UK's "Soy Sauce" Report Slammed

Chinese soy sauce producers Friday lodged a protest against UK Food Standards Agency's report alleging that some soy sauce products made in China's inland, Hong Kong and Taiwan contain carcinogens.

The UK FSA lately spread that a recent survey sampling 22 bottles of soy sauce and related products produced by China's inland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand found out 3-MCPD, an carcinogens and that some of the products also carry 1,3-DCP, another carcinogenic chemical composition. But UK FSA should not get away with its short-legged calumnious report made. It is said that Chinese soy sauce makers have got a plan to bring the case to the court.

After the UK FSA was out with its report, a senior officer of Guangzhou Meiweiyuan Food Co. Ltd. said that the quality control department of Guangdong Province has never found like substances in their products. It is said that the Golden Mark Superior Soy Sauce by Meiweiyuan is among those alleged to have "problems".

The officer added, "we reserve the right to take law action on the irresponsible ulterior report of the UK FSA".

In refuting UK FSA's soy sauce assertions, grocers in Guangzhou also made a declaration that their products completely accord with the standards of EU. Manufacturers noted that some of the samples used by UK FSA must be counterfeits.

Hong Kong Food and Environment Hygiene Department Saturday stated that the department used to find trichloride propyl alcohol and bichloride propyl alcohol in some products. However, the related manufacturers have improved their products.

The spokesman pointed out that the above two substances only were proved to be carcinogenic in animal tests. There is no testimony to say they are carcinogenic found on human beings.

Following UK's report, Australia and New Zealand also warned their consumers not to use soy sauce. New Zealand also withdrew soy sauce products from goods shelves in supermarkets on Friday. Karen Poutasi, Director-General of Health of New Zealand asked New Zealanders to avoid using products containing soy sauce.

Vice Minister of Health of UK unctuously said that his ministry only advised the consumers to avoid using soy sauce products. He said, "the fact is we did not tell people it is dangerous to use soy sauce. What we have done is only pointing out that this kind of things did occur in UK."



By PD Online Staff Du Minghua


People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/