The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Nigerian regulator for food and medicine, says it regulates only Indomie noodles manufactured in Nigeria.
Those manufactured abroad are banned in Nigeria and do not carry its stamp and authorisation.
The Director-general, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the clarification following safety concerns after some countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan recalled the product following complaints that it contains amounts of Ethylene Oxide.
Ethylene Oxide is a carcinogenic substance used in industrial cleaning and as anti-freeze. In low doses, it is also used as a pesticide and is implicated in fertility complications and respiratory problems in unborn babies.
The chemical was found in the seasoning packets of Chicken flavour variety of Indomie noodles produced in Indonesia. Another Indomie noodles flavour, Ah Lai White Curry, was also reported to contain traces of the chemical.
Full laboratory tests in Indonesia by its National Agency for Drug and Food Control, BPOM, on 27 April, 2023 showed the level of Ethylene Oxide to be 34 parts per million (ppm), below the internationally approved limit of 85 ppm even in the US and Canada.
NAFDAC is conducting its own tests from random samples from the local company and markets in Nigeria which it collected on May 2, 2023. The agency is particularly concerned and wants to know if foreign-made Indomie noodles are in Nigerian markets.
Indomie is made in Nigeria by Dufil Prima Foods Plc. It started operations in 1995 and has factories in Ogun, Rivers and Kaduna states, producing eight million packets a day.
Indomie is considered the most popular instant noodle in Nigeria even though it is low in protein, calories, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is 70% wheat flour and very high in salt with levels of Monosodium Glutamate.
It however, does not contain preservatives.
NAFDAC’s Director-general addressed the press on 1 May, 2023 and said the agency will make its findings public.
