Thailand Suspends Sales of Shin Ramyun Black Tofu Kimchi Bowl
Last month, Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun Black Tofu Kimchi Bowl Noodles were suspended from retailing in Taiwan and Thailand due to the detection of harmful substances in them.
Nongshim said that contrary to media reports, the products did not contain carcinogens. But as consumer groups have insisted that Nongshim’s products be thoroughly examined for harmful substances, the controversy is likely to stay for some time.
The Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has suspended the distribution of some products of Nongshim Shin Ramyun Black Tofu Kimchi Flavor Bowl for consumer safety, according to media reports, including Channel 7, in Thailand on Jan. 31.
The TFDA recalled a total of 3,040 bowls -- 480 with an expiration date of Feb. 4 and 2,560 with an expiration date of May 8.
The TFDA's move followed the announcement on Jan. 17 by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration that 0.075 (mg/kg) of ethylene oxide (EO), a pesticide substance, was found in a pesticide residue test on the same Nongshim noodle product. The Taiwanese government destroyed 1,000 boxes (1128 kg) of this product because it did not meet its standards on pesticide residues.
According to classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, EO is a substance that can cause human carcinogens when inhaled.
Nongshim said that what was detected in its noodle products was 2-chloroethanol (2-CE), not ethylene oxide (EO). 2-CE is a harmful substance that can be generated as a by-product of EO, a pesticide substance. It is known to have no carcinogen, unlike EO.
“Taiwan and Europe regarded the two substances as identical and announced that they found ethylene oxide in the product, but the truth is that what they had detected was 2-chloroethanol,” a Nongshim official said. “Korea and the United States consider the two substances different.”
Nongshim emphasized that it takes this incident as a wake-up call and will further strengthen its raw material analysis with
In response, Korean consumer groups insisted that Nongshim’s products be thoroughly examined and tested for harmful substances. “It is difficult to understand Nongshim’s statement that the substance is not a carcinogen and has no problem with the human body,” the Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty said in a statement released on Jan. 19. “We cannot trust its statement that there is no problem with its noodle products sold in Korea as no harmful substance has been detected.”