Cancer Scare: NAFDAC Confirms Ban On Importation Of Indomie Noodles

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has reiterated its ban on the importation of Indomie noodles into the country.

The Director General of the Agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, who reiterated this in a press statement Monday also disclosed the agency’s intention to commence an analysis of Indomie products made within the country.

GWG.ng reports that the move by NAFDAC is coming in the heels of the recal of indomie noodles by authorities in Taiwan and Malaysia following the discovery of ethylene oxide, a cancer causing agent in the Indomie products in the two countries.

NAFDAC in the statement said:

”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 (FSAN) and Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) are doing this week at the production facilities and in the market, respectively.”

She however promised that the Nigerians will be duly updated with the outcomes of the investigation. 

Meanwhile, the agency said it will begin random sampling of indomie noodles including the seasoning from the production facilities tomorrow (Tuesday).

GWG.ng reports that the NAFDAC ban on the importation of indomie noodles came after the World Health Organisation, WHO, put a focus on ethylene oxide which is a colourless, highly reactive, end flammable gas widely used as an intermediate in the production of various chemicals.

WHO in a report noted that findings from animal investigations, test systems, and epidemiological findings suggested an increase in the incidence of human cancer, adding that the report concludes that ethylene oxide should be considered as a probable human carcinogen, and that its levels in the environment should be kept as low as feasible.

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