Howe Instant Noodles is the subject of an investigation into the deaths of three children who died shortly after consuming the product in early November 2021.
Noodle deaths: Are Howe Instant Noodles safe to consume?
On Thursday, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) noted in a statement that a full-blown investigation was underway to determine whether Howe Instant Noodles supplier, Grandisync CC, was, in any way, culpable in the deaths of three children aged seven, 11, and a four-month-old baby.
The victims bizarrely dropped dead at their home in Motherwell on Sunday 7 November 2021 after consuming packs of Howe two-minute noodles purchased from a spaza shop In New Brighton, where they’d been visiting relatives for the weekend.
The grandmother gave the 11-year-old some water to drink. While being driven with private transport to the Motherwell clinic, they passed away. Shortly after the two children left for hospital, the baby also passed away while en route to hospital in another vehicle,” police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu revealed at the time.
Weeks later, the NCC has found reasonable suspicion to believe that Grandisync may have distributed unsafe goods that may have caused the bizzare ‘noodle deaths‘.
“Should our investigation reveal that indeed Grandisnyc CC contravened the provisions of the Act, we will refer the matter to the National Consumer Tribunal for the imposition of an administrative fine of 10% of their total annual turnover or R1 000 000 (One million rands); whichever is the greater,” the NCC’s commissioner These Mabuza said.
At this time, laboratory tests are underway to find links between the noodle product and the deaths of the three Motherwell children.
Interestingly, Mabuza made no mention of the deaths of two other children from Mpumalanga who, much like the Motherwell tragedy, dropped dead after consuming packets of instant noodles.
It’s unclear, at this stage, if the consumer commission is looking into the cases in their Grandisync investigation.
“As regulators in the food safety environment, we will get to the bottom of this matter to ensure that those liable are held accountable. We urge consumers to practice good food hygiene. Suppliers are obligated to protect consumers; where there are potential hazards, suppliers are required to inform the relevant regulators and consumers,” Mabuza added.
