Denmark recalls Samyang’s ‘extremely hot’ Korean ramen for being too spicy
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Buldak Hot Chicken Stew was one of the three Samyang products recalled in Denmark.
PHOTO: SAMYANGFOODS/FACEBOOK
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Denmark has recalled three varieties of “extremely hot” instant ramen made by South Korean company Samyang, claiming that the levels of capsaicin in them could lead to acute poisoning, especially in children.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration on June 11 issued the recall and warning, urging customers to discard the products, reported the BBC.
The Korean brand’s Buldak 3x Spicy and Hot Chicken, 2x Spicy and Hot Chicken, and Hot Chicken Stew are being pulled from stores in Denmark.
The food agency assessed the levels of capsaicin in a single packet to be “so high that they pose a risk of the consumer developing acute poisoning”, the BBC said.
Capsaicin is a chemical compound found in chilli peppers. It causes the burning sensation when touched or ingested.
“If you have the products, you should discard them or return them to the store where they were purchased,” the Danish food agency said.
The instant noodles are sold at supermarkets and speciality stores across Denmark, as well as via online stores.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration noted that children and young people have been doing a social media challenge, “Can you eat a hot bowl of noodle soup?”, on TikTok and Instagram, which entails drinking extremely spicy soup with a high level of capsaicin.
The agency noted that several children in Germany have been hospitalised with poisoning after being challenged to eat very spicy chips.
It also said that eating chilli in large quantities poses a risk to children and frail adults, in particular. Possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting and high blood pressure, it added.
The amount of chilli in the three types of instant noodles is higher than that in the chips that led to hospitalisations in Germany, the agency said.
“Therefore, it is important that parents are aware of these extreme noodle variants and avoid them,” said Mr Henrik Dammand Nielsen, division head of chemistry and quality at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
Samyang Foods said it was the first time the company’s products had been recalled because they were deemed too hot, and added that it would work to better understand local regulations in export markets.
“Currently, the products are being exported around the world, but this is the first time they have been recalled for this reason,” a spokesperson for the company told AFP.
Samyang Foods saw its stock price soar 70 per cent in recent months after its Buldak carbonara ramen went viral on TikTok, with the product becoming so popular in the US that there have been reports of shortages.
A search online showed no listings for the 3x Spicy variant in Singapore supermarkets such as FairPrice and Cold Storage.
The product is listed on shopping platforms Shopee and Amazon Singapore, although the latter indicates that the product is currently unavailable. The other two instant noodle variants are available in stores.
