Viral South Korean instant noodles recalled for being ‘too spicy’

They’re too hot to handle, apparently (Picture: Danish Veterinary and Food Administration)

Danish food, it’s safe to say, isn’t known for its spice. Think ‘open-faced’ sandwiches, pastries and, of course, meatballs.

So it might not take too many off guard that Denmark’s food safety agency has ordered a recall of three types of Buldak Spicy Noodles manufactured by Samyang Food on Tuesday.

Korea’s historic instant ramen maker has seen some of its lines go viral in recent months, with its bright pink pack of carbonara ramen being flaunted by celebrities such as rapper Cardi B.

And that includes Danish teenagers. An online challenge has seen young people eat ‘strong bowls of noodle soup’ of three heat-tinged noodles in particular.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has ordered a recall of Buldak Samyang 3x Spicy & Hot Chicken, Buldak Samyang 2x Spicy & Hot Chicken and Buldak Samyang Hot Chicken Stew.

The agency said that the level of capsaicin – chilli pepper extract – in the instant ramen products is ‘so high that they pose a risk of the consumer developing acute poisoning’.

‘Chilli in large quantities poses a risk to children and frail adults in particular. Possible symptoms include burning and discomfort, nausea, vomiting and high blood pressure,’ said Henrik Dammand Nielsen, head of the agency’s Chemistry and Food Quality Division.

‘Therefore, we are now demanding that stores remove the products from their shelves.’

Food safety officials did not mention whether Danish authorities had any reports of injuries associated with consuming the Samyang Foods-made noodles.

The agency had a lab assess the three noodle products and determined them to be harmful.

Capsaicin is common in topical medications and personal protective items like pepper spray and mace.

Danish shoppers should return the noodle packets or bin them. Parents and guardians were advised to call the country’s Poison Line if their child shows signs of acute poisoning.

Danish heat-seekers have been asked to return any of the noodles to stores (Picture: AP)

Three Buldak Spicy Noodles have been recalled (Picture: Danish Veterinary and Food Administration)

Samyang’s ‘fire noodle’ line is hot, to say the least, coming near the top of many a spicy ramen top 10 list.

Under the Scoville scale, which measures the level of spiciness, the original package is 8,706 Scoville units – a jalapeño is about half of that.

Buldak Samyang 2x Spicy & Hot Chicken has a Scoville rating of 10,000, while Buldak Samyang 3x Spicy & Hot Chicken has a blistering rating of 13,000, according to The Ramen Rater.

Samyang Foods told The Korea Times that the company was not initially aware of Denmark’s product recall.

Hours later, a spokesperson said: ‘It seems that the Danish food authorities have initiated the recall due to concerns that the excessive spiciness could cause problems, not because of any quality issues with the product.

‘We plan to closely examine the Danish regulations and respond to the recall accordingly.’

The company is hugely popular in the West, with profits hitting a record high of more than £86,000,000 in 2023. Stocks, meanwhile, have swelled by 70% in recent months after its Buldak carbonara ramen went viral on TikTok.

So viral in fact that noodle-lover Cardi B said she drove – well, her driver – about 30 minutes just to find a packet of the largely sold-out products.

Danes and Koreans alike, however, aren’t entirely convinced recalling the famous ramen brand is in good taste.

Seoul local Min Ju Yun told the Associated Press: ‘If there were a health concern, it should’ve already been an issue here in South Korea.’

Rubin Truong, who owns a Chinese grocery store in Coppenhagan, called the recall ‘ridiculous’.

‘If ramen is being recalled, then why is Tabasco and fresh Jalapeño not being recalled?’ he said.

‘Europeans can’t handle spice,’ added an X user. ‘Story at 11.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.