THE Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has called on the Health Ministry to prohibit the use of ethylene oxide as a fumigant by the food industry.

Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the call was made in view of the latest report by Taipei’s Department of Health, which had found two types of instant noodles to contain ethylene oxide, a cancer-inducing substance.

“The recent discovery of ethylene oxide in instant noodles is just the tip of the iceberg as there are other processed food and food ingredients in the market that could be contaminated with the carcinogen,” he said in a statement today.

“In view of the toxicity of ethylene oxide and the frequent occurrence in food products in the Malaysian market, CAP calls on the Health Ministry to prohibit the use of ethylene oxide as a fumigant by the food industry.

“There also should be tests conducted on processed food and food ingredients to determine the presence of ethylene oxide, especially those coming from countries that are still using it.”

Earlier this week, it was reported that a batch of Ah Lai White Curry Noodles from Malaysia and a batch of Indonesia’s Indomie Special Chicken Flavour noodles contain ethylene oxide, a chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukemia.

Yesterday, newly minted health director-general Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said he has ordered two instant noodles companies to voluntarily recall products claimed to contain carcinogen.

He said it is not the first time that ethylene oxide was detected in instant noodles.

He said last October, the ministry announced that residue of ethylene oxide was detected in a few flavours of Mi Sedaap produced in Indonesia.

Mohideen also recalled a similar incident last August, when the Health Ministry recalled the vanilla-flavoured Häagen-Dazs ice cream products, as it was found to be contaminated with ethylene oxide.

“Ethylene oxide is a gaseous substance with a range of potential applications, due to its highly reactive nature,” he said.

“It has been historically used in the food industry as a fumigant because of its capability to disinfect without using heat treatment.

“The fumigation of foods and food storage areas with ethylene oxide has been discontinued in many parts of the world, including the European Union, which banned its use in 1991.”

Mohideen said due to its highly toxic nature, ethylene oxide is classed as a germ cell mutagen, a carcinogen and a reproductive toxin.

“In spite of its toxicity, some countries such as Canada, the United States and India still allow the use of ethylene oxide as a fumigant in applications relating to food, including freight containers and in warehouses.  As such, cross-contamination of products by ethylene oxide is common especially during storage and transport,” he said.

“Studies have shown that food products, including herbs, spices, nuts, cocoa beans, cocoa, cocoa cake, raisins, dried vegetables and gums, were often treated with ethylene oxide.”

He said the recurring reports on unsafe Malaysian food products by overseas authorities clearly showed that the food safety monitoring was inadequate. – April 27, 2023.