1. background and introduction - totalweb! lite · 2017. 3. 29. · manjalara 52200 kepong, kuala...

Comparative Testing: Soy Sauce for 3-MCPD Malaysian Association of Standards Users

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1. Background and Introduction

3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1, 2-diol) is a chemical which may be formed in foods by the

reaction of chloride with lipids. It is the most commonly found member of a group of chemical

contaminants known as chloropropanols. It can occur in foods and food ingredients at low

levels as a result of processing, migration from packaging materials during storage, or in

domestic cooking. It is primarily created in foods by protein hydrolysis by adding hydrochloric

acid to speed up the reaction of the (soy) protein with lipids at high temperatures.

The UK- based Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), through its Public Affairs and

Technical & Legislative Committees, has authorized an Information Statement on 3-MCPD.

According to that statement, 3- MCPD can also occur in foods which have been in contact with

materials containing epichlorohydrin-based wet-strength resins - used in the production of

some tea bags and sausage casings.

3-MCPD has been shown to be a carcinogen in laboratory animal studies and the European

Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) originally classified 3-MCPD as a genotoxic

carcinogen with the recommendation that its presence in foodstuffs should be reduced to an

undetectable level.

More recent evaluations by the SCF and other expert committees have concluded that there is

a lack of evidence of in vivo genotoxicity and that a threshold-based approach for deriving a

Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) would be appropriate. The SCF have proposed a provisional TDI

level of 2µg/kg body weight/day for the amount of 3-MCPD that can be consumed daily over

a lifetime without appreciable harm to health. There is European food legislation which

imposes maximum levels for 3-MCPD in hydrolyzed vegetable protein and soy sauce.

2. Potential Hazards Related to 3MCPD

A survey of soy sauces and similar products available in the UK was carried out by the Joint

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/Department of Health Food Safety and Standards

Group (JFSSG) in 2000 and reported more than half of the samples collected from retail outlets

contained various levels of 3-MCPD (Macarthur R et al., 2000).

According to a press release in Jun 2001, United Kingdom Food Standards Agency found in tests

of various oyster sauces and soy sauces that some 22% of samples contained a chemical called

3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe

by the European Union. About two-thirds of these samples also contained a second

chloropropanol called 1, 3-DCP (1, 3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be

present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer and the

Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided

(Source: Food Standards Agency Press Release).

In 2006, Certain batches of Marca Pina Soy Sauce (1 litre) have been found to be contaminated

with levels of (3-MCPD) above EU statutory limits. According to the label, the affected brand of

Soy sauce was manufactured in the Philippines.

Malaysian Association of Standards Users

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According VietnamNet Bridge, in 2007 at Vietnam, 3-MCPD was found in toxic levels (Testing

since 2001, In 2004, the HCM City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health found 33 of 41 sample

of soya sauce with high rates of 3-MCPD, including six samples with up to 11,000 to 18,000

times more 3-MPCD than permitted, an increase over 23 to 5,644 times in 2001) in soy sauces,

along with formaldehyde in the national dish Pho, and banned pesticides in vegetables and

fruits. A prominent newspaper Thanh Nien Daily commented, "Health agencies have known

that Vietnamese soy sauce, the country's second most popular sauce after fish sauce, has been

chock full of cancer agents since at least 2001,".

In Nov 2008, Britain's Food Standards Agency reported a wide range of household name food

products from sliced bread to crackers, beef burgers and cheese with 3-MCPD above safe limits.

Relatively high levels of the chemical were found in popular brands such as Mother's Pride,

Jacobs crackers, John West, Kraft Dairylea and McVitie's Krackawheat. The same study also

found relatively high levels in a range of supermarket own-brands, including Tesco char-grilled

beef burgers, Sainsbury's Hot 'n Spicy Chicken Drumsticks and digestive biscuits from Asda. The

highest levels of 3-MCPD found in a non- soy sauce product, crackers, was 134 mcg per kg. The

highest level of 3-MCPD found in soy sauce was 93,000 mcg per kg, 700 times higher (Source:

Daily Mail Press Release on The cancer chemical lurking in our food).

2.1 Why is 3-MCPD found in Soy Sauce?

According to Food Safety Agency, 3-MCPD is produced as a contaminant by-product of a flavor

enhancer known as acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Flavor enhancers are commonly added

to commercially produced food products (for example frozen dinners, instant soups, and snack

foods) and some soy sauces to make them taste more 'savory'. 3-MCPD was originally detected

in acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) and was subsequently found in HVP-containing soy

sauces.

