The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured Nigerians of the safety of all brands of indomie noodles produced in the country.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the assurance during the agency’s quarterly interactive session with Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

Adeyeye assured on safety of the staple food consumed mostly among children and some adult, adding that they need not exercise fear while consuming.

She said the agency had revealed that the indomie noodles produced in Nigeria was not implicated in the recalls in Malaysia and Taiwan,  and implored Nigerians to always eat safe.

Adeyeye disclosed that she loved to eat good food and take medicine, but she must be sure that such food and medicine she was going to take were certified.

She explained that immediately the news of the recalls of indomie noodles from Malaysia and Taiwan got to Nigeria, she directed some directors in the agency to begin tripartite discussions with MAN.

Adeyeye said samples of the noodles and seasonings (spices) were collected by the agency for laboratory analysis, adding that the agency had run all the necessary tests.

The NAFDAC boss said: “We needed a chemical standard.

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“It’s all science. We are a science organisation, and our processes are science driven.

“We cannot conduct our own Nigerian science. No. We have to use the international standard chemical agents.”

According to her, NAFDAC is highly sensitive in terms of food safety, adding that it has to make sure that it does the right thing, regulatory wise.

Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC officials went round and took samples from the market, adding that there were suitcase importers that could have brought such products into the country without the known of the agency.

The NAFDAC boss emphasised that the agency did not ban importation of indomie during the recent Taiwan and Malaysia episode where many people died after consuming Indomie Noodle.

She said noodles generally had been banned by the Federal Government many years before she assumed office as NAFDAC DG, with the aim of protecting the local manufacturing sector.

Adeyeye stressed that the implicated foreign noodles are not in Nigeria, hence, the locally produced noodles are safe for human consumption.

“We are improving on what will make our people healthier. Whatever we put into our food will affect us. Whether positively or otherwise,” she added.

She, therefore, urged MAN to take the advantage to generate foreign exchange for the nation’s economy.

The Star