Health director-general Dr Radzi Abu Hassan said the locally produced “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” had met local compliance standards but the ministry decided to go ahead with the recall to ensure food safety.

“The health ministry has instructed the manufacturer to voluntarily recall the batches that expire on Aug 25 from the local market,” he said in a statement today.

Radzi also confirmed that the “Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour” noodles from Indonesia had been imported into Malaysia.

The ministry ordered the company that imported the instant noodles to recall the product from the local market, while tests will be conducted on new batches entering the country.

Radzi pointed out that the ministry has been conducting tests on various brands of instant noodles available in the local market.

Since 2022 up till now, he said, 11 samples of Mi Sedaap produced in Indonesia contained ethylene oxide, a chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukaemia, which could trigger birth and hereditary defects.

He said legal action was taken, compound notices were issued, and the products were recalled.

Yesterday, health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the ministry was investigating the “Ah Lai White Curry Noodles” and “Indomie: Special Chicken Flavour” noodles.

Fa E Fa Sdn Bhd, the Penang-based manufacturer that produces the white curry noodles, said it had sent its product for testing and was expecting the results to be out in a week.

The company’s spokesman said the batch of noodles tested by Taipei’s health department was from last year and that they were no longer being sold locally as the stocks had finished.