Samyang Foods' Buldak Spicy Noodles and other instant noodles are displayed at a grocery store in Seoul, May 19. Yonhap

The Danish government has ordered a recall of three types of Buldak Spicy Noodles manufactured by Samyang Foods, famous for being the first instant noodle maker in Korea, citing a risk of acute poisoning due to high levels of capsaicin in the products.

The three products are: Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 3x Spicy, Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 2x Spicy and Samyang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Stew Type.

"The DTU Food Institute assesses that the levels of total capsaicin in a single pack of all three noodle products are so high that they pose a risk that the consumer develops acute poisoning," the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said in a statement on its website, Tuesday (local time).

The DTU Food Institute, part of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), is a national research institution focused on food science and technology, including food production, processing and consumption.

The three Buldak instant noodle products are currently being sold throughout Denmark in supermarkets, specialty stores and online stores.

The Danish officials advised consumers who have the products to "discard them or return them to the store where they were purchased." It also advised parents to contact the Poison Line if their child shows acute symptoms after eating the noodles.

Samyang Foods' Buldak instant noodle line, known as "fire noodles" for their extreme spiciness, starts with the original package at 8,706 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The Scoville scale indicates the degree of spiciness by measuring the concentration of capsaicin.

Buldak Ramen 2X Spicy has a SHU rating of 10,000, and the spiciest of the product line, the 3X Spicy Buldak Chicken Noodle, has a SHU rating of 13,000. In comparison, a jalapeño pepper has a SHU rating of 4,000 to 8,000 SHU and habanero peppers between 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.

Capsaicin, which fuels the spicy flavor in various hot sauces, can be dangerous in high amounts as it can lead to adverse health effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

From left, images of Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 3x Spicy, Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 2x Spicy and Samyang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Stew Type / Captured from Danish Veterinary and Food Administration website

Samyang Foods was apparently unaware of the decision made by Danish authorities when queried by The Korea Times, Wednesday. But hours later, the firm said it is closely examing the Danish regulations.

This marks the first recall due to spiciness for the globally popular spicy noodles, the manufacturer 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," said a Samyang Foods official.

In 2021, authorities in Mexico ordered a recall of Buldak noodles for misleading customers with its label, as the product did not contain chicken despite being labeled as "hot chicken flavor ramen."

Since Samyang Foods released the Buldak instant noodle line in 2012, the product has gained worldwide popularity. It received significant traction after YouTube content creators participated in the so-called "Spicy Noodle Challenge," daring people to eat the fiery noodles. The food company now exports Buldak noodles to approximately 80 countries, including the United States, European and Southeast Asian nations.

The Danish government's recall has sparked public debate, with some fans of Buldak noodles labeling it "ridiculous."

Jakob Krogh Schultz, a 28-year-old university student in Copenhagen, expressed initial confusion about the decision but acknowledged its rationale when considering the negative effects that excessively spicy food can have on children.

"But I'm still left wondering if there isn't another way we can keep the product in Denmark while not allowing kids to buy it, like we do with energy drinks and alcohol ," Schultz told The Korea Times.

"Deeming it 'poisonous' is such an exaggeration. Ban alcohol then as well, since hangovers are such a poisonous experience too,"one user wrote on the social media platform Reddit.

Another Reddit user, claiming to be a Danish national, expressed disappointment, saying, "I find it absolutely heartbreaking since they are some of my favorite ramen."

The Korean food industry seems to be quite baffled by the recall decision.

"I'm not sure if the Danish authorities have valid regulations regarding the level of capsaicin or the threshold at which spiciness can be classified as potentially hazardous. Recall decisions should be made meticulously, because it is a highly sensitive issue for food businesses," an industry official said on condition of anonymity.