2.2 Malaysian and other Countries' Legislations Related to 3 - MCPD

European Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001, which was adopted on 8 March 2001 and

which applies from 5 April 2002, prescribes maximum levels of 3-MCPD of 0.02mg/kg (20µg/kg)

for hydrolyzed vegetable protein and soy sauce. In the case of the soy sauce, the limit is based

on a product containing 40% dry matter (corresponding to a maximum level of 0.05mg/kg

(50µg/kg) in the dry matter).

The joint Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) set a limit for 3-MCPD in soy sauce of

0.02 milligrams per kilogram, in line with European Commission standards which came into

force in the EU in April 2002.


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The Malaysian Food Act 1983 set a limit for Maximum Permitted Proportion of 3-MCPD in food

as follows:

Table1: Maximum Permitted Proportion of 3-MCPD in food

Food Maximum Permitted Proportion

in food (mg/kg)

All foods containing acid hydrolyzed vegetable protein

(liquid foods)

0.02

All foods containing acid hydrolyzed vegetable protein

(Solid foods)

0.05

Acid Hydrolyzed vegetable protein 1.00

3. Testing Soy Sauce for 3-MCPD

3.1 Methodology

The samples of soy sauce were identified and purchased based on the common brands

available in most of hypermarkets and grocery shops. Once the brands were identified, 1

sample of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce from the same brand was purchased .The samples

were purchased from locations in Klang Valley.

3.2 Limitations

Accurate sampling methods were not applied to represent the entire samples in the market.

Purchased was based on the rationale that the common brands could be found in most of the

shopping complexes, hypermarkets and shops. Only few samples were included due to budget

constraint.


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3.3 Samples Purchased


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6


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Table 2: List of products purchased for testing and their descriptions

No Brand Product Name Manufacturer Barcode &

Expiry Date

Place of

Purchase

Parameter

to be

tested

1 Pearl

River

Bridge

Mashroom

Flavoured

Superior Dark

Soy Sauce

Guang Dong PRB Bio

Tech Co.LTD No.2,

Dong Hu Xi Rd

Guangzhou

6921180820056

22/01/2014

Giant

Kepong

3MCPD

2 Pearl

River

Bridge

Superior Light

Soy Sauce

Guang Dong PRB Bio

Tech Co.LTD No.2,

Dong Hu Xi Rd

Guangzhou

6921180820025

22/01/2014

Giant

Kepong

3MCPD

3 Lee Kum

Kee

Mashroom

Flavoured Dark

Soy Sauce

Lee Kum Kee (Xinhui)

Food Co.Ltd No.1-2,

North District, Ind &

Trading City,Qi Bao,

Xinhui

District.Jiangmen

City,Guangdong,China

07889512889

17/02/2013

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD

4 Lee Kum

Kee

Selected Light

Soy Sauce


Food Co.Ltd No.1-2,



Xinhui

District.Jiangmen


07889513146

16/02/2013

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD


11

5 Cap

Tamin

Kicap Cair Putri Syarikat Salmi

HJ.Tamin Sdn Bha KM

40, Jalan Ipoh,33600

Enggor Perak

9556051130018 Giant

Kepong

3MCPD

6 Cap

Tamin

Dark Soy Sauce Syarikat Zamani

HJ.Tamin Sdn Bhd

223, Kampong Pasir

Baru, Jalan Gopeng

31000 Batu Gajah

Perak

9556051140017

31/12/2013

Giant

Kepong

3MCPD

7 Tesco

Value

Light Soy Sauce Tesco Stores (M) Sdn

Bhd Level 3, No.3,

Jalan 7A/62A, Bandar

Manjalara 52200

Kepong, Kuala

Lumpur

9555216500079

September

2012

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD

8 Tesco

Value

Thick Caramel

Sauce

Tesco Stores (M) Sdn

Bhd Level 3, No.3,


Manjalara 52200

Kepong, Kuala

Lumpur

955521650086

December 2011

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD

9 Cap Tian

Nu

Thick Soy Sauce Bidor Kwong Heng

Sdn Bhd Plot 1919,

Kawasan Perusahaan

Bidor,35500 Bidor

Perak

9556538000049

27/08/2013

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD

10 Cap Tian

Nu

Light Soy Sauce Bidor Kwong Heng

Sdn Bhd Plot 1919,

Kawasan Perusahaan

Bidor,35500 Bidor

Perak

9556538000025

27/07/2013

Tesco

Kepong

3MCPD

11 Giant Light Soy Sauce Giant Hypermarket 2,

Jurong East Street

#04-32A,IMM

Building Singapore

609601

9556538001527

09/07/2012

Giant Kelana

Jaya

3MCPD


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12 Adabi Kicap Manis Adabi Consumer

