After days of speculations, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated that the ban on the importation of Indomie noodles into Nigeria is still in place.
But indications are that many Nigerians, began de-shelfing the Special Chicken Flavour and other types when the rumours of its carcinogenic nature started flying days ago.
Others simply do not care because it is the most affordable and complete fast meal in the open market. “Some people are simply ignorant of the news and others think it is the usual social media prank,” one seller, Ifeanyi, said in Wuse Market, Abuja said.
“There is also the popular na something go kill man (a man will surely die of a cause) attitude of many Nigerians,” he added.
The popular staple food is alleged to contain a carcinogen element by the name Ethylene oxide.
The chemical, according to health experts, is a colourless, odourless gas that is used to sterilise medical devices and spices.
The head of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC in a statement in Abuja 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….
“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 promised that the Nigerians will be duly updated with the outcomes of the investigation.
The agency, began investigating the food after it heard of the products recall by Taiwanese and Malaysian authorities.
“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.” she added.
Recall that there has been a frenzy since health officials in Malaysia and Taiwan recently detected ethylene oxide, a compound in Indomie’s “special chicken” flavour noodles.
They instantly recalled the product.
The Malaysians revealed that 36 samples of thr instant noodles were examined from different brands since 2022 and found that 11 samples contained ethylene oxide.