If You've Eaten Instant Noodles Lately, Here's What to Know About the FDA's Recall
A Class I recall is the most serious type of recall.
Published June 10 2024, 4:49 p.m. ET
In June 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a significant update to a May 2024 instant noodle recall. The agency has updated its initial statement to include the information that the estimated 37,000 cases of frozen noodles being recalled should be considered a Class I recall, which is the most serious ranking an FDA recall can have.
Keep reading to learn more about the recalled noodles, including what you should do if you have some of these instant ramen noodles in your freezer right now.
Sun Noodles is issuing a recall of their S&S Samini—Noodles with Soup & Garnishes.
The FDA recall was initially issued in May 2024, after a Hawaii-based food manufacturer shipped ready-to-eat frozen noodles to California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah without declaring that the prepackaged noodles contained egg, according to Newsweek. Eggs are considered to be a major allergen by the FDA, and products containing eggs must be clearly marked for the public.
According to Newsweek, there are nine allergens the FDA considers a notable concern. In addition to eggs, they are sesame, milk, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, tree nuts, and crustacean shellfish. These ingredients must be disclosed prominently on any products they may appear in — even just trace amounts from cross contamination — to help reduce risks of accident injury to the public.
In June, the FDA updated the recall to a Class I, which means that the agency believes that there is a "reasonable probability" that customers could experience "serious adverse health consequences or death" while using the product.
Newsweek spoke with a representative from Sun Noodle over email, where the company rep explained that the egg contents were limited to an egg white powder, and that the powder was only used in the fish cake included with the meal. The discovery of the egg white powder was made during a routine check.
The rep went on to explain that the product hadn't been widely distributed, which should be good news for anyone with egg allergies who purchased the product. Consumers are being advised to check the packages of instant noodles that they may already have at home, and look for the following year and lot codes on the products lid:
- Year 2023: Lot codes 1623129 — 1623365, sold from May 9, 2023, to December 31, 2023
- Year 2024: Lot codes 1624001 — 1624129, sold from January 1, 2024, to May 8, 2024.
What should you do if you have the recalled noodles at home?
Customers who purchased the S&S Cup Saimin products should return it to the store where it was purchased. Retailers will be issuing full refunds for these items. Anyone with questions can reach out to the company directly, according to Newsweek, either by calling 888-735-7777 or by emailing them at customercare@vistashore.com.
As of the time of publication, there were no known illnesses or deaths related to this recall. The FDA will continue to monitor the recall and make updates as they deem necessary. You can keep up to date on this and other recalls by visiting the FDA website.