Nongshim instant noodles or ramyun are popular not just in South Korea but it has gained strong followers overseas as well. It is one of the most popular noodle brands in the country and is exported to many parts of the world, including Europe.
However, it was found that Nongshim's Seafood Ramyun that are exported to the said region have the cancer-causing agent, carcinogen ethylene oxide. With the discovery, Nongshim immediately issued a recall of the said product, and it is now said to be investigating the source of the contamination.
According to The Korea Times, the European Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), said on Thursday last week, Aug. 12, that ethylene oxide was found in the instant noodles that were manufactured by South Korea’s Nongshim noodle maker. These were said to be sold in Germany.
It was mentioned that the said substance is commonly used as a surface disinfectant and sterilizer for machines or equipment that are heat-sensitive. The International Cancer Research Institute classified this agent as a class-one carcinogen.
The Nongshim Seafood Ramyun affected in the recall were produced on Jan. 27 and March 3 of this year. It was added that the level of ethylene oxide found in the instant noodles were 7.4 parts per million (ppm) and 5.0 ppm on the respective dates given.
The standard in the EU should be no more than 0.05 ppm, and this means that the affected Nongshim's noodles contain more than 148 times the allowed content level. Due to the findings, the RASFF ordered a ban for the sale of Nongshim's Seafood Ramyun, however, those that were produced on other dates were allowed to be sold.
"Seafood Ramyun packages other than the ones produced on Jan. 27 and March 3 are being sold in Europe,” an official from Nongshim said. “Ethylene oxide was only found in the instant noodles produced on those two dates. The noodle products for export are produced in Busan while those sold locally are produced in Anseong, Anyang, and Gumi."
Meanwhile, Pulse News reported that Nongshim’s Seafood Ramyun has been pulled out from grocery stores across Europe. It should be noted that the local products of the same flavor are not affected and have no carcinogens, so they are safe for purchase.


Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination
Tencent Shares Slide After WeChat Restricts YuanBao AI Promotional Links
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO
Hims & Hers Halts Compounded Semaglutide Pill After FDA Warning
Nasdaq Proposes Fast-Track Rule to Accelerate Index Inclusion for Major New Listings
American Airlines CEO to Meet Pilots Union Amid Storm Response and Financial Concerns
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions
Weight-Loss Drug Ads Take Over the Super Bowl as Pharma Embraces Direct-to-Consumer Marketing 



