Follow Us on Google
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over the reported detection of ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing substance, found in Indomie’s ‘special chicken’ flavour in Taiwan and Malaysia by health officials. Arising from the discovery, the Taiwanese and Malaysian authorities have recalled the tainted products.
Good enough, NAFDAC has assured Nigerians that the implicated Indomie instant noodles ‘special chicken’ flavour is not registered by NAFDAC for sale in Nigeria. This is not to say that such products cannot enter the Nigerian markets considering the endemic corruption at our border posts.
Following the report over the poisonous noodles, NAFDAC has reportedly commenced investigation into the matter. According to the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as from May 2, 2023, NAFDAC’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate would randomly sample Indomie noodles, including the seasoning.
This exercise is ostensibly to ensure that the spices used for Indomie and other noodles in Nigeria are tested from the production facilities and the markets. The investigation will also be used to find out if the tainted Indomie noodles have been imported into the country considering that millions of Nigerians consume the products on a daily basis. Although Indomie noodles have been banned from being imported into the country for many years, some unscrupulous Nigerians can still attempt to bring them into the country.
We acknowledge that it is one of the foods on the government prohibition list, not allowed in Nigeria and also not registered by NAFDAC, as the food and drug regulatory agency has explained, such products entering Nigeria through our numerous porous borders is still a possibility.
While NAFDAC and the makers of Indomie noodles, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, have insisted that the Indomie noodles in Nigeria is safe for consumption, it does not in any way preclude the ongoing random sampling and investigation of Indomie and other noodles sold in Nigeria. NAFDAC maintained that it did not ban Indomie Instant Noodles produced in Nigeria. It reiterated that NAFDAC has registered several local manufacturers and the Indomie noodles have been certified safe for consumption.
Similarly, the Group Corporate Communications and Event Manager of Dufil Prima foods Plc, Tope Ashiwaju said: ‘We would like to assure our valued customers in Nigeria that all packs of Indomie Instant Noodles consumed in Nigeria are produced locally under strict international best manufacturing procedures with ISO certified standards. Our commitment to international best manufacturing processes is unwavering and the quality in every pack of instant noodles produced in all our factories in Nigeria is non-negotiable.’
Their assurance of safety, though good, is not enough. These products need to be further evaluated to ascertain that they do not contain poisonous chemicals. NAFDAC must keep manufacturers of foods and drugs, especially the makers of the questionable instant noodles, under its radar always and ensure that they comply with international best manufacturing procedures with ISO certified standards.
In fact, NAFDAC will henceforth be investigating the quality and safety of foods and drugs sold in Nigerian markets. It should not wait until the health authorities in Taiwan and Malaysia detect a dangerous chemical in a food product before our own NADFAC can swing into action. Over time, NAFDAC has been reactive to matters like this instead of proactive. Although the Prof. Adeyeye-led NAFDAC has been forthcoming in alerting Nigerians of the circulation of harmful food and drug products in the country, it should do more. Taking a cue from Taiwan and Malaysia before acting is definitely not the best for the agency.
Let it commence random sampling and testing of sachet water or pure water and bottled water produced and consumed in Nigeria. The same exercise must be conducted on virtually all foods and drugs consumed in Nigeria. The random testing will determine their suitability for human consumption.
In a related development, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has also expressed worry over the reported tainted Indomie instant noodles. It warned that ethylene oxide, which the poisonous noodles contained, has grave consequences for human health if people consume the tainted noodles. If the chemical is found in some noodles brands consumed in Nigeria, NICRAT warned that Nigerians might soon witness an escalation of various forms of cancers. Cancer is a major killer disease in Nigeria and other countries in the world. According to World Cancer Research Fund International, there were an estimated 18.1 million cancer cases around the world in 2020. Of these, 9.3 million cases were in men and 8.8 million in women. Breast and lung cancers were the most common cancers worldwide contributing 12.5 per cent and 12.2 per cent of the total number of new cases diagnosed in 2020. Colorectal cancer was the third most common cancer with 1.9 million new cases in 2020, contributing 10.7 per cent of new cases.
