Norda denies Ringoz contains glue after viral social media video

Nairobi — Norda Industries Limited has denied claims that its popular Ringoz corn snack contains glue after a social media video purported to demonstrate the presence of an adhesive in the product raised concerns among consumers.

In a statement issued on September 25, 2026, the Kenyan snack manufacturer said the video shows Ringoz corn rings being mixed with water and rubbed between the hands, creating a sticky paste that the video presents as evidence of glue.

Norda rejected that interpretation, saying the texture results from the maize used to manufacture the snack.

“No glue or adhesive is added to Ringoz,” the company said in its statement.

According to Norda, Ringoz is made primarily from maize, which is cooked and formed into rings during manufacturing. When the rings are crushed and mixed with water, the cooked maize absorbs water and can form a sticky paste.

“The sticky texture shown in the video is consistent with this behaviour,” the company said.

Norda’s description of the product on its official website similarly identifies Ringoz as a corn-ring snack made from maize and says it is baked rather than fried.

The company sought to reassure consumers that its products are safe, acknowledging that allegations involving snacks consumed by children were likely to cause concern among parents.

“We assure you that our snacks are safe for consumption,” Norda said, adding that it takes concerns about its products seriously.

The company urged consumers with concerns about particular Ringoz packets to contact it using the details printed on the packaging and provide the product name, batch number and a photograph of the packet to allow an investigation into the specific product.

Norda also said Ringoz is manufactured under Kenya Bureau of Standards Standardization Mark permit number 38470. LiveNow Africa had not independently verified the status of that specific permit at the time of publication. KEBS provides systems for verifying standards marks and regulates product standards in Kenya.

The latest controversy is not the first time Ringoz has been at the centre of similar social media claims. Norda's official website records a December 2021 press release responding to a Ringoz corn puff video circulating on social media, indicating that concerns about viral demonstrations involving the snack have surfaced previously.

The emergence of the latest video highlights the challenge food manufacturers face when informal social media experiments are presented as evidence about product ingredients without laboratory analysis.

Norda, which is based in Nairobi, manufactures several snack brands including Ringoz, Urban Bites, Bitez, Tamu Tamu, Urban Stix, Urban Pops and Cribaz.

As of Friday, no independent laboratory findings establishing the presence of glue in Ringoz had been identified in the sources reviewed for this story. The company's explanation therefore represents its response to the viral claim rather than an independent scientific determination of the contents of the product.