Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce Products - Test results for Chloropropanols
12 October 2001
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). In July 2001 ANZFA commissioned a survey to gather more data on the levels of both chloropropanols in soy sauce products on sale in Australia.
On 31 July the ANZFA Board agreed to consider an amendment to the Food Standards Code to set limits for these chloropropanols in soy sauce products. Based on the current evidence, the Board agreed that a limit of 0.2 mg/kg for 3-MCPD and 0.005 mg/kg for 1,3-DCP would be appropriate and has recommended to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council that these levels be included in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for soy and oyster sauces imported into or manufactured in Australia and New Zealand.
Subsequently, the Queensland Department of Health and the New Zealand Ministry of Health have initiated surveys of soy sauce products for 3-MCPD.
These three surveys found that a significant majority of the products tested had undetectable levels of chloropropanols or levels below the proposed maximum limits. These products are listed inTable 1 for the ANZFA and Queensland Department of Health surveys. Soy sauce products tested in the New Zealand Ministry of Health (MoH) survey and which MoH believes do not contain unacceptable levels of 3-MCPD are listed on the MoH website. Click here to access the MoH list.
Additionally, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) introduced comprehensive import testing for soy and oyster sauce products on 6 July 2001. Products imported on or after this date have been tested and found to comply with the proposed maximum limits for the chloropropanols 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP.
Results from the three surveys also identified a number of products containing unacceptable levels of chloropropanols*. These products are listed in Table 2 . Based on this information and in consultation with State and Territory Senior Food Officers and the major retailers and manufacturers, ANZFA initiated a recall of three soy sauce products in August 2001 and when more survey results became available initiated a recall of a further twelve products on 8 October 2001. The recalled products are those that meet the product descriptions listed in Table 3.
* In June 2001 the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recommended a provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PTDI) of 0.002mg/kg body weight for 3-MCPD. Based on this PTDI, ANZFA dietary modelling indicates that soy sauce products containing a 3-MCPD level above 3.5 mg/kg are unsafe to consume. Note: the proposed maximum limit of 0.2 mg/kg for this contaminant is based on the level that manufacturers can reasonably achieve using good manufacturing practices. 1,3-DCP is a potential carcinogen and consequently no level is safe. The proposed maximum limit 0.005mg/kg for 1,3-DCP in soy and oyster sauces is the current limit of quantification and is considered to be as close as is possible to zero presence. |
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Brand | Product Description | Pack Size | Best Before Date | Country of Origin |
ABC - Kecap Manis | Sweet Soy Sauce | 625mL | 30.10.02 | Indonesia |
Amoy | Premium Oyster Sauce | 500mL | 16.06.01 | Hong Kong |
Ayam Brand | Thick Soy Sauce | 210mL | 08.03.02 | Malaysia |
Ayam Brand | Noodle Sauce | 210mL | 07.10.02 | Malaysia |
Ayam Brand | Laska | 210mL | 06.04.02 | Malaysia |
Cheong Chan | Kicap Cair, Purple label S.S | 750mL | 14.11.01 | Malaysia |
Hermans Foods | Honey Soy Sauce | 350mL | 07.07.02 | Australia |
Home brand | Soy Sauce | 500mL | - | China |
Indofood - Kecap Manis | Sweet Soy Sauce | 340mL | 19.12.01 | Indonesia |
Inproba - Kejap Manis | Soy Souce | 115mL | 30.06.01 | Holland |
Kikkoman | Sashami and Sushi Soy Sauce | 150mL | 27.04.03 | Singapore |
Lee Kum Kee | Soy Sauce | 207mL | 24.04.02 | Hong Kong |
Lee Kum Kee | Premium Soy Sauce | 410mL | 10.07.02 | Hong Kong |
Lee Kum Kee | Oyster Sauce | 510g | - | China |
Masterfoods | Soy Sauce | 150mL | - | Australia |
Okk | Vegetarian Oyster Sauce | 500g | 20.12.01 | Singapore |
Old Cathay | Mandarin Soy Sauce | 250mL | - | China |
Pearl River Bridge | Superior Dark Soy Sauce | 600mL | - | China |
Royale | Oyster Sauce | 150mL | - | Singapore |
Savings | Soy Sauce | 500mL | 19.12.02 | Australia |
Tan Huong | Vietnamese Fish Sauce | 720mL | - | Thailand |
Yamasa | Sushi Soy Sauce | 200mL | Sep 2001 | Japan |
Yeo' s | Oyster Sauce | 150mL | - | Singapore |
Zu Miao | Superior Soy Sauce | 500mL | - | China |
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Ayam Brand | Oyster sauce | 210mL | 22/03/03 | Malaysia |
Conimex | Ketjap asin | 250mL | Aug-02 | Holland |
Conimex | Ketjap manis | 125mL | Jul-99 | Holland |
Cornwell' s | Soy sauce | 200mL | - | Australia |
Fountain | Soy sauce | 250mL | 6/06/03 | Australia |
