Beware of Sodium and Fat Content of Instant Noodles 1 Serving Enough to Exceed Intake Limit Improvement Urged as 3 Seasoning Samples Detected with Higher Levels of Probably Carcinogenic Contaminant

Instant noodles are not only convenient and filling, but also come in a wide variety of flavours, making them a perfect choice for comfort food or a late-night snack for many people. However, the Consumer Council tested 19 samples of prepackaged instant noodles and found that the sodium content of 1 whole serving (noodles with soup/sauce) of all samples exceeded the recommended adult intake limit per meal for adults; and even seemingly healthier non-fried noodle samples were of no exception, with all samples found to be high in sodium. For 9 samples, the saturated fat content of 1 whole serving exceeded the adult intake limit per meal, and the sample with the highest total fat and saturated fat contents was in fact a non-fried noodle sample, with fats mainly from seasonings and toppings, thus consumers should avoid finishing the soup. Additionally, nearly 90% of the samples (17 samples) were found to contain probably carcinogenic contaminants, among which the 3 samples detected with levels of contaminants higher than the European Union (EU) limits for relevant vegetable oils, their seasoning all contained vegetable oils. Although normal consumption of these seasonings does not pose significant risks to the health of adults, the Council urges manufacturers to use ingredients with fewer contaminants to improve product safety and safeguard consumer health.

The Council sourced 19 prepackaged instant noodles samples from various retail outlets, including 14 fried and 5 non-fried samples. 4 of them were “lo mein” (i.e. tossed noodles) or stir noodles. Prices ranged from $2.2 to $33.5 for 1 serving of noodles along with its accompanying seasonings and toppings. Test items included nutrient content, food safety, and quality of the noodles, etc., and each sample was tested separately on the noodles, accompanying seasonings, and toppings, to provide consumers with information on the nutrients and food safety of the respective component of the samples. 7 samples received overall ratings of 4 points or above, which included both higher and lower priced products, reflecting that healthier choices are available at different price ranges.

Sodium Content of All Samples Exceeded Maximum Limit for Adults Per Meal

Seasonings Also High in Sodium and Fat

A serving of instant noodles usually includes noodles, seasonings, toppings, etc., and consumers usually mix all three to make noodle soup or lo mein. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults should consume less than 2,000mg of sodium per day, thus the recommended limit of sodium intake per meal is about 667mg for an adult who consumes 3 meals a day. For all tested samples, the sodium intake (1,509mg to 2,477mg) from consuming a whole serving (including noodles and soup/sauce) exceeded the recommended adult intake limit per meal, and that for 9 of these samples was even higher than the recommended adult daily intake limit, with the highest sample (2,477mg) almost 23.9% over WHO’s recommended sodium intake limit per day for adults, whereas the sample with the lowest sodium content still contained 1,509mg, accounting for 75% of the recommended daily limit. The Council reminds consumers that although the human body does require an appropriate amount of sodium to maintain body functions, such as fluid balance and neurotransmission, excessive sodium intake over extended periods may adversely affect health and increase the risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases.

Apart from sodium, the total fat and saturated fat content of instant noodles should not be overlooked. For each serving of instant noodles along with seasonings and toppings consumed, the sample with the highest total fat (34.1g) and saturated fat (22.4g) was a non-fried noodle sample. Although the total fat and saturated fat content of the dried noodles themselves was very low, accompanying ingredients contained 37.2g of total fat and 25.1g of saturated fat per 100g, higher than that of all fried noodle samples, indicating that the main source of fat in this sample was from seasonings and toppings. Consuming 1 serving of this sample, the intake of total fat and saturated fat would already exceed recommended maximum limits for adults per meal[1], and accounted for 51.1% and 100.9% of the daily intake limits respectively. For another 8 fried noodle samples, the saturated fat intake from consuming 1 serving exceeded the maximum intake recommended for adults per meal.

It is generally believed that instant noodle seasonings are high in sodium. Tests revealed that, on a per 100g basis, the sodium content of seasonings and other toppings in the samples ranged from 1,480mg to 24,800mg, all classified as high in sodium (i.e. containing over 600mg of sodium per 100g of solid food); whereas the total fat content ranged from 1.8g to 41.9g, and saturated fat content ranged from 0.4g to 25.1g, among which over 40% (8 samples) were high in fat (i.e. containing over 20g of total fat per 100g food). If for health reasons consumers eat instant noodles with less or even no seasonings and toppings, the sodium and fat intake from each serving would be greatly reduced.

Average Total Fat Content of Fried Dried Noodles 13 Times Higher than Non-fried Dried Noodles

For healthier choices in instant noodles, consumers can pay heed to whether the dried noodles are fried or not. Since fried dried noodles are deep-fried at high temperatures, fat content is naturally higher than that of non-fried samples. On a per 100g basis, the total fat content of fried dried noodles ranged from 13.5g to 22.9g, with an average of 18.3g, of which 2 samples were high in fat with 22.9g and 21.4g of total fat respectively; while that of non-fried dried noodles ranged from 0.9g to 2.1g, with an average of 1.3g, meaning that the average total fat content of fried dried noodles was 13 times higher than that of non-fried samples. As for saturated fat, the average saturated fat content of fried dried noodles ranged from 5.5g to 9.9g, or 7.7g on average, while that of non-fried dried noodles ranged from 0.1g to 1.1g, or 0.4g on average, which meant that the saturated fat content of fried dried noodles was 18 times higher than that of non-fried samples. For more than a third of the fried dried noodle samples (5 samples), each serving consumed already contained a saturated fat intake exceeding the recommended limit for adults per meal (7.4g).

