A consumer choosing instant noodle products at a supermarket. — Photo vietnammoi.vn

HÀ NỘI — Cambodian authorities will conduct an inspection and then prevent imports of Vietnamese instant noodles containing banned Ethylene Oxide (EO), according to Việt Nam's Trade Office in Cambodia.

This move follows the European Union's warning to recall or return Vietnamese instant noodles including this dangerous substance, the office cited the Khmer Times as saying. 

According to Phan Oun, the Director General of the General Department of Consumer Protection, Competition and Anti-Fraud (KPR), if these types of noodles were detected in the Cambodian market, the KPR would take action to collect them.

The director said the General Department of Customs and Excise would direct local customs agencies to classify these items as risky goods.

Imported noodle products would be required to obtain a certificate stating that they were ethylene oxide-free, he added. 

Earlier, Germany warned that chicken and curry-flavoured instant noodles from Asia Food Joint Stock Company in Thuận An City, Bình Dương Province, were found to have EO residues higher than EU’s allowed level.

Poland warned about chicken-flavoured instant noodles from Việt Nam Food Industry Joint Stock Company in Tân Phú District, HCM City, adding that the country returned the shipment.

Meanwhile, Malta warned that Nguyễn Gia-branded noodle products were identified as being produced from illegal genetically modified rice, adding that it took measures to monitor and recall the products. 

Last year, a number of Vietnamese batches of instant noodles and vermicelli were recalled in the EU market after they were found to contain EO.

To deal with the issue, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Department of Science and Technology asked producers to be responsible for meeting the requirements of import markets.

The department said in the future the focus would be on taking large-scale samples of instant noodle products in the domestic market, especially those with seasoning, to access EO residue and establish a limit for this substance.

Meanwhile, the MoIT urged enterprises to carefully study the technical requirements of export markets to avoid violations, adding that each market had different requirements for each food product.

The ministry said it would continue providing support for enterprises to improve measures to ensure food hygiene and safety and meet the technical requirements of foreign markets.

Research would continue in assessing chemicals which appear on food products. Those found to be harmful to human health would receive appropriate management measures, the MoIT said. — VNS