In September, Singapore saw 3 of its popular sauces being recalled by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) due to the presence of undeclared allergens.
Two of the sauces belong to the ABC brand owned by PT Heinz ABC Indonesia and they are ABC Sweet Soy Sauce and ABC Sambal Ayam Goreng Sauce. They were found to contain sulphur oxide.
Meanwhile, another lesser-known brand Hand Flower Brand Soy Sauce was recalled due to the presence of Benzoic Acid, an undeclared food additive that exceeded the regulatory limit for sauces.
The recall has affected all ABC Sweet Soy Sauce imported by New Intention Trading, with an expiry date of 26 June 2024, while the ABC Sambal Ayam Goreng Sauce is imported by Arklife Distributors with an expiry date of 6 January 2024. SFA also detected benzoic acid in both sauces, which was not declared on the food packaging labels, however they fell within the regulatory limit.
The Hand Flower Brand Soy Sauce, on the other hand, is sold in e-commerce platforms and in only 1 supermarket chain, and is imported by Heng Yoon Trading.
The existence of allergen in food could result in an allergic reaction in individuals who are sensitive to it. As such, its contents have to be indicated clearly in the packaging. Nevertheless, one-off consumption of these sauces are unlikely to cause any safety risk to consumers, but they cannot be continuously consumed over a long period.
Meanwhile, SFA had also recently banned 9 kueh (traditional cakes) manufacturers in Singapore as they found their ‘kuehs’ to contain excessive levels of benzoic acid and sorbic acid. Under Singapore food regulations, the use of benzoic acid or sorbic acid is not allowed in kueh products, except for their filling, which should not exceed the maximum permissible limits. The manufacturers however had their suspension lifted after they removed the unnecessary use of the food additives in their ‘kuehs’.
According to SFA, additives are allowed to be used in food products if there are an ‘established technological justification’ for it, such as to preserve, to add colour or/and texture to foods. They can also be used if they do not present any health risks to consumers, and when their use does not mislead consumers. Also the amount used must conform to SFA regulatory limits.
Singapore is stepping up on regulatory compliance by food manufacturers as consumers are becoming more health conscious and aware on food safety with many already shunning food products that contain artificial additives.
