Soy Sauce Health Warning
5
October 2001
DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF HEALTH PRIVILEGED STATEMENT
UNDER
SECTION 37 OF THE FOOD ACT 1981
Director
General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi is issuing her fifth warning
to the public about consuming some soy sauce-based products following
the identification this week of a twelfth sauce containing high
levels of chloropropanol chemicals. The warning comes as
the Ministry of Health continues testing the soy sauce products
that are on sale in New Zealand following international concern
about the presence of chloropropanols in some soy-based sauces.
Health
officials began sampling soy sauce products after surveys by the
United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency earlier this year found
a quarter of samples of soy sauce products on sale in the UK contained
high levels of the potentially cancer-causing chemicals.
An emergency food standard was put in place in New Zealand on
1 August 2001 to ensure the safety of domestically produced and
imported soy sauce. Since this standard was put in place
all new imports of soy sauce products have had to be tested by
the importer to demonstrate safety and this requirement remains.
The
Ministry of Health also began surveying domestically produced
and imported soy sauce products about the same time as emergency
food standards were put in place. So far 88 samples have
been checked and testing will be completed next week. The
latest warning advises consumers to avoid Amoy Oyster Sauce as
it does not comply with the current New Zealand limit of 1.0 mg/kg
for the chloropropanol 3-MCPD. Amoy Oyster Sauce is made
in Hong Kong and is sold in a 610g bottle with a red, orange and
green label.
"We
issued the standard and began testing products to help protect
New Zealand consumers and prevent serious harm by minimising the
risk that people who eat a lot of soy sauce products will develop
cancer."
"I
expect importers to take urgent steps to ensure this product is
withdrawn from the marketplace by informing anyone who retails
this product", Dr Poutasi said.
Dr
Poutasi has now warned the public to avoid consuming a total of
12 soy sauce-based products.
Consumers
can check the Ministry of Health website http://www.moh.govt.nz
for pictures of the non-compliant products.
signed
by:
Dr
Karen O Poutasi,
Director-General
of Health
October
5, 2001 - The public is advised to avoid consuming Amoy Oyster
Sauce.
September
28, 2001 - The public is warned to avoid consuming Amoy Chili
Soy Sauce, Silver Swan Soy Sauce, Ta Tung Soy Bean Sauce, Zu Miao
Fo Shan
Soy
Superior Sauce and Lee Kum Kee Seasoning Soy Sauce for Seafood
September
20, 2001 - The public is warned to avoid consuming Zu Miao Mushroom
Soy Sauce, Kimlan Soy Sauce, Tung Chun Roe Soy Sauce, President
Creamy
Soy Sauce and Gia Minh Seasoning Soy Sauce based on New Zealand
testing.
August
1, 2001 - An emergency food standard is introduced.
July
27, 2001 - A warning is issued against consuming Golden Mountain
Soya Bean Sauce (Seasoning Sauce) following Australian tests.
These tests have recently been confirmed by testing in New Zealand.
June
21, 2001 - Public warned to avoid consuming products containing
soy sauce following advice given by Britain's Food Standards Agency
after a survey of soy sauce products on sale in the United Kingdom
found about a quarter of samples contained high levels of potentially
cancer-causing chemicals.
For
further information refer to the Ministry
of Health website.
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