The EU-unauthorized pesticide ethylene oxide was found in the products
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has announced that certain batches of instant noodle products, including two from Vietnam’s famous Japanese-invested instant noodle maker Acecook, are being recalled due to the presence of the unauthorized pesticide ethylene oxide.
The mentioned batches contain Acecook’s Hao Hao sour-hot shrimp flavor instant noodle and Good spare ribs flavor instant noodle products, according FSAI’s announcement on its website.
Their use-by dates are September 24, 2022 and November 11, 2022, respectively.
In addition to the two made-in-Vietnam products, the recalled batches also include China’s Yato seafood flavor instant noodle product with an expiry date of November 30, 2022.
FSAI said it found ethylene oxide, a pesticide not authorized for use in food sold in the EU, in those batches of the three products.
“Although the consumption of the contaminated product does not pose an acute risk to health, there may be health issues if there is continued consumption of ethylene oxide over a long period of time,” the announcement reads.
“Therefore, exposure to this substance needs to be minimized.”
The food safety governing body added that point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batches.
In response to the recall, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health said on Saturday that the Vietnam Food Administration under its management will request the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which is in charge of administering instant noodle products, to clarify the case.
Replying to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper’s query regarding the issue, Vietnam’s Acecook said that a clarification is underway.
The global demand for instant noodles has increased sharply 14.79 percent in 2020 from 2019 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the World Instant Noodles Association’s data.
In 2020, Vietnamese people consumed 7.03 billion packages of instant noodles, ranking third after China and Indonesia.
