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South African officials are investigating the deaths of up to five children to determine whether they were related to the consumption of instant noodles.
The Ministry of Health is investigating possible food poisoning incidents in Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.
The agency met with environmental health practitioners from the three affected provinces and cities to obtain more information, including product brand names, suppliers or manufacturers, and stores where food was purchased. The remaining food has been collected from some affected households and sent to the laboratory for testing.
The National Consumer Council (NCC) has launched an investigation involving Grandisync CC, a supplier of Howe instant noodles in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape.
There have been allegations that the three children who died in the Eastern Cape may have eaten noodles for 2 minutes, but the laboratory results are still waiting.
The agency stated that, based on information provided by other regulatory agencies and suppliers, it “reasonably suspects” that Grandisync CC provides unsafe products or items that pose a potential risk to the public.
Unconfirmed statement health officials stated that if there is evidence that related products need to be recalled, they may be recalled.
The South African Human Rights Commission condemned the claims on social media that the noodles may be contaminated as a result of tampering by foreigners.
"The committee reminds the public that official sources are still investigating possible pollution. At this stage, there is no evidence of any possible tampering or any contact with foreign companies. If there is reason to worry, the authorities will communicate this."
The committee stated that a total of 5 people died, of which 3 children in Eastern Cape and 2 children in Limpopo were related to noodles.
We encourage the public to maintain good hygiene practices when handling food, including checking the best before date or related date on the label and the condition of the food and packaging.
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