Trade body rejects claim of pure chemical sauces
By Lu Feiran |
August 11, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A TRADE association of soy sauce producers has rejected claims that their products contain no soybean and are instead made from chemicals linked to cancer.
However, the country's quality watchdog doesn't test to see if sauces contains soybeans or are made from a chemical cocktail.
Earlier this week, Hong Kong media reported that some companies made their sauce from several chemicals, salt, sugar, flavoring - and no soybeans.
Traditionally, soy sauce is made through soybean fermentation.
The chemical soy sauce contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) in a form that may release chloropropanol - a substance linked to testicular cancer, it is claimed.
The media didn't say which brands are chemical brews.
The China Condiment Industry Association said the country's standard permits HVP in soy sauce.
But the standard regulates chloropropanol content, ensuring soy sauce is not harmful, said the association.
The country's standard also allows for blended soy sauce - as long as half is made from soybeans.
"Blended soy sauce and traditional sauce are just two different productive technologies," said the association. "They don't create food safety problems."
However, the present test focuses on additives and bacteria, not on whether a sauce is purely chemicals, a blend or a traditional sauce.
Tests by the Shanghai Bureau of Technical and Supervision in 2009 found 3 percent of sauces had excessive additives.
Shanghai Daily yesterday found that almost all the soy sauce on sale at local outlets claims to contain soybean and preservatives.
However, the country's quality watchdog doesn't test to see if sauces contains soybeans or are made from a chemical cocktail.
Earlier this week, Hong Kong media reported that some companies made their sauce from several chemicals, salt, sugar, flavoring - and no soybeans.
Traditionally, soy sauce is made through soybean fermentation.
The chemical soy sauce contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) in a form that may release chloropropanol - a substance linked to testicular cancer, it is claimed.
The media didn't say which brands are chemical brews.
The China Condiment Industry Association said the country's standard permits HVP in soy sauce.
But the standard regulates chloropropanol content, ensuring soy sauce is not harmful, said the association.
The country's standard also allows for blended soy sauce - as long as half is made from soybeans.
"Blended soy sauce and traditional sauce are just two different productive technologies," said the association. "They don't create food safety problems."
However, the present test focuses on additives and bacteria, not on whether a sauce is purely chemicals, a blend or a traditional sauce.
Tests by the Shanghai Bureau of Technical and Supervision in 2009 found 3 percent of sauces had excessive additives.
Shanghai Daily yesterday found that almost all the soy sauce on sale at local outlets claims to contain soybean and preservatives.
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