Korean instant noodles recalled for containing carcinogen

In response to public health concerns, on October 27, South Korean authorities announced they had decided to recall Nongshim instant noodle products that were found to contain carcinogens.

The recall affects six brands of Nongshim, South Korea's largest instant noodle maker, including Neoguri and Sang Sang Noodle, which were found to contain benzopyrene.

Two types of instant noodles from Nongshim were found to contain carcinogens.

Taiwanese authorities have also decided to pull two Nongshim brands from store shelves on the island. The Taipei Times reported that Nongshim's best-selling Shin Ramyun was not among the products being recalled. "We have decided to order a recall of Nongshim noodle products that use ingredients known to contain benzopyrene," an official from the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. The move comes days after reports emerged that the products contained benzopyrene, which poses health risks when ingested.

Benzopyrene is believed to cause stomach and lung cancer or birth defects if ingested over a long period of time. According to KFDA testing results in June, some Nongshim products were found to contain benzopyrene at levels of 4.7 ppb (parts per billion). KFDA initially said the amount of benzopyrene was so small that it did not pose a health problem. Nongshim also said its products were safe and that it had destroyed all the suspected raw materials.

According to Thanhnien-M