How NAFDAC Failed To Stop Killer Indomie Noodles

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Agency for Food, Drug and Administration Control, NAFDAC seems to have been jolted to action following revelation by the government of Taiwan and Malaysia that indomie noodles contains killer cancer substance.

The two countries had recently discovered after painstaking investigations that the noodles, produced by the Indonesia world famous food manufacturing firm, Indofood contains ethelyne oxide capable of causing cancer. The two countries have since banned the product after recalling those already in circulation.

Following the revelation, NAFDAC issued a statement on Monday saying it has started investigating the noodles produced in Nigerian to ensure that they don’t contain the same deadly cancer subatance.
The Director General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the agency also wanted to find out whether foreign made noodles have not been smuggled into the country.

According to Prof. Adeyeye, “Tomorrow, (Tuesday) 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 samples from the markets.

“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.

“It should be noted that 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 and Post Marketing Surveillance are doing this week at the production facilities and in the market respectively.”
Since the agency issued the statement, not a few Nigerians have been asking serious question as to why it took it this long to take action.

One of the posers for the Prof. Adeyeye – led agency is why it waited for agencies in other countries to assume its responsibility of ensuring that foods and drugs consumed in the country are safe.

This is more so, considering report that some companies have been importing the product into the country without the knowledge of the agency despite the fact that noodles is on the federal government import prohibition list.

If the report is true, according to those watching what is going on, consumers of indomie noodles, particularly children may have innocently consumed the killer substance.

Meanwhile, Indofood, the makers of Indomie noodles, says all instant noodles produced by the ICBP in Indonesia were processed in compliance with the food safety standards from the Codex Standard for Instant Noodles and standards set by the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control.