Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said the Philippines had local manufacturers of Lucky Me! instant noodles and no contamination had been found in the country’s locally manufactured supply.
“Gusto po nating klaruhin na ito pong nangyari at isang insidente na lumabas na report kahapon ay nangyari po sa European countries, hindi po dito sa ating bansa. Mayroon po tayong local manufacturer ng food product na ito, kung saan ang atin pong mga ginagamit na mga sangkap nito at saka iyon pong pagsasagawa ay dito po sa atin sa Pilipinas,” Vergeire told a Palace briefing.
The governments of Taiwan, France, Ireland and Malta have recalled products of the instant noodle brand discovering ethylene oxide in some samples.
In a July 7 statement, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said ethylene oxide was a processing aid used to disinfect herbs and spices, but the use of the chemical for sterilizing purposes in food was not allowed in the European Union.
“Base sa kanilang pagkakasuri at pag-iimbestiga ay hindi po apektado iyong production ng ating food product na ito dito po sa ating bansa,” Vergeire said.
Monde Nissin has released a statement regarding the contamination and said all Lucky Me! products in the Philippines were Philippine FDA registered.
“We would like to clarify that ethylene oxide is not added in Lucky Me! products. It is a commonly used treatment in spices and seeds to control microbial growth typical in agricultural products,” the company said.
“These materials, when processed into seasoning and sauces, may still show traces of ethylene oxide,” it added.
Exposure to ethylene oxide may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulty, drowsiness, weakness, exhaustion, eye and skin burns, frostbite and reproductive effects, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. John Ezekiel J. Hirro