Instant Ramen — a Missed Allergen
Wheat Hidden Inside Soy Sauce Powder
Situation
A new instant ramen product was launching in the U.S. Label work was handed to a Korean agency; the ingredient list showed wheat flour, palm oil, dried vegetables, soup powder, etc., and the allergen line was signed off as 'Contains: wheat, soy.'
Problem
The 'soy sauce powder' inside the soup powder had sub-ingredients (including wheat) listed on the original Korean label, but the English label simply translated it as 'soy sauce powder' — so the wheat hidden inside the soy sauce powder was missing from the Contains statement.
Timeline
- Day 1 — Cargo arrives, selected for an FDA label sample inspection
- Day 3 — FDA requests confirmation of the soy sauce powder's sub-ingredients and allergen labeling
- Day 5 — Manufacturer submits the soy sauce powder's spec sheet, confirming wheat content
- Day 8 — Label correction plan submitted, that batch cleared conditionally, label correction made mandatory for future exports
Losses
8 days of storageLabel rework costAgency rework costBuyer losses from launch delay
📌 You only find the allergen by opening up the compound ingredient. Translation alone isn't enough.