ANZFA results for Chloropropanols in Soy and Oyster Sauces
There have recently been concerns raised in relation to possible contamination of soy and oyster sauce products with the chloropropanols 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropan-1,2-diol) and 1,3-DCP (1,3-Dichloropropanol). These concerns came about due to survey results released by the UK Food Standards Agency in June 2001, which reported contamination with chloropropanols in 22% of a total of 100 soy and oyster sauces tested. At that time, as a precautionary measure, ANZFA also advised consumers to avoid eating some types of soy and oyster sauces.
ANZFA is about to recommend to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council that a maximum limit of 0.2 mg/kg for 3-MCPD and 0.005 mg/kg for 1,3-DCP be included in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) for soy and oyster sauces imported into or manufactured in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is continuing to hold and test imported soy sauce products at the border. These have not been released onto the market until test results have shown that the levels of the chloropropanols are consistent with the maximum limits to be recommended to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council.
Following the release of the UK results, ANZFA commissioned a survey to gather more data on the levels of chloropropanols in soy sauce products on sale in Australia. Eighteen samples from the list of products that the UK Food Standards Agency advised consumers to avoid were collected and tested for 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP. The results for this group are listed in Table 1. Subsequently, the five highest samples were re-sampled and tested. Results are shown in Table 2.
Six Australian-made soy and oyster products were also sampled and tested for both 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP. The results for these samples are listed in Table 3.
Table 4 lists contact details for importers of soy and oyster sauce products.
TABLE 1: Results of the testing on imported products
Brand | Product description | Pack size | Best before date | Country of origin | 3-MCPD mg/kg | 1,3-DCP mg/kg |
Golden Mountain# | Soy Bean Seasoning sauce | 740 mL | 26/01/04 | Thailand | 91.2 | 0.5 |
Golden Mountain# | Soy bean seasoning sauce | 740 mL | 23/03/04 | Thailand | 148.2 | 0.6 |
Golden Mountain# | Soy bean seasoning sauce | 200 mL | 19/04/03 | Thailand | 73.0 | 0.3 |
Golden Swan | Soy sauce | 500 mL | NA | Philippines | Pass | Pass |
Healthy Boy brand | Thin soy sauce | 700 mL | 20/12/03 | Thailand | Pass | Pass |
Kimlan | Soy sauce (dark) | 590 mL | 14/02/04 | Taiwan | Pass | Pass |
Kimlan | Soy sauce light (Sang Chau) | 590 mL | 14/02/04 | Taiwan | Pass | Pass |
Lee Kum Kee | Panda oyster sauce | 510 mL | 22/02/05 | Hong Kong | Pass | Pass |
Lee Kum Kee | Oyster flavoured sauce | 225 mL | 26/06/04 | Hong Kong | Pass | Pass |
Lee Kum Kee | Chicken marinade | 710 mL | 28/02/04 | Hong Kong | Pass | Pass |
Lee Kum Kee | Premium oyster sauce | 510 mL | 08/01/05 | China | Pass | Pass |
Pearl River Bridge | Mushroom flavoured superior dark soy sauce | 600 mL | 15/06/02 | China | Pass | Pass |
Pearl River Bridge | Superior dark soy sauce | 600 mL | NA | China | Pass | Pass |
Pearl River Bridge | Superior light soy sauce | 600 mL | 20/11/02 | China | Pass | Pass |
Pearl River Bridge | Shrimp flavoured light soy sauce | 600 mL | NA | China | Pass | Pass |
Sinsin | Oyster sauce | 430 mL | 20/12/02 | Singapore | Pass | Pass |
Wanjashan | Soy sauce | 148 mL | NA | Taiwan | Pass | Pass |
Wanjashan | All purpose seasoning soy sauce | 500 mL | 15/07/02 | Taiwan | 0.431 | 0.05* |
TABLE 2: Results of re-sampling and testing of imported products
Brand | Product Description | Pack size | Best before date | Country of Origin | 3-MCPD mg/kg | 1,3-DCP mg/kg |
Golden Mountain# | Soy bean seasoning sauce | 740 mL | 17/05/04 | Thailand | 133.6 | 0.4 |
Golden Mountain# | Soy bean seasoning sauce | 740 mL | 4/03/02 | Thailand | N/A | 0.3 |
Golden Mountain# | Soy bean seasoning sauce | 200 mL | 19/04/03 | Thailand | 86.9 | 0.30 |
Wanjashan | Soy sauce | 500 mL | 17/02/03 | Taiwan | 0.454 | N/A* |
Wanjashan | Soy sauce | 148 mL | 6/04/03 | Taiwan | Pass | Pass |
* This product currently being re-tested to confirm this result
#BKK Australia, importers of Thai Therapos Food Products Golden Mountain soya bean sauce, have written to ANZFA informing the Authority that their production line for soya bean sauce has been redeveloped to reduce the level of 3-MCPD to comply with the ANZFA regulation. Thai Therapos Food Products stopped shipping soya bean sauce to Australia in mid July 2001.
