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The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye Tuesday spoke further on the ban on Indomie instant noodles.

She said the implicated brand, ‘Special Chicken Flavour’ was not registered by the NAFDAC for sale in Nigeria.

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She said the NAFDAC had commenced investigations on indomie noodles (including the seasoning) for the presence of ethylene oxide as well as other brands of instant noodles offered for sale to Nigerians.

The NAFDAC DG, in a statement, said this followed the recall of indomie instant noodles special chicken flavour by the Ministries of Health in Malaysia and Taiwan on account of the alleged presence of ethylene oxide, a compound associated with an increased risk of cancer.

She stated: “NAFDAC, as a responsible and responsive regulator, is taking swift actions to carry out random sampling and analysis of Indomie noodles (including the seasoning) for the presence of ethylene oxide, as well as extending the investigation to other brands of instant noodles offered for sale to Nigerians.”

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She assured the public that thorough investigation of the products would be conducted both at the factory and market levels and that the findings would be communicated.

According to her, noodles are on the Import Prohibition List of the Federal Government of Nigeria and are therefore not permitted for importation to Nigeria.

“Further, the Indomie instant noodles products (and other brands of noodles) registered by NAFDAC for sale in the Nigerian market are manufactured in Nigeria and are only granted NAFDAC registration status following a strict regulatory regime covering all aspects of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).”

She said the Ports Inspection Directorate was also on the heightened alert to guard against the importation of the implicated product into Nigeria.

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Daily Trust