The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday said “Lucky Me!” instant noodle products found containing ethylene oxide were made in Thailand.
“It must be emphasized that the affected batches containing ethylene oxide were manufactured in Thailand. They were not locally produced and were not distributed in the Philippines,” the FDA said in a statement.
According to the agency, the local manufacturer of the popular Filipino noodle brand said that laboratory tests in Vietnam showed that ethylene oxide was not found in the following “Lucky Me!” instant noodle products:
- Pancit Canton Extra Hot Chili
- Pancit Canton Regular
- Pancit Canton Chilimansi
- Instant Mami Beef Regular
However, the FDA found that the “Pancit Canton Kalamansi” product contained the chemical at a level below the European Union 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 agency said.
In separate advisories, the governments of Ireland, Malta, and France earlier recalled several variants of products by “Lucky Me!”, particularly those manufactured between 2021 and 2022.
However, the FDA said Monde Nissin, the manufacturer of “Lucky Me!” products, is compliant with the Philippines’ food safety laws.
Ethylene oxide, which is present in the environment, is used to destroy salmonella in agricultural products traded internationally. It is likewise used in gas sterilization of surgical and medical equipment, including personal protective equipment.
Although the EU adopted zero tolerance for ethylene oxide, the FDA explained that some other countries like the US, Canada and Singapore, assigned tolerance levels for residual ethylene oxide.
