A man who bought noodles during a visit to Chinatown was left stunned by the warning label on the packaging.
Along with all the nutritional information you’d expect to find on store-bought food came the bizarre piece of health advice, leaving him doubt whether to proceed with making it for his tea. “Just got these dry noodles from Chinatown with a strange warning,” he penned on Reddit.
Sharing a snap of the warning, he asked his fellow CasualUK members: “Does anyone know why it says this? And should i be concerned for my future kids?” Beneath details of the noodles’ vitamin content, read the label: “Warning: Cancer and Reproductive Harm” – followed by a web site link to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment website.
The link led to information regarding Proposition 65, which is detailed as follows by the organisation: “Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.”
It continues: “Exposure to these chemicals may take place when products are acquired or used. Exposure may also occur in homes, workplaces, or other environments in California. By requiring that this information be provided, Proposition 65 enables Californians to make informed decisions about their exposures to these chemicals.”
“Only dangerous if eaten in California!” quipped one Reddit user in response. “Mmm forbidden noodles taste the best,” joked a second.
Dozens of Americans spotted the post, meanwhile, and were quick to dismiss the regulation they’ve become familiarised with. ” “Nearly every product in the US has a warning due to California law (P65) that it causes cancer,” one person explained. “Notice that none of the products are banned in California. I’ve just learnt to ignore it.”
A second explained: “These stickers are everywhere in California. You get them at the entrance to car parks. Presumably to warn you that erm, car exhaust is bad for you. I reckon California itself causes reproductive harm.”
And a Brit who had visited the US state declared from experience: “I’ve only been to california once but I swear absolutely everything I bought, from food to souvenirs (mugs, toys from Disney) had this warning on it. It quickly became clear that it was utterly meaningless so I stopped paying attention to it. I genuinely wonder if this labelling does more harm than good.”
“We have better standards and regulations here,” added another Brit. “Depending on where you order from, they have to give you the regulations of the country it was produced in.”
It prompted the noodles’ purchaser to admit: “Might stay clear next time – I didn’t know it was legal to import foods that were american legal but not UK legal.”
