Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has ordered all Bureau of Customs port officials to closely monitor the shipment of five (5) Korean brand noodles and to subject them to Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) testing prior to release after these were recalled by the Korea Food and Drugs Administration (KFDA) for allegedly containing benzopyrene, a cancer causing substance.

Placed under close watch by the BOC were Korean noodle brands Spicy Neoguri, Mild Neoguri, Neoguri Cup Noodles, Saewootang Cup Noodles and Seng Seng Udong.

According to Biazon his order to closely monitor these shipments and to ensure clearance from FDA prior to release, even prior to the FDA’s issuance of a ban on such items, is a pro-active move of the Bureau to ensure that no food items that could endanger the lives and well being of Filipinos are able to get through Customs gates.

“After getting reports from Korea that said noodle brands were recalled by the Korea Food and Drugs Administration for containing the cancer causing substance benzopyrene, I immediately ordered all our port officials to monitor the importations of these noodle brands and to subject them to testing with the FDA prior to release.” Biazon said.

Biazon has also ordered a review of all BOC accredited importers bringing in noodles from Korea to check who among them are importing these brands.

According to Biazon he has already written the Food and Drug Administration about the said Korean noodle brands and is just awaiting for the FDA’s position whether to ban these food items or not.

“The BOC cannot actually ban the importation of these Korean noodles as it is the FDA who issues the ban.” Biazon said.

“However, we will ensure that these Korean noodle brands are not released without proper clearance from the FDA. If after subjecting them to FDA testing, results will show that they contain the cancer causing benzopyrene substance, we will implement the ban.” Biazon concluded.