NAFDAC said it never tested for the cancer-causing ethylene oxide before granting licences to manufacturers of instant noodles.
In Nigeria, among noodles marketers, food sellers, and consumers, mixed reactions have been trailing the report of the discovery of ethylene oxide - a cancer-causing substance, in Indomie noodles by Malaysian and Taiwanese authorities.
The discovery made by health authorities in both countries raised concerns over the safety of the food globally and in Nigeria, where noodles are a beloved snack and quick-to-fix meal for millions of people.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is one of the largest consumers of instant noodles. The country also occupies the 11th position in the global demand for noodles, with Indomie instant noodles being the most consumed brand in Nigeria.
Apart from Indomie noodles, there are more than 12 other brands of noodles competing for market share. These include Chikki, Mimee, Honeywell, Golden Penny, and Dangote.
Others are Sun Yum, Tummy Tummy, Uno, Cherie, Star, Mc Chew, Niccus, Smoodles, and Chefmie. But according to a report by a marketing newspaper - Marketing Edge, Indomie, which arrived in Nigeria about 30 years ago, controls about 70 per cent of the nation's market value.
Meanwhile, since the news about ethylene oxide broke, assurances of safety by both Dufil Prima Foods Limited, makers of Indomie Noodles, and Nigeria's food safety agency - National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) - have not completely cleared the doubt many consumers have. But there are countless others who the scary news cannot stop from consuming their favourite noodles.
NAFDAC could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the poisonous substance in the noodles on sale in Nigeria. The agency's Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, while appearing on a popular show - Your View on Television Continental (TVC) - said the regulatory body did not check for ethylene oxide before granting licences to noodles-producing companies in the country.
Meanwhile, since the news hit the airwaves, while some business owners dealing in noodles reported a drastic drop in sales, some food sellers and consumers said the news has not affected their businesses or stopped them from consuming noodles. For them, the love for noodles remains unwavering.
Low patronage
Jafar Sani, a store owner in Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja, reported that the patronage of Indomie instant noodles had dropped significantly since the news broke.
According to Mr Sani, he has not sold the few cartons of noodles he stocked over a month ago. He refused to purchase more from distributors as he was yet to sell the ones he has.
At the popular Utako market, Abuja, a business owner who identified himself simply as Nnamdi, said there was a drop in demand for the Indomie brand.
He wondered why people are still apprehensive about purchasing Indomie after NAFDAC's assurances that noodles are safe for consumption.
Business as usual
Mohammed Jubril, a major distributor of Indomie noodles in Wuse market, Abuja, said his business had not been affected by the news. Mr Jubril believes that the government's announcement that Indomie noodles are produced locally and do not contain any harmful ingredients has helped to maintain customer confidence.
He said one of his regular customers bought 25 cartons of noodles just before our reporter arrived at his store.
Lola Oye, who sells cooked noodles close to Queen Moremi Hostel on the campus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, also said the news had not affected her business.
Ms Oye said students, her major customers, enjoy the Indomie onion flavour and the Super pack more.
She said if the Nigerian government bans the noodles produced in the country, she would seek another business to engage in.
"The business has been moving well. And I always make sure I prepare the noodles neatly. Since I got here, students have been referring themselves to me. So if they find anything cancerous, or bad health-wise generally, I am willing to adjust," she said.
Yahusa Adua, who has been selling cooked noodles for over 10 years at Berger, a popular bus stop in Lagos State, said he does not pray for such a ban in Nigeria.
Mr Adua said no one has ever complained about his cooking style or complications after eating the meal.
In the same vein, a noodles vendor at the permanent site market of the University of Abuja, identified simply as Ismail, said the news from Malaysia and Taiwan has not affected his business in any way.
Though he confirmed that he heard of the story when it first surfaced, he said he has not noticed any new development regarding the situation.
"We continued with our business and the business has been moving since then. Nothing has changed. Since the first time I heard the story, I have not heard any development on it."
Another vendor at the University of Abuja, Zakariya'u Shehu, who has been in the business for more than three years, said the news has no visible effect on his business.
While his sales have decreased, he attributed it to some students leaving the campus after their examinations.
"I heard the story. They said it causes cancer. I heard people talking about it, but there's been silence about it for some time now. My business has continued as it has always been except that students are leaving since some of them are done with their examinations," he said.
"Reliable meal"
For students, noodle is the easiest and fastest meal to prepare.
Queen Taiwo, a student of the Department of Management Sciences, UNILAG, said she enjoys only the Indomie brand and started eating the Minimiee brand after she noticed they are from the same manufacturer, Dufill.
Ms Taiwo said the news about the ban on noodles in the two Asian countries did not discourage her from consuming Indomie noodles.
"When I saw the news, I didn't really dwell on it. I don't take noodles that much, in the last month I only took noodles once or twice," she said.
Sandra Anthony, a Microbiology Student at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, said she has continued to eat noodles because it is the simplest meal for her to cook.
Ms Anthony said she will always consume noodles irrespective of the news about it says.
"Regardless, I have continued to eat noodles. I even ate some yesterday. I just feel like it is something we have all been eating over time...I agree there might be some factors that can actually cause cancer but then that is like the simplest thing to cook and it is less time-consuming," she said.
Another student, Progress Emmanuel, said although she heard the story about some noodles containing carcinogenic compounds, she never believed it or bother to do any research.
READ ASLO: NAFDAC reassures Nigerians on locally produced Indomie instant noodles
"Truth be told, me and noodles, we die there," she said, using street language in Nigeria. She added: "I feel like it is something I have been eating for a long time and it doesn't change anything."
Fear of ban
Eniola Shodipe, a recent graduate of UNILAG, said she "didn't like noodles growing up but that she later fell in love with it when she tasted the "indomitable" brand, particularly the onion flavour.
"There are different ways you cook noodles, even when you are tired, you still want to eat it. There is this stir fry way and the pepper soup type, and then there is the spicy chicken one," she said.
She added that when she heard about the ban, she prayed it did not get to Nigeria.
"Even when they reported it being poisonous years back, we adjusted to parboiling the noodles first, before cooking it," she said.
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Also, Mary Adedayo, a student of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UNILAG, said she enjoys noodles because it is fast and can be cooked in different forms.
"You can buy N300 and it will fill up two people. And also I eat noodles two to three times a week. I don't want the ban to get to Nigeria at all, because I don't like to spend time cooking too much," she said.
Parents' stance
Gloria Chinedu, a mother of four residing in the Jabi area of Abuja, said she stopped feeding her kids noodles since hearing the news about ethylene oxide.
Ms Chinedu said although she is aware noodles are produced in Nigeria, "one has to be watchful for the children's health."
"Once it is very clear that noodles are safe for consumption, I will resume making it for my kids, but for now, no noodles in my house," she said.
Virginia Bassey, a mother of two residing in the Mararaba area of Nasarawa State, said she still cooks noodles for her kids but at a very low quantity.
Ms Bassey said before the news broke, her children ate noodles at least four times a week. Now she gives them only once a week.
About Indomie
Indomie is a brand of instant noodles produced by the Indonesian company- Indofood. Indofood is the largest instant noodles producer in the world with 16 factories and over 15 billion packets produced annually.
Indomie is also exported to more than 90 countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, India, Iraq, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, East Timor, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, China and Canada.
Indomie has been produced mainly in Indonesia since it was first introduced in 1972 but has also been produced in Nigeria since 1995.
