HAVING found itself in the firing line by netizens, the Health Ministry (MOH) has refuted claims that it has been lackadaisical by only recalling two popular instant noodle brands after health authorities in Taiwan detected a type of carcinogenic substance in their products.
The health authority said it always prioritises consumer safety in food products by conducting regular and systematic inspections to address issues related to safety and quality for all food products whether in the local market or imported.
“We conduct tight inspection on food products … moreover, the issue has also been reported in foreign countries that share information on the matter,” MOH pointed out in Facebook feedback after a netizen Gary Nick questioned why MOH only started to conduct sample testing after other countries have done so.
“In this regard, (our) monitoring through the sampling of instant noodle products of various brands, including the “Mi Sedap” product from Indonesia has been implemented since 2022 following the discovery of ethylene oxide in its noodles.”
For context, the MOH’s action came after the Taipei Health Department had on Monday (April 24) detected the chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukaemia in a batch of “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” from Malaysia and a batch of “Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour” noodles.
The department said testing revealed that the cancer-inducing substance was detected in both the noodles and flavour packet of the Malaysian product but only in the flavour packet of the Indonesian product.
Elaborating further, MOH said in the case of the Malaysian-made “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles”, it has instructed the company for the recall of the product which batch expires on Aug 25, 2023 from the local market.
“At the same time, the Withholding Test (TUL) action on the ‘Indomie Special Chicken Flavour Instant Noodles’ and product recall from the market has also been imposed on the company,” explained MOH.
“Overall, actions such as withdrawal of product sales from the market and court action have been taken for related products found to contain ethylene oxcide. Exporters are also responsible for ensuring that the exported food products comply with the regulations of the importing country.”
In his maiden media statement yesterday (April 26), newly-appointed Health director-general Datuk Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said that manufacturer of the Malaysian-made “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” had complied with local health standards but that a recall order was made on a batch of the products to ensure food safety.
As for the “Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour” noodles, Muhammad Radzi said they were imported from Indonesia.
“The ministry has issued a hold, test and release order for the products at all entry points to the country. It has also instructed the company to voluntarily recall the product from the market,” he added. – April 27, 2023
