PHILIPPINE authorities have ordered the recall of six brands of South Korean noodles from local shops after they were reported to contain a cancer-causing chemical.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement on Thursday that the noodles made by Nongshim Co., "will be off the shelves immediately", and called on the public to report if they were still being sold.

"The government is also undertaking inspection, collection and testing of other brands of noodles not currently identified to be contaminated as a precaution," the statement on the agency's website said.

The Philippine agency said that its South Korean counterpart had found that the six brands contained "benzopyrene, a chemical with carcinogenic potential" in its tests.

The statement did not say if the Philippine agency had tested the Nongshim brands itself. Spokesmen of the local FDA could not be contacted for comment.

China, Taiwan and Vietnam have all reportedly had similar recalls of the same brands of South Korean noodles over similar health fears.

AFP