Two food safety recalls were recently issued for instant noodles in Belgium. Here, we look at why they were recalled and the risks contaminants can pose to people's health.
Belgium's food safety agency (FASFC) recalled last month two products from the popular South Korean noodle brand ‘Buldak’.
On 17 April, FASFC issued a recall for the ‘Buldak Spicy Ramen Hot Chicken Flavour Cup’. Almost two weeks later, it recalled the ‘Buldak Hot Chicken Flavour Ramen – Carbonara Flavour'.
The recalls were issued after German authorities found excessive levels of substances associated with cancer in the products, the FASFC's spokesperson Hélène Bonte confirmed to The Brussels Times.
The substances in question are 3-MCPD and glycidol fatty acid esters. Both are formed during the refining processes of oils and fats, and are known as “food contaminants”. They are found in several processed food products, including margarine and biscuits.
If high levels of the contaminants are consumed, in the long term, they can pose a risk to a person's health. The glycidol fatty acid esters for example are considered a genotoxic carcinogens, meaning they have the potential to cause cancer by altering or damaging DNA.
Image of one of the instant noodles that was recalled. Credit: FASFC
Consumers have been urged by FASFC not to ingest the affected batches of instant noodles and to return them to the shops where the products were purchased.
However, Bonte emphasised that the safety recalls were issued solely based on a “potential risk” and that there is no immediate risk of health issues from the short-term exposure.
The spokesperson further noted that despite the recent recalls, instant noodles in general are not a significant concern in terms of food safety in Belgium. According to Bonte, instant noodle recalls are not common.
For more information regarding the food safety recalls, consumers can contact the FASFC consumer contact point by sending an email to pointdecontact@afsca.be or by calling the number 0800/13.550.
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