Instant noodles recalled after testing positive for salmonella

Multinational food manufacturer Nestlé Philippines announced on Thursday that it is voluntarily recalling all of its MAGGI instant noodles from all production batches after some of the noodles tested positive for salmonella. In a statement released in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Thursday, Nestlé said two batches of the its beef-flavored MAGGI Rich Mami Noodles were found to have traces of salmonella after a routine quality test. A source from Nestlé Philippines who asked not to be named confirmed the recall in a phone interview with GMA News Online on Thursday. Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of the company cannot be reached for comment as of posting time. Nestlé advised consumers who may have purchased MAGGI Rich Mami Noodles to contact their hotline at 898-00-61 (for Metro Manila) and 1-800-100-637853 (toll-free for provincial areas). Salmonella is a bacteria that can be transmitted from water, soil, animal feces, raw eggs, and raw meat. Salmonella infections may affect a person's intestines, typically causing high grade fever, abdominal pain and vomiting. The batches that tested positive for salmonella have lot codes 11020598A2 and 11030598A1. The lot code numbers are found at the back of the product pack, between the "Best Before" date and the ingredients list. The company said it is recalling all of its MAGGI instant noodles, including the chicken-flavored instant noodles, from all production batches, as a precautionary measure. Nestlé explained that the product is safe to eat if the cooking instructions are followed. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledged Nestlé Philippines' voluntary product recall of their instant noodles. An advisory released on the FDA website advised consumers who bought the product with the specified lot codes to return the products to the Nestlé Philippines office at Nestlé Center, 31 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center in Makati, or to its licensed distributors. Determining cause of contamination In its statement, Nestlé said an extensive investigation has been made to determine the cause of the contamination. The initial findings suggest that the flavoring ingredients that come with the instant noodles in sachet may have caused the salmonella contamination, Nestlé said. Nestlé has stopped production of all MAGGI noodle products pending the completion of the investigation, the statement said. As of posting time, Nestlé said it has not received any consumer concerns related to the consumption of the instant noodles. - VVP, GMA News