Under order from the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA), Nong Shim has recalled six of their instant noodle brands, including Neoguri and Sang Sang Noodle, for containing benzopyrene, a carcinogen known to cause complications like lung and stomach cancer, as well as birth defects.
According to KoreaAm, the recall targeted the instant noodle varieties with katsuobushi, or smoke-dried bonito, shown to contain benzopyrene—the same carcinogen found in coal tar and cigarette smoke.
The KFDA ran tests on 30 different types of instant noodles in June and found six Nongshim varieties with the carcinogen. The Neoguri flavors had the “highest level of 4.7 parts per billion.” The agency did not make any announcements of the test results back then due to the low levels found.
The KFDA has indicated that the carcinogen levels are not significant enough to cause any damage and Nongshim said “its products were safe to consume and that it already destroyed all the raw materials in question.” After a recent legislative hearing, however, the KFDA issued the recall.
[via KoreaAm; The Korea Times]