Golden Mountain soya sauce is also imported by Xiao Trading Pty Ltd.
TABLE 3: Results of testing on the Australian products
Brand | Product Description | Pack size | Best before date | Country of Origin | 3-MCPD mg/kg | 1,3-DCP mg/kg |
Fountain | Soy sauce | 250 mL | 6/06/03 | Australia | Pass | Pass |
Cornwell' s | Soy sauce | 200 mL | N/A | Australia | Pass | Pass |
Kartini | Premium grade sweet soya sauce | 200 mL | 15/05/03 | Australia | Pass | Pass |
Masterfoods | Classic soy sauce | 150 mL | 16/03/03 | Australia | Pass | Pass |
Savings | Soy sauce | 500 mL | 15/06/03 | Australia | Pass | Pass |
Sunshine | Oriental style soy sauce | 500 mL | 30/03/03 | Australia | Pass | Pass |
TABLE 4: C ontact details for importers of soy and oyster sauce products
Product Name | Brand | Country of Origin | Manufacturer | Importer | Contact |
Soy Bean seasoning sauce (740ml)
| Golden Mountain | Thailand | Thai Theparos Food Products Public Company Ltd | BKK Australia Pty Ltd | Ph: Fax: |
Soy Bean seasoning sauce (200ml) | Golden Mountain | Thailand | Thai Theparos Food Products Public Company Ltd | Xiao Trading Pty Ltd | Ph: Fax: |
- All purpose seasoning sauce (500ml)
- Soy sauce (148 ml) | Wanjashan | Taiwan | Wan Jia Shian Brewerey Co. Ltd. Kaoyi Enterprise (PTE) Ltd. | Vincent Vegetarian Food Distributors | Ph: Fax: |
- Superior Dark Soy Sauce - Mushroom soy sauce - Light soy sauce - Shrimp flavour soy sauce | Pearl River Bridge | China | Guangdong Foodstuffs import/export (Group) Corp. | Chein Wah Trading Co Ltd. | Ph: Fax: |
- Dark soy sauce (590ml) - Oriental style soy sauce (500ml) - Light soy sauce (Sang Chau) | Kimlan Foods | Taiwan
Australia | Kimlan Foods Co Ltd. Taiwan | Ettason Pty Ltd (Syd) 91-93 Seville Street Fairfield, NSW 2165 | Ph: Fax: |
- Panda Oyster sauce - Chicken marinade - Premium Oyster sauce | Lee Kum Kee | Hong Kong | Lee Kum Kee Co Ltd | Oriental Merchant Pty Ltd | Ph: Fax: |
Oyster flavoured sauce
| Lee Kum Kee | Hong kong | Lee Kum Kee Co Ltd | Oriental Merchant for Coles Supermarkets Pty Ltd. | Ph: Fax: |
Soy sauce | Golden Swan | Philippines | Silver Swan Manufacturing Company | Philippine Food Products Pty Ltd | Ph: Fax: |
Oyster sauce | Sinsin | Singapore | Pacific Food Industries Pty Ltd | AUSTRALIA- Yuen' s Market Trading Co. - Kong s Trading Pty Ltd - United Pacific Imports Pty Ltd | Ph: Fax:
Ph: Fax:
|
Soy sauce | Fountain | Australia | Consumer Services | Made in Australia
| Ph: Fax: |
Classic soy sauce | Masterfoods | Australia | Master Foods of Australia | Made in Australia | Ph: | Fax: |
Oriental style soy sauce | Sunshine | Australia | Steric Pty Ltd | Made in Australia | Ph: Fax: |
Soy sauce | Savings | Australia | Grocery Holdings Pty Ltd | Made in Australia | Ph: Fax: |
Premium grade sweet soya sauce | Kartini | Australia | Manufactured for: | Australia | Ph: Fax: |
Thin soy sauce | Healthy Boy Brand | Thailand | Yan Wal Yun Co Ltd | Tan & Co Pty Ltd | Ph: (03) Fax: |
Soy sauce | Cornwell s | Australia | Meadow Lea Foods Ltd | Made in Australia | Ph: Fax:
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