Profeco finds labeling violations in major instant noodle brands

Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) has identified several regulatory violations among 33 instant noodle products tested by its National Consumer Protection Laboratory. The quality study evaluated net content, nutritional value, sodium, and energy levels across various flavors, including chicken, shrimp, beef, and vegetarian options.

Several brands failed to comply with official standards regarding fat content. Specifically, MAMA’s carbonara and bacon flavored oriental-style noodles and spicy vegetable noodles, Maruchan’s Yakisoba chicken flavored pasta, and Nissin’s U.F.O. fuego shrimp and habanero pasta were found to contain higher fat levels than declared on their packaging. For example, Maruchan Yakisoba declared 6.1 grams of fat per 100 grams, while laboratory tests found 8.8 grams.

Additionally, products from A-SHA and Ramen Express by Chef Woo were flagged for incomplete commercial information. These issues included a lack of preparation instructions in Spanish and missing nutritional declarations for the prepared product, which violates consumer protection laws.