G.Costa & Company Ltd withdraw Nong Shim brand noodle based snacks due to the undeclared presence of irradiated ingredients

Wednesday 15 June 2005

Food Alert: for Information

Ref: 34/2005

G.Costa & Company Ltd has withdrawn various varieties of Nong Shim brand noodle based snacks due to the undeclared presence of irradiated ingredients.

G.Costa & Company Ltd import the products directly into the UK from the Nong Shim Company Ltd. in Seoul, South Korea, where they are manufactured.

As the products are not labelled as being irradiated they do not comply with The Food Labelling Regulations 1996.

As the irradiation had not been carried out at an approved food irradiation plant the import and sale of the products does not comply with the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1990.

There are no immediate food safety implications arising from these irradiated products. However, only licensed or approved irradiation facilities may treat specific food products for a specific purpose, within defined irradiation dose limits. An additional requirement is that all irradiated foods must be correctly labelled as 'irradiated' or 'treated with ionising radiation'. Labelling allows consumers to make informed decisions about the food that they buy.

FSA advice on imports of irradiated food is available at the link below.