Advertisement

Fact check: Instant noodles don't contain wax coating or cause cancer

McKenzie Sadeghi, USA TODAY
·5 min read

The claim: Instant noodles contain a wax coating that can cause cancer

As the stress of sheltering place and social isolation has caused an increase in comfort food cravings during the COVID-19 pandemic, an old rumor has resurfaced on social media claiming that instant noodles pose a deadly danger to consumers.

"Instant noodles contain wax coating which is also used in styrofoam containers. That is why instant noodles don't stick to each other while cooking," reads a 2016 Facebook post that has recently gained traction."Our body needs up to 2 days to clean the wax. Make sure you stop eating a pack of noodles for at least 3 days after a session of noodles. This wax can cause CANCER."

USA TODAY reached out to the user for comment.

The post appears as a meme and has gained over 9,000 shares. This is not the first time a version of the claim appeared online. Different variations of the claim have circulated on the internet in the past decade despite being debunked many times throughout the years.

Fact check: No evidence that pineapple juice suppresses coughs far better than cough syrup

Hoax started in 2000

The earliest version of the claim traces back to October 2000 when a popular email warning against instant noodles circulated on the internet. In October 2010, an email warned about similar dangers when using wax-lined paper cups for hot liquids. Both claims were debunked by Snopes.

The claim went viral once again after Health Digest, a health and wellness website, posted the claim on Facebook in August 2014, and it was later debunked by Truth or Fiction.

Vice and Hoax-Slayer also reported on the unfounded claims in 2017.

Fact check: A mix of honey and cinnamon may have some health benefits, more studies needed

No evidence of wax in noodles, or that it causes cancer

There is no evidence or reports of wax being used in Styrofoam containers or of it being an ingredient of instant noodles. Many noodle companies have taken to their websites to refute the claims.

Maruchan Ramen Noodles wrote on its website that the claim that instant noodles contain a plastic or wax coating is a common misconception that has been an internet rumor for quite some time.

"Please rest assured that there are no plastics or waxes used in the making of our instant noodle products. There are also no special coatings on the packaging or the containers, nor are the noodles coated for extended preservation or any other reason," Maruchan wrote.

There is no evidence or reports of wax being used in Styrofoam containers or of it being an ingredient of instant noodles. Many noodle companies have taken to their websites to debunk the claims.
There is no evidence or reports of wax being used in Styrofoam containers or of it being an ingredient of instant noodles. Many noodle companies have taken to their websites to debunk the claims.

More: How to ease your back-to-school transition with Instant Pot meals

The company added that its popular ramen noodles are made of three main ingredients: flour, water and seasonings like salt and soy sauce.

Similarly, Nestlé, owner of Maggi noodles, also wrote on its website that its noodles are not coated with wax and do not contain wax in any form.

"This misleading information has been floating around on the internet for years. Many people have checked with us and with independent sources, to confirm that this is a hoax," Nestle's website says.

In an article about common noodle myths on the Monde Nissin website, it is explained that instant noodles and the paper cups do not have wax.

"Noodle strands do not stick together as a natural consequence of the process of slitting or cutting the noodle dough into strands, steaming, and then frying in normal cooking oil," the site reads.

Fact check: There is no evidence asparagus can cure cancer despite longtime claim

While there is no evidence that wax is present in instant noodles, a webpage on wax poisoning by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health states wax is only harmful when ingested in large amounts.

A 2009 research report by the Center for Food Safety from the government of Hong Kong, "The Food Safety of Instant Cup Noodle Containers," also found that instant noodle containers meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.

Our ruling: False

The claim that instant noodles contain a wax coating that can cause cancer is rated FALSE, based on our research. There is no evidence that wax is present in instant noodles. Many noodle companies and fact-checkers have also stated throughout the years that it is a myth.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Instant noodles don't contain wax coating or cause cancer