NAFDAC declares Nigeria-made Indomie Noodles safe for consumption

Mojisola Adeyeye, director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has declared the scientific testing the agency conducted has proved Indomie Instant Noodles is safe for consumption.

Addressing the media on Thursday, Adeyeye said the safety of locally produced Indomie noodles in Nigeria, assuring consumers that the recalled ‘Special Chicken Flavour’ variant in Taiwan and Malaysia is not present anywhere in the Nigerian market.

According to the NAFDAC boss, “a total of 114 samples of instant noodles and additives were tested for ethylene oxide and heavy metal (ions). We got 58 samples from various factories, 24 samples from Lagos markets, 16 samples from Abuja, and 16 samples from Kano. Two methodologies were used to test the various samples collected, namely: Gas Chromatography – an analytical technique used to separate and detect the chemical components and Mass Spectrometry Detector – an analytic technique by which chemical substances are identified by the sorting of gaseous ions in electric and magnetic fields.”

Explaining the delay in releasing the test result, Adeyeye said it was due to the fact that some of the reagents and technology used had to be imported into the country to ensure the process is scientific and thorough.

To demonstrate her confidence in the result of the test conducted, the NAFDAC boss consumed a well-prepared Instant Noodles meal during the conference, with her colleagues requesting her to share it with them.

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Indomie, the leading noodles brand in Nigeria, has been a first choice among families for generations. The brand’s manufacturer, Dufil Prima Foods Limited, confirmed the positive outcome of the NAFDAC laboratory tests.

Temitope Ashiwaju, Group Corporate Communications and Event Manager of Dufil Prima Foods Plc said the company is committed to maintaining the highest quality standards both nationally and internationally and supporting the local economy.

Ashiwaju emphasized the unwavering dedication of the company to deliver unparalleled quality to its consumers.

“Our consumers over the years have trusted the quality of our products and hence the reason why they stood by the brand even while the test was carried out. Indomie noodle’s taste is to date inimitable, the quality is incomparably backed by consistent innovation and the quality assurance tests are regularly carried out in-house. We continue to be the number one instant noodles brand in Nigeria.

“Indomie instant noodles brands are produced in Nigeria and operations have been ongoing for at least three decades. Dufil Prima has improved local capacity utilisation which will lead to enhanced production and creation of direct and indirect employment to meet market demands and surpass local and international standards,” Ashiwaju said at Dufil Prima Foods Lagos office.