The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says Indomie noodles manufactured in Nigeria are safe for human consumption.
The agency claimed that there is no ethylene oxide in the noodles.
The unique chicken flavor noodles from Indomie included ethylene oxide, according to health inspectors in Malaysia and Taiwan.
A colorless and odorless gas called ethylene oxide is used to sterilize plastics and medical equipment. It is alleged to be a substance that causes cancer.
Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC director-general, said the agency would begin random sample tests of the noodles from May 2.
Speaking with journalists on Thursday, the director-general said during the probe, samples of chicken flavoured instant noodles of various brands and the seasonings were drawn from the production facilities across the country.
She said the exercise was to ensure that the investigation was robust and cover other instant noodles brands manufactured in Nigeria, besides Indomie.
She said the agency also visited markets and retail outlets in the major cities of Lagos, Abuja, and Kano and drew samples of instant noodles for laboratory analysis.
“The market visits served as surveillance for the presence of the Taiwan and Malaysian special chicken noodles in the Nigerian market,” she said.
“The samples drawn from production facilities and trade were properly packaged and delivered in good condition to our central laboratory, Oshodi, Lagos, where analytical activities commenced immediately in accordance with international standards and methods of analysis.
“The technique using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detector was deployed.
“A total of 114 samples of instant noodles and the seasonings were received.
“We did not only analyze for ethylene oxide and its derivative 2-chloroethanol in the noodles and seasonings; we also analysed for other contaminants such as mycotoxins and heavy metals in the samples.
“Ethylene oxide or its derivative was not found in any of the instant noodles produced in Nigeria and their seasonings.
“The level of mycotoxin and the heavy metals were within the internationally acceptable limit. Therefore, the noodles made in Nigeria are very safe to eat.”
