Abuja: The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has debunked a viral social media audio claiming the shutdown of the Tummy Tummy noodles factory in Anambra State.
The audio recording falsely claims the agency shut down the Tummy Tummy noodles manufacturing facility in Anambra State. NAFDAC explained that the claim was an echoed falsehood, circulated initially in 2023, and had no basis.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that the viral recording was not only misleading but also a recycled falsehood.
According to her, the same audio first appeared in October 2023 and was thoroughly investigated at the time.
“The claims made in the recording are entirely false. The Tummy Tummy noodles facility in Anambra State was not sealed,” she stated.
Adeyeye explained that NAFDAC had conducted an unscheduled inspection of the facility, during which samples of four different noodle variants were collected and analysed at the agency’s Agulu laboratory.
“The results were satisfactory, and no regulatory violations were found,” she added.
She further noted that the audio falsely alleged that NAFDAC banned other food products such as tinned tomatoes and seasoning cubes like Maggi. “This is entirely untrue.
“The individual who made these claims also falsely stated they were working in collaboration with NAFDAC and mentioned the presence of ‘acetyl methyl’ as a preservative, an assertion that is both unfounded and misleading,” she said.
Addressing public concerns about product safety, Adeyeye recalled that NAFDAC had already conducted a comprehensive investigation in 2023 following global alerts about the presence of ethylene oxide in instant noodles.
She stated that the findings confirmed the absence of ethylene oxide and its derivatives in all instant noodles and seasonings produced in Nigeria.
She also assured the public that tests for contaminants such as mycotoxins and heavy metals revealed levels well within internationally accepted safety standards, reaffirming the safety of Nigerian-made noodles.
“NAFDAC urged the public to disregard the audio and refrain from sharing unverified information.
“NAFDAC remains committed to its mandate of safeguarding public health by ensuring that only safe, high-quality, and properly regulated food and drug products are available to Nigerians,” the statement said.
