Denmark recalls South Korean noodles for being too spicy

A woman eats a steaming hot bowl of noodles at Namdaemun Market in Seoul on March 13, 2023. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

SEOUL — Denmark’s food agency has recalled South Korean instant ramen produced by a brand popular in the West, warning noodle lovers that they were so hot they might cause “acute poisoning”.

Three Samyang Foods noodle products were assessed to have dangerous levels of capsaicin, the active component of chilli peppers, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said in a statement on Tuesday.

The three products from Samyang instant ramen line — Buldak 3x Spicy & Hot Chicken, 2x Spicy & Hot Chicken, and Hot Chicken Stew — were being withdrawn from sale in Denmark.

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The level in a single packet of the noodles was “so high that they pose a risk of the consumer developing acute poisoning”, the Danish body said.

“If you have the products, you should discard them or return them to the store where they were purchased,” the statement added.

It issued a special warning against children eating the noodles, urging parents to contact the Poison Line if their little ones appeared to show “acute symptoms”.

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Samyang products are hugely popular overseas, with the company’s operating profit hitting a record high of over $110 million in 2023.

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 percent in recent months after its buldak carbonara ramen went viral on TikTok, with the product becoming so popular in the United States there have been reports of shortages.

Celebrities such as Cardi B have posted stories online about searching for over 30 minutes to find the flavourful instant noodles.