The expiration date on some noodle products from South Korean brand Samyang including the well-known Buldak hot chicken flavor ramen is only six-month in Korean market, compared with a 12-month length on noodles sold in Chinese and Western markets, sparkling concerns among Chinese consumers for obviously playing “double standards”.
The hashtag “the expiration date of the spicy chicken flavor ramen in South Korea only half the time in China” started trending on Weibo on Saturday as Chinese netizens accused the brand of having “double standards,” following the expiration dates of the popular spicy noodles being different in South Korea and China.
The Global Times found that the expiration length for some noodle products from Samyang are listed as being 12 months on the Chinese and English version of its official website, whereas the length for the same products is labeled only six months on its Korean website.
Analysts claim that the difference is of “double standard,” noting that although the expiration length for some instant noodles are 12 months in China, the texture and the taste might be affected by the time differences with potential safety hazards.
Even though the noodles may be produced with a 12-month expiration standard, the best storage capacity for the noodles may only last six months, Zhu Danpeng, a veteran food industry observer told the Global Times on Sunday.
A customer service representative from Samyang’s official store on Taobao.com said that the spicy chicken ramen is manufactured in South Korea and the shop is authorized by the brand, adding the manufacturers design and print the packaging in Chinese in accordance with Chinese regulatory requirements, but all of the products are produced in an overseas facility.
The local market regulator in Ningbo city, East China’s Zhejiang Province, said on Sunday that responsible authorities will investigate the issue, as the Buldak hot chicken flavor ramen sold in China is operated by Ningbo NingShing Ubay international trade Corp.
Customer services representatives from another Chinese brand said that the expiration length for their products is 180 days.
“There are so many noodle varieties in China, who would eat noodles from South Korea?” a Chinese netizen commented on Weibo.
A mother is purchasing packets of instant noodles at a supermarket with her son. Photo: IC
