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Friday, December 27, 2024

FDA: Lucky Me! noodles are safe for consumption

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared the locally produced Lucky Me! Noodle products safe for human consumption.

The FDA decision followed recent findings by an FDA-accredited international independent laboratory that Lucky Me! passed the medical standards for ethylene oxide (EtO).

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“This result is consistent with our position that our products are and have always been safe. We are committed to being a source of high-quality food products and will remain so,” Lucky Me! producer Monde Nissin Corp. said in a statement.

Monde Nissin also reportedly passed several rigid inspections by FDA teams dispatched to find out if EtO was present in the local Lucky Me! plants.

“We fully cooperated with the FDA in this effort at establishing food safety and were declared totally compliant with all the rules and requirements needed for the production of Lucky Me!,” it added. 

The FDA issued its advisory on the heels of news reports saying  ethylene oxide was allegedly found in some Lucky Me! products sold abroad.

“As a precautionary measure, the FDA coordinated with the local manufacturer of Lucky Me! Brand Noodle Products to determine the levels of ethylene oxide in the food products. The local manufacturer of the Lucky Me! Brand Noodle Products reported to the FDA that, based on tests conducted by an independent laboratory in Vietnam, ethylene oxide was not detected in the samples submitted for the following variants: Pancit Canton Extra Hot Chili, Pancit Canton Regular, Pancit Canton Chilimansi and Instant Mami Beef Regular. These Lucky Me! instant noodle variants are safe for consumption,” the FDA advisory stated.

“The Food and Drug Administration has declared local Lucky Me! safe for consumption. The products’ compliance with food safety standards is further supported by the latest results from independent laboratory testing and analysis done abroad, showing that Lucky Me! passed the acceptable level for ethylene oxide,” Monde Nissin said in a statement posted on Facebook.

 A small trace of ethylene oxide was found in a sample of Pancit Canton Kalamansi, the FDA said in the advisory, but this was “at a level below the EU acceptable level of 0.02 mg/kg.”

“In this regard, the FDA will study this matter to determine the appropriate risk management strategy in consultation with other government agencies like the Department of Agriculture,” the FDA said.

Lucky Me! maker Monde Nissin was compliant with food safety standards based on the latest inspections of the agency, the FDA said.

The agency added that Monde Nissin met Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practice requirements during inspections conducted in March and July.

“The FDA already convened series of meetings to evaluate the EU report and its implications,” the statement read. “To further assure food safety, the local manufacturer is in the process of verifying the level of residual ethylene oxide in the packets of seasoning,” the FDA said.

The statement refers to a report by the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) noting the presence of an “unauthorized substance,” ethylene oxide, in the Lucky Me! products.

Ethylene oxide is most commonly used in the production of other chemicals, including the manufacture of solvents, antifreeze, detergents, adhesives, polyurethane foam, and pharmaceuticals.

At least three countries—Malta, Ireland, and France—have recalled some of the products.

“Although the consumption of the contaminated product does not pose an acute risk to health, there may be health issues if there is continued consumption of ethylene oxide over a long period of time. Therefore, exposure to this substance needs to be minimized,” the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said in its advisory, which listed Thailand as the country of origin for the product in question.

Monde Nissin last week clarified that it does not add ethylene oxide to its products, and that the substance was only used in the treatment of some raw materials. It said the materials may still show traces of ethylene oxide when processed into seasoning and sauces.
 
“From the very first Lucky Me! noodle we served almost 33 years ago, we have always put our consumers’ safety and product quality at the forefront — these form the core of our business. Rest assured that we will always remain 100 percent committed to these,” the company said in its statement issued Friday. 

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