BUKIT MERTAJAM: An instant noodle manufacturer here has sent its Ah Lai White Curry Noodles for tests following allegations that the product contains a cancer-inducing substance.
A company spokesperson said they had sent samples for a laboratory test after Taipei’s Depart-ment of Health released results claiming that a batch of the instant noodles and a batch of Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour noodles from Indonesia contained ethylene oxide, a chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukaemia.
“We have sent samples to a lab and are awaiting the results.
“Prior to this, we have never had a problem nor has anyone made such claims against us since we started operations in 2014.
“We sent a container of the instant noodles to Taipei last year.
“From what we know, the expiry date printed on the packaging and the one provided by the Taipei authorities where it had carried out tests did not tally,” said the spokesperson yesterday.
It is learnt that an official statement will be released soon.
The spokesperson said the business – based on the Penang mainland – makes a variety of noodles such as bee hoon, koay teow and prawn noodles to be sold locally and internationally.
On Monday, it was reported that two types of instant noodles made by South-East Asian brands were found to contain a cancer-inducing substance.
Taipei’s Department of Health released the results of the city’s inspection of instant noodles available there.
The department said tests showed ethylene oxide were detected in both the noodles and flavour packet of the Malaysian product but in only the flavour packet of the Indonesian product.
The unspecified retailer, from which the samples were collected, has been asked to pull the two products from their shelves and the importers will be fined between T$60,000 (RM8,685) and T$200mil (RM28.95mil), the department said.
