Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Reporter Cui Zhiyun / Taipei Report
The Consumers' Foundation today (12th) conducted tests on soy sauces available in the market, revealing that four brands failed to comply with regulations. Issues included non-compliance with "labeling requirements for packaged soy sauce production processes" and excessive levels of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD). Among them, an imported soy sauce from the Philippines, "Seasoning Liquid (SILVER SWAN SOY SAUCE)," contained 2.5 times the usual amount of 3-MCPD. Xu Zeyu, the foundation's publisher, stated that violators should promptly rectify the issues, and those who fail to do so may face fines of up to NT$3 million.
Xu Zeyu explained that the foundation examined 15 soy sauce products, with nine produced in Taiwan and six imported—two each from Hong Kong and the Philippines, and one each from Vietnam and Indonesia.
Regarding 3-MCPD levels, Ling Yongjian, head of the foundation’s inspection committee, noted that traditional soy sauce production takes over six months. To save time, some manufacturers use hydrochloric acid to hydrolyze proteins in defatted soybeans into amino acids, producing so-called "chemical soy sauce" in just 3 to 7 days. However, excessive 3-MCPD may be carcinogenic. Tests showed that the Philippine "Seasoning Liquid (SILVER SWAN SOY SAUCE)" contained over 0.4 mg/kg of 3-MCPD, exceeding the standard by 2.5 times. This violates Article 17 of the Food Safety Act, and authorities may order corrections, with fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million for non-compliance.
Additionally, four soy sauces did not meet "labeling requirements for production processes." Three imported "soy sauces" failed to specify whether they were blended or quick-made. Regulations require both imported and locally produced soy sauces—such as fermented, aged, light, or dark soy sauces—to clearly label their processes. These three products violated Article 22 of the Food Safety Act, with fines of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. Manufacturers must immediately correct their labels. Another sample was labeled "brewed" but had insufficient nitrogen content, constituting false labeling and violating Article 28 of the Food Safety Act, with fines of NT$40,000 to NT$4 million under Article 45.
The foundation urged the government to conduct irregular inspections of domestic producers and strengthen checks on imported products. It also called on manufacturers to practice self-regulation, honestly labeling whether their soy sauces are brewed, blended, or hydrolyzed—not only to comply with the Food Safety Act but also to demonstrate responsibility for their products. Finally, consumers were advised to check labels for terms like "brewed," "blended," or "hydrolyzed," review ingredient lists to identify genuine brewed soy sauces, and choose products that meet their needs while avoiding non-compliant options that may harm health.
Source: https://www. ettoday. net/ news/ 20200612/ 1736138. htm
3-MCPD Levels Exceed 2.5 Times! 4 Soy Sauces Named for Non-Compliance! Fines up to 3 Million!
The Consumers' Foundation today (12th) conducted tests on soy sauces available in the market, revealing that four brands failed to comply with regulations. Issues included non-compliance with "labeling requirements for packaged soy sauce production processes" and excessive levels of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD). Among them, an imported soy sauce from the Philippines, "Seasoning Liquid (SILVER SWAN SOY SAUCE)," contained 2.5 times the usual amount of 3-MCPD. Xu Zeyu, the foundation's publisher, stated that violators should promptly rectify the issues, and those who fail to do so may face fines of up to NT$3 million.
Xu Zeyu explained that the foundation examined 15 soy sauce products, with nine produced in Taiwan and six imported—two each from Hong Kong and the Philippines, and one each from Vietnam and Indonesia.
Regarding 3-MCPD levels, Ling Yongjian, head of the foundation’s inspection committee, noted that traditional soy sauce production takes over six months. To save time, some manufacturers use hydrochloric acid to hydrolyze proteins in defatted soybeans into amino acids, producing so-called "chemical soy sauce" in just 3 to 7 days. However, excessive 3-MCPD may be carcinogenic. Tests showed that the Philippine "Seasoning Liquid (SILVER SWAN SOY SAUCE)" contained over 0.4 mg/kg of 3-MCPD, exceeding the standard by 2.5 times. This violates Article 17 of the Food Safety Act, and authorities may order corrections, with fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million for non-compliance.
Additionally, four soy sauces did not meet "labeling requirements for production processes." Three imported "soy sauces" failed to specify whether they were blended or quick-made. Regulations require both imported and locally produced soy sauces—such as fermented, aged, light, or dark soy sauces—to clearly label their processes. These three products violated Article 22 of the Food Safety Act, with fines of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. Manufacturers must immediately correct their labels. Another sample was labeled "brewed" but had insufficient nitrogen content, constituting false labeling and violating Article 28 of the Food Safety Act, with fines of NT$40,000 to NT$4 million under Article 45.
The foundation urged the government to conduct irregular inspections of domestic producers and strengthen checks on imported products. It also called on manufacturers to practice self-regulation, honestly labeling whether their soy sauces are brewed, blended, or hydrolyzed—not only to comply with the Food Safety Act but also to demonstrate responsibility for their products. Finally, consumers were advised to check labels for terms like "brewed," "blended," or "hydrolyzed," review ingredient lists to identify genuine brewed soy sauces, and choose products that meet their needs while avoiding non-compliant options that may harm health.
Source: https://www. ettoday. net/ news/ 20200612/ 1736138. htm