Health authorities clear instant noodles

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Health yesterday ruled out instant noodles produced in South Sumatra as the cause of the cases of food poisoning that have claimed five lives and hospitalized 22 others throughout the province.

Director General for Drug and Food Control Wisnu Katim told a hearing with the House of Representatives that investigations by his office on samples of the noodles taken from the province found no evidence that they contain dangerous substances as earlier feared.

"Referring to the investigations, we did not find any arsenic, cyanide, or nitric acid in the noodles they consumed," Wisnu said.

This meant that the dangerous substances may have come either from the water, food additives or the kitchenware used in preparing the instant noodles, he added.

Reports from Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, suggested that dozens of people have suffered from food poisoning in the past month. Five of them have died.

The victims are scattered in various parts of the province and the only common denominator found was that they had consumed instant noodles.

The first incident occurred in the city of Lahat where a family of six were admitted to a hospital after consuming instant noodles. Three of them subsequently died.

Doctors said they died of cyanide poisoning.

Since then, many other people have been reported to have suffered from food poisoning.

Wisnu said the government is still investigating into the causes of the food poisoning.

He also appealed to the public to check into the expiration dates of noodle products before eating them and to avoid consuming products from damaged packages. (05)