S. Korea-made noodle found to contain carcinogen

Six types of instant noodles made by South Korean food company Nong Shim, owner of the well-known instant noodle brand "Shin Ramyun," have been found to contain benzopyrene, a strong carcinogen, South Korean media reported on Oct. 25.

At present, senior executives of the company are discussing taking the instant noodles involved off the shelf.

Taiwanese media also reported that six types of instant noodles produced by Nong Shim in South Korea were found to contain benzopyrene, a Group 1 carcinogen. Four imported Nong Shim noodle products – Shengsheng Udon, Raccoon Striped Noodles, Tasty Seafood Noodles, and Spicy Seafood Noodles, are available in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Nong Shim Shanghai said in a statement that the six possibly unsafe noodle products reported by South Korean media, including Spicy Cup Udon, Super-sized Spicy Udon, Spicy Udon in Multiple Packets, Shengsheng Udon, Udon in Multiple Packets, and Super-sized Shrimp Noodle, were manufactured in South Korea by its parent company.

"Nong Shim's three factories in Shanghai, Shenyang, and Qingdao are independent production bases in China, and do not produce products involved in this food scandal."

Benzopyrene is listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by an intergovernmental agency under the World Health Organization. Research has found that excessive intake of the substance may cause lung, liver, and gastrointestinal cancer. The European Union and the WHO have set a limit on the maximum benzopyrene level of smoked food at 5 parts per billion and 10 parts per billion respectively, but the Chinese mainland has only set a limit on the maximum content of benzopyrene in cooking oil.