The CFS of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department  called on the public to stop consuming Topvalu TV Salt Flavoured Instant Ramen Noodles, which were imported from Japan.

A sample of a sachet of soup powder included in a noodle pack was found to contain a plasticiser, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

These are sold Jusco Supermarket within Kornhill Store, a  department store.

The CFS also instructed the trade to immediately stop selling the concerned batch of the instant noodles.

A spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety said, "The Centre collected a sample of the instant noodles from the aforementioned retailer for testing. Results showed that plasticisers were not detected in the noodles, but DEHP was found in the sample of a sachet of soup powder included in the noodle pack at a level of two parts per million exceeding the action level of 1.5 ppm adopted by the CFS."

The CFS also collected two other samples of different flavours of the same brand of instant noodles, i.e. "Topvalu TV Miso

Flavoured Instant Noodles" and "TOPVALU TV Soya Sauce Flavoured Instant Noodles" for testing. Test results showed that

neither the noodles nor the accompanying sachets of soup powder/condiment were found to contain plasticisers.

     The spokesman said, "Although the level of DEHP found in the soup powder sachet included in the ‘Topvalu TV Salt Flavoured

Instant Ramen Noodles’ sample was above the action level, dietary exposure estimation showed that the exposure to DEHP by

average and high consumers from consuming the concerned product would not exceed the Tolerable Daily Intake of 0.025mg/kg of

body weight under the World Health Organisation Guidelines, which will not pose a risk to human health.

"However, as a precautionary measure, the CFS instructed the concerned importer/retailer to immediately stop the sale and initiate recall of the relevant batch of the product. People should also stop consuming the concerned noodles they have purchased."

He said, "A person in charge of the concerned importer indicated to the CFS that they were the exclusive distributor of that specific brand of instant noodles, which was only for sale at their own outlets. They have already removed the instant noodles concerned from shop shelves."