Golden Swan | Soy sauce | 500mL | - | Philippines |
Healthy Boy brand | Thin soy sauce | 700mL | 20/12/03 | Thailand |
Inproba | Ketjap asin Indonesian soy sauce, salty | 250mL | 30/06/01 | Holland |
Kartini | Premium grade sweet soya sauce | 200mL | 15/05/03 | Australia |
Kimlan | Soy sauce (dark) | 590mL | 14/02/04 | Taiwan |
Kimlan | Sang Chau soy sauce light | 590mL | 14/02/04 | Taiwan |
Knorr | Liquid seasoning | 210g | Jul-02 | Poland |
Lee Kum Kee | Panda oyster sauce | 510mL | 22/02/05 | Hong Kong |
Lee Kum Kee | Oyster flavoured sauce | 225mL | 26/06/04 | Hong Kong |
Lee Kum Kee | Chicken marinade | 710mL | 28/02/04 | Hong Kong |
Lee Kum Kee | Premium oyster sauce | 510mL | 08/01/05 | China |
Lee Kum Kee | Vegetarian stir fry sauce mushroom | 260g | 16/10/02 | Hong Kong |
Masterfoods | Classic soy sauce | 150mL | 16/03/03 | Australia |
Ong' s | Oyster sauce | 255g | 29/06/04 | Singapore |
Pearl River Bridge | Mushroom soy sauce | 600mL | 15/06/02 | China |
Pearl River Bridge | Superior dark soy sauce | 600mL | - | China |
Pearl River Bridge | Light soy sauce | 600mL | 20/11/02 | China |
Pearl River Bridge | Shrimp flavoured soy sauce | 600mL | - | China |
Savings | Soy sauce | 500mL | 15/06/03 | Australia |
Sinsin | Oyster sauce | 430mL | 20/12/02 | Singapore |
Sunshine | Oriental style soy sauce | 500mL | 30/03/03 | Australia |
Wanjashan | Soy sauce | 148mL | 6/04/03 | Taiwan |
Wanjashan | Soy sauce | 1600mL | 05/02/04 | Taiwan |
Zu Miao Brand | Superior soy sauce | 500mL | - | China |
Table 2: Soy Sauce products found to contain unacceptable chloropropanol levels
Brand | Product description | Pack size mL | Best before or batch code | Country of origin | 3-MCPD mg/kg | 1,3-DCP mg/kg |
Results from ANZFA survey | ||||||
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 740 | 26/01/04 | Thailand | 91.2 | 0.5 |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 740 | 23/03/04 | Thailand | 148.2 | 0.6 |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 740 | 17/05/04 | Thailand | 133.6 | 0.4 |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 740 | 04/03/02 | Thailand | 61.1 | 0.3 |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 200 | 19/04/03 | Thailand | 73.0 | 0.3 |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 200 | 19/04/03 | Thailand | 86.9 | 0.3 |
Wanjashan | All purpose seasoning sauce | 500 | 15/07/02 | Taiwan | 0.431 | 0.05 |
Wanjashan | All purpose seasoning sauce | 500 | 17/02/03 | Taiwan | 0.454 | 0.02 |
Tau Vi Yeu | Soyabean sauce | 200 | Apr-00 | Vietnam | 3.93 | 0.108 |
Results from Queensland Health survey | ||||||
Kimlan | Soy sauce (Dark) | 590 | - | Taiwan | 13.2 | NT |
Tau Vi Yeu | Seasoning sauce soya bean | 750 | 10/07/01 | Vietnam | 61.2 | NT |
Knorr | Seasoning | 1000 | - | Hong Kong | 21.5 | NT |
Amoy | Seafood soy sauce | 500 | 06/03/01 | Hong Kong | 6.5 | NT |
Results from NZ Ministry of Health survey | ||||||
Gia Minh | Seasoning soy sauce | 200 | - | Vietnam | 630.00 | NT |
Golden Mountain | Soya bean sauce (seasoning sauce) | 200 | 24/10/03 | Thailand | 98.00 | NT |
Kimlan | Soy sauce | 590 | 11/08/03 | Taiwan | 4.20 | NT |
President | Creamy soy sauce | 300 | 2001.0523A | Taiwan | 8.60 | NT |
Silver Swan | Soy sauce | 1000 | - | Philippines | 3.70 | NT |
Ta Tung | Soy bean sauce | 1000 | 1999.02.03 | Taiwan | 11.50 | NT |
Zu Miao | Fo shan soy superior sauce | 500 | - | China | 23.80 | NT |
Zu Miao | Mushroom soy sauce | 592 | - | China | 53.20 | NT |
NT - Not tested
Table 3: Soy Sauce products meeting these descriptions have been recalled
Brand | Product description | Pack size mL | Best before date or batch code | Country of origin |
Golden Mountain# | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 740 | All* | Thailand |
Golden Mountain# | Soya bean seasoning sauce | 200 | All* | Thailand |
Wanjashan# | All purpose seasoning sauce | 500 | All* | Taiwan |
Amoy | All | All* | Hong Kong | |
Gia Minh | All | All* | Vietnam | |
Kimlan (in Chinese) Miss Lu Lu | All | All* | Taiwan | |
Kimlan | All | All - Except | Taiwan | |
Knorr** | All | All - Except Batch code 106 | Hong Kong | |
President | All | All* | Taiwan | |
Silver Swan | All | All* | Philippines | |
Ta Tung | All | All* | Taiwan | |
Tau Vi Yeu | All | All* | Vietnam | |
Tau Vi Yeu | All | All* | Vietnam | |
Zu Miao | All | All* | China | |
Zu Miao | All | All* | China |
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# Products recalled in August 2001
* Does not include product imported into Australia since AQIS introduced import testing for soy and oyster sauce products on 6 July 2001. Products imported on or after this date have been tested and found to comply with the proposed maximum limits for the chloropropanols 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP.
**Knorr Seasoning imported from Hong Kong and labelled as batch code '106' was shipped to Australia on 12 July 2001 and has been tested and found not to exceed the proposed maximum limits for the chloropropanols.