Denmark partially lifts recall on Korean spicy ramen
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said two of three flavors of Samyang’s Buldak instant noodles that had been recalled are safe to eat.
After recalling three flavors of Samyang’s Buldak instant noodles for allegedly being dangerously spicy, Denmark is bringing back two of the South Korean company’s products for those who can take the heat.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration previously issued a recall on Buldak 3x Spicy Hot Chicken, 2x Spicy Hot Chicken, and Hot Chicken Ramen Stew, claiming that the capsaicin levels in a single package of the brand’s spicy noodles could poison consumers. Capsaicin is the chemical compound in chili peppers that gives them their spicy flavor.
Denmark announced Monday that it is partially reversing the recall after an independent analysis of the noodles by the Veterinary and Food Administration and by the Technical University of Denmark National Food Institute. While Denmark still holds that the 3x Spicy Hot Chicken is dangerous for consumers, the other two flavors are back on Danish shelves.
In a news release, the Danish agency said that the former recall was based on marketing information about the content of capsaicin in the instant noodles. Upon conducting an updated risk assessment, the National Food Institute found that seasonings in the two products do not contain the levels of capsaicin that were marketed. Samyang’s Buldak 3x Spicy Hot Chicken, however, still contains capsaicin levels that can poison consumers, it said. In particular, the agency was concerned about consumption by children.
The Samyang Buldak instant noodles come in a wide range of flavors, beyond the three that were initially recalled in Denmark.Jintak Han / The Washington Post via Getty Images fileNoodle fans on social media have debated whether Buldak’s chili sauce packs are really too hot to handle. In a viral TikTok video, a person only pours a few drops of the spicy sauce into a bowl of noodles before throwing the packet away, writing in the text of the video, “I think we all have learned our lesson.”
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