Recently, there have been apprehensions in the country after a revelation by NAFDAC that a certain type of noodle largely sold in the country is laden with poisonous cancer-causing substances. Since then, there have been tensions in the land. ELEOJO IDACHABA writes on the reactions so far and the matters arising.
In the last two weeks, concerns have mounted in both the social and conventional media over the news about the reported ban of Indomie noodles in the country.
This was after a press briefing by the director-general of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, when she announced that all such noodles have been banned in all markets, supermarkets across the country following allegations of a cancer-causing chemical found in them and the fact that many of such products are not on the registration list of the agency.
Speaking with journalists on the matter, Prof Adeyeye said the agency started investigating the matter immediately when it got wind of the recall of the same products by Taiwan and Malaysia authorities.
She said, “Tomorrow, May 2, 2023, NAFDAC’s Directorate of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition would randomly sample indomie noodles (including the seasoning) from the production facilities while post marketing surveillance directorate samples from the markets.”
Soon after she made the announcement, Blueprint Weekend gathered that palpable tension began to mount on Nigerians, especially as it bothers on cancer, and how the product found its way into the Nigerian markets despite the presence of NAFDAC operatives at every production and entry points in the country. More so as a larger percentage of consumers are children.
More concerns
Of serious concern too is the fact that of late, there have been reported cases of cancer, especially among children, as increasing numbers of them are confirmed to be suffering from various types of cancer according to widely publicised reports in many media of information.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), no less than 400, 000 children and young adults between the ages of one and 19 are known to suffer from cancer globally.
Giving detailed insight, WHO said the commonest type of cancer found in children is leukaemia, neuroblastoma, brain cancers and solid tumours.
Also, more alarming is the report by the Nigerian Society for Paediatric Oncology (NISPO) which noted that the incidence of cancer in children of late is largely responsible for the death of children in the country.
Prof. Biobele Brown, the president of the association, noted recently that, “In today Nigeria, many people are not aware that cancer occurs in children; therefore, when children develop early symptoms and signs of cancer, it is often attributed to other illnesses until it advances and becomes difficult to cure.”
WHO also noted in another report that unlike cancer in adults, the vast majority of childhood cancers do not have a known cause. This paper gathered that it is for this reason the recent discovery by NAFDAC poses a serious concern to discerning minds.
According to WHO, “Many studies have sought to identify the causes of childhood cancer, but very few cancers in children are caused by environmental or lifestyle factors.”
When, therefore, NAFDAC announced last week that it would commence random sampling of Indomie noodles, including the seasoning, from the production facilities, it was a relief to many even though no one can ascertain how far the inquest can go.
Adeyeye had said the concern of the Commission is ethylene oxide said to be found in the noodles for which, according to him, the directorate of food lab services has started working on the methodology for the analysis.
Speaking at another forum, the NAFDAC boss said, “Indomie noodles have been banned from being imported into the country for many years. It is one of the foods on the government prohibition list. It is not allowed in Nigeria; therefore not registered by NAFDAC.
“What we are doing is an extra caution to ensure that the product is not smuggled in, and if so, our post-marketing surveillance would detect it. We also want to be sure that the spices used for the Indomie and other noodles in Nigeria are tested.
“That is what NAFDAC Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN) and Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) are doing this week at the production facilities and in the market, respectively.”
The outcomes of the investigation to be carried out, she assured that the agency would make public in the coming days.
Also related to this is another alarming report by WHO that findings from animal investigations, test systems and other epidemiological findings reveal an increase in the incidence of human cancer for which the global health body concludes that ethylene oxide might be a probable human carcinogen whose levels in the environment should be low.
More fears
In the meantime, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has predicted that cancer cases will rise in the country in the coming years.
In a statement by its director-general, Prof. Usman Aliyu, the organisation stated that the discovery of cancer-causing chemical in one of the Indomie noodles branded Special Chicken Flavour should be of a great concern to Nigerians, noting that in 2020 alone, cancer killed 78, 000 Nigerians.
The body, therefore, expressed concern that if some brands of Indomie noodles contain ethylene oxide, then Nigerians should expect an escalation of various forms of cancers in the months or years ahead, depending on how long people have consumed the brand.
“Nigerians should also expect an increase in cancer cases among children because Indomie noodles are a popular food among most Nigerian children.”
In Nigeria, Indomie is a major and popular fast food commonly cooked in many homes since the early ‘90s.
Matters arising
While NAFDAC receives commendations for its proactive approach to the matter when the alleged poisonous substance was discovered, Nigerians are, however, angry that with the level of enlightenment the body dishes out about product registration, it still allows a product like Indomie noodle laden with dangerous substance to find its way into the markets and ultimately homes?
“Why do we have NAFDAC officials at every production site of these products and at the sea ports? This development has put a lot of families in dire straits because there is no home in Nigeria where Indomie noodle is not a staple food. In my family, my children can eat Indomie daily for one week non-stop; that is why I am agitated by this development, Madam Zainab Audu, a public servant, expressed her concern in a chat with Blueprint Weekend in Abuja.
A relief
In what appears as a new twist, NAFDAC last week said there is however a new development regarding the banned noodle.
It said all noodles produced in the country are, however, different from the ones produced in Taiwan and Malaysia. To that extent, it stated that noodles produced in Nigeria are safe for consumption; therefore devoid of any poisonous substance.
Speaking on a live television programme last week, Prof. Adeyeye said there was an exception to the earlier ban. She said, “Foreign noodles have been banned from entering the country by the Nigerian government many years ago and this is on the Nigerian Customs Service importation prohibition list and this is to encourage local production of noodles and backward integration of the economy.”
Bearing this in mind, she said the agency is working to ensure that all foreign-made noodles are not smuggled into the country.
Corroborating NAFDAC, the group corporate communications and event manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Tope Ashiwaju, said, “Indomie Nigeria is different and a separate entity from Indomie Taiwan and Indomie Malaysia. Indomie instant Noodles is locally produced in the country and operations have been ongoing for at least three decades. Dufil Prima has improved local capacity utilisation and has aided enhanced production to meet market demand, rather than depending on importation.”
Nigeria is a major consumer of instant noodles with Indomie Instant Noodles dominating the market. The World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) in one of its reports had said Nigeria is one of the largest consumers of instant noodles with 1.92 million.