Although eating instant noodles without seasoning reduces the overall sodium and fat intake, consumers still need to pay heed to the sodium content of the dried noodles. Considering the dried noodles alone, over 45% of the samples (9 samples) were high in sodium, which included 4 fried noodle samples and all 5 non-fried noodle samples. On a per 100g basis, the sodium content of fried dried noodle samples ranged from 16.5mg to 1,300mg, while that of non-fried dried noodle samples ranged from 723mg to 904mg. For 5 of these samples, the sodium intake from consuming a single serving of the dried noodles alone already exceeded the recommended maximum intake per meal for adults (667mg). For children, even when consuming only half a serving of the dried noodles alone, the sodium content of 4 samples was still above the maximum sodium intake per meal (400mg) for a girl aged 7 years as recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society.

Pay Heed to Fat Content of Seasonings in Lo Mein or Stir Noodles

Out of the 19 samples, 15 were noodles in soup and 4 were lo mein / stir noodles. The average sodium content of the seasonings and toppings per serving of the noodle soup samples was 2,327mg, while that for the lo mein / stir noodle samples was 959mg, a difference of 1.4-fold. However, as the non-powdered sauce packet seasonings for lo mein / stir noodles were generally larger than soup noodles seasonings, it may result in higher total fat and saturated fat content. The seasonings and toppings per serving of lo mein / stir noodle samples contained an average total fat content of 9.9g, which was higher than that of the noodle soup samples (2.7g); the average saturated fat content was only 1.1g per serving of seasonings and toppings in the noodle soup samples, while that of the lo mein / stir noodle samples was 1.3g. The Council reminds consumers that saturated fat increases bad cholesterol levels in blood, thus heightening the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As such, consumers concerned about cardiovascular health should pay attention to the amount of saturated fat ingested, and it is advisable to appropriately reduce the amount of accompanying seasonings added into lo mein / stir noodles.

Possible Carcinogens 3-MCPD and Glycidol Simultaneously Detected in Nearly 90% Samples

The process of making fried instant noodles and seasonings generally involves high heat and the use of refined fats and oils, which may produce 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol ester (3-MCPDE), and release the “possibly carcinogenic to humans” 3-MCPD in the human body. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified 3-MCPD as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B substance), while EU regulation for palm oil had set the maximum limit of sum of 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters at 2,500μg/kg. Another contaminant, also produced during the processing of refined fats and oils, is glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE), which breaks down during human digestion to release glycidol, which is genotoxic and carcinogenic to experimental animals, and is classified by IARC as a Group 2A substance, (i.e. “probably carcinogenic to humans”). The EU has set a maximum limit of GE (expressed as glycidol) in general edible vegetable oil at 1,000μg/kg. However, currently both Hong Kong and the EU have not set out maximum limits for the detected levels of 3-MCPD and glycidol in instant noodles and their accompanying seasonings.

On a per sample unit basis, detected 3-MCPD levels in the fried noodle samples ranged from 11μg to 54μg, while that in non-fried samples ranged from “not detected” to 37μg. On a per serving size, glycidol levels in fried noodle samples ranged from 7μg to 96μg, while that in non-fried samples ranged from “not detected” to 33μg. Overall, only 2 non-fried samples were completely free of 3-MCPD and glycidol. Although the intake of contaminants from each sample is not high due to relatively smaller serving sizes, certain seasoning samples were found with significantly high levels of contaminants. The non-powdered seasonings in the 2 samples with the highest detected levels of 3-MCPD, and the non-powdered seasonings of the 3 samples with the highest glycidol levels, all contained palm oil, with detected levels of 3-MCPD and glycidol exceeding EU limits for palm oil and vegetable oils respectively. The Council urges the industry to tighten control over the quality of raw materials and production process of instant noodles to reduce levels of 3-MCPD, its fatty acid esters, and GE, so as to improve product safety and safeguard consumer health.

Although currently there is no scientific research suggesting that consumption of instant noodles could increase the risk of cancer in humans, tests have shown that instant noodles are generally high in sodium and fat. Consumers may follow these suggestions when consuming instant noodles:

• To reduce sodium intake, do not use all accompanying seasonings and try not to consume the soup. Also, refrain from adding all the seasonings into lo mein;
• Be mindful of food items served with instant noodles, including processed meat products such as luncheon meat, sausages, meatballs, etc., which are high in fat and sodium. It is recommended to add fresh and nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, eggs, chicken, and seafood, to reduce the intake of fat and sodium;
• Noodles will release some fat and sodium during the cooking process. It is recommended to replace the cooking water with fresh hot water to slightly reduce the intake of fat and sodium;
• Individuals who need to control body weight, at risk of or suffering from chronic diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular or renal diseases, etc. are advised against consuming instant noodles regularly. People with acid reflux should avoid eating instant noodles late at night; diabetes patients should pay attention to the carbohydrate content of the product;
• Choose healthier non-fried noodle items, such as rice vermicelli, mung bean vermicelli, macaroni, and buckwheat noodles, and mix them with fresh and nutrient-rich food items to diversify the daily diet for a balanced intake of nutrients.