Denmark recalls 3 spicy instant noodle soup brands from South Korea used in online food challenges
Copenhagen (Denmark), Jun 12: Food authorities in Denmark have recalled three types of spicy instant noodle products imported from South Korea over possible risks for “acute poisoning”. Consumers are asked to discard them or return the noodles to the retailer.
The noodles are made by Seoul-based Samyang Foods, one of South Korea's largest companies, and sold across the globe. The recalled noodles include Buldak Samyang 3 x Spicy; Hot Chicken, Buldak Samyang 2 x Spicy; Hot Chicken and Buldak Samyang Hot Chicken Stew.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said the products contain an overly high dose of capsaicin, an active ingredient in chile peppers but also a chemical that can be a neurotoxin and a health hazard.
Children and teenagers in Denmark have been daring each other on social media to eat “a strong bowl of noodle soup”, referring to the three South Korean products, the agency said.
“The noodle dishes marketed as extremely strong must no longer be sold because consumers and especially children risk acute poisoning,” it said late Tuesday. "The capsaicin content is so high that it can pose a health hazard.”
Children and frail adults and the elderly are at risk, said Henrik Dammand Nielsen of the Danish Food and Drug Administration. Possibly symptoms include burning and discomfort, nausea, vomiting and high blood pressure, he said.
“That is why we are now demanding shops remove the products from their shelves,” the agency said.
Samyang Foods said they understood the recall came because of the spiciness of the noodles and not because of the product quality, according to a Samyang Foods company statement provided to the media in South Korea.
Spicy food challenges have been around for years. From local chile pepper eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finished extra hot dishes, people around the world have been daring each other to eat especially fiery foods.
In September, a Massachusetts teen with a congenital heart defect who participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media died from eating a large quantity of chile pepper extract. An autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press showed that the 10th grader died on September 1, 2023, after eating the Paqui chip as part of the manufacturer's “One Chip Challenge”.
In Denmark, a puzzled consumer reached out to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and asked how the instant noodles could be legal, the agency said, after which it had a lab assessing the products and determined the three noodle brands can be harmful to health, instigating the recall.
"It is important that parents are aware of the extreme noodle varieties and avoid them, Dammand Nielsen said.
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Hyderabad woman commits suicide after allegedly getting injected with HIV-infected blood by relative
Hyderabad: A 22-year-old woman committed suicide in Hyderabad about a month after a relative allegedly injected her with HIV-infected blood after she rejected a marriage proposal, police said.
The woman is identified as Ramani. She was found dead at her grandmother's home in Annojiguda on Friday morning, according to The News Minute.
According to police, the accused, a 24-year-old man related to the victim, had been in a relationship with her. Initially their families had agreed to their marriage but the proposal was later withdrawn after medical tests confirmed that the man was HIV positive.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly injected his own blood into the woman at her home on March 11, after his marriage proposal was refused. Police said he obtained a syringe and committed the act when she was alone, allegedly with the intent of forcing her into marriage.
The incident was discovered when the woman told her relatives and was sent to a medical checkup. The accused was detained in March and put in judicial prison on allegations including attempted murder.
Police said a suicide note was recovered from the scene in which the woman mentioned being distressed by the manner in which the incident was discussed on social media. Family members stated that she had been undergoing emotional distress and had developed health complications following the assault.
