Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : S/F to EIC 230/2/12

10 August 2001

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 121/01

United Kingdom (UK) : Removal from Sale of Certain Soy Sauce Products

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently released the results of a survey which found high levels of potentially cancer causing chemicals, viz. 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP in certain soy sauce products imported from Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The FSA is taking action to ensure that the products identified are removed from sale in the UK.

2. We understand from the FSA that the UK currently has no legal limit on the level of 3-MCPD allowed in soy sauce products. On the other hand, there is a Community-wide legal limit of 0.02 mg/kg which will take effect from 5 April 2002. Please refer to Commercial Information Circular No. 72/2001 of 28 March 2001 for details. We sought clarifications from the FSA and they confirmed that they would not advance the date for enforcing the Community legal limit. Neither would they immediately ban imports not conforming to the limit. However, in the meantime, the UK authorities may act under the national Food Safety Act to test samples of imports at the point of entry or carry out analysis of soy sauce products on retail sale in the UK.

ENQUIRIES

3. For enquiries concerning the contents of this Circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Helen YUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.