Malaysia and Taiwan's recall of Indomie Instant Noodles Special Chicken Flavor due to the potential presence of ethylene oxide, a substance linked to an elevated risk of cancer.

She said: “At the time of my initial press release on the issue, I assured the public that a thorough investigation of the products would be conducted both at the factory and market levels and that our findings would be communicated.

“As soon as we received the news of the product recalls in Malaysia and Taiwan, immediately I requested the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to carry out an investigation and random sampling of Indomie instant noodles from the production facilities.

“And extend the investigation to other brands of instant noodles offered for sale to Nigerians.

“Imported noodles are not expected to be sold in Nigeria because NAFDAC does not register imported noodles as a result of the ban by the Nigerian government many years ago to foster local production.

“Samples of chicken-flavoured instant noodles of various brands and the seasonings were drawn from the production facilities across the country to ensure robust investigation.

“A total of one hundred and fourteen (114) samples of instant noodles and the seasonings were received, while samples were also collected from Lagos, Abuja and Kano.”

Mr. Adeyeye claims that research has revealed that neither ethylene oxide nor a derivative of it could be identified in any of the Nigerian-produced instant noodles or their seasonings.

Source