Industries Sdn

Bhd,Lot136,Rawang

Industrial Park,48000

Rawang

9556252273453

11/01/2014

SSPS Super

Market

Jalan Ipoh

3MCPD

13 Adabi Kicap Masin Adabi Consumer

Industries Sdn

Bhd,Lot136,Rawang


Rawang

9556252273606

05/01/2014

SSPS Super

Market

Jalan Ipoh

3MCPD

3.4 The samples were tested by ALS TECHNICHEM (M) SDN BHD according to the following

methods:

Table 3: Testing Parameter

Parameter, Unit Test Methods

% Dry Matter as total Solid, g/100g In House No. F20 (Based on AOAC 925.33)

3-MCPD (Fresh Weight), mg/kg Journal of AOAC International Vol. 84, No.2, 2001

3 MCPD (based on 40% dry matter), mg/kg Journal of AOAC International Vol. 84, No.2, 2001


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4. Results

Below are the test reports from ALS Technichem Sdn Bhd

Table 4: Test Results

No Brand Product

Name

Manufacturer Barcode & Expiry

Date

% Dry

Matter

as

Total

Solid,

g/100g

3-MCPD

(Fresh

Weight),

mg/kg

3-MCPD

(Based

on 40%

dry

matter),

mg/kg

1 Pearl

River

Bridge

Mashroom

Flavoured

Superior

Dark Soy

Sauce

Guang Dong PRB Bio

Tech Co.LTD No.2,

Dong Hu Xi Rd

Guangzhou

6921180820056

22/01/2014

48.5 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

2 Pearl

River

Bridge

Superior

Light Soy

Sauce

Guang Dong PRB Bio

Tech Co.LTD No.2,

Dong Hu Xi Rd

Guangzhou

6921180820025

22/01/2014

30.3 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

3 Lee

Kum

Kee

Mashroom

Flavoured

Dark Soy

Sauce


Food Co.Ltd No.1-2,



Xinhui

District.Jiangmen


07889512889

17/02/2013

51.8 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

4 Lee

Kum

Kee

Selected

Light Soy

Sauce


Food Co.Ltd No.1-2,



Xinhui

District.Jiangmen


07889513146

16/02/2013

40.9 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

5 Cap

Tamin

Kicap Cair

Putri

Syarikat Salmi

HJ.Tamin Sdn Bha KM

40, Jalan Ipoh,33600

Enggor Perak

9556051130018 51.9 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)


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No Brand Product

Name


Date

% Dry

Matter

as

Total

Solid,

g/100g

3-MCPD

(Fresh

Weight),

mg/kg

3-MCPD

(Based

on 40%

dry

matter),

mg/kg

6 Cap

Tamin

Dark Soy

Sauce

Syarikat Zamani

HJ.Tamin Sdn Bhd

223, Kampong Pasir

Baru, Jalan Gopeng

31000 Batu Gajah

Perak

9556051140017

31/12/2013

38.1 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

7 Tesco

Value

Light Soy

Sauce


Bhd Level 3, No.3,


Manjalara 52200

Kepong, Kuala

Lumpur

9555216500079

September

2012

48.6 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

8 Tesco

Value

Thick

Caramel

Sauce


Bhd Level 3, No.3,


Manjalara 52200

Kepong, Kuala

Lumpur

955521650086

December 2011

52.9 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

9 Cap

Tian

Nu

Thick Soy

Sauce

Bidor Kwong Heng

Sdn Bhd Plot 1919,

Kawasan Perusahaan

Bidor,35500 Bidor

Perak

9556538000049

27/08/2013

76.3 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

10 Cap

Tian

Nu

Light Soy

Sauce

Bidor Kwong Heng

Sdn Bhd Plot 1919,

Kawasan Perusahaan

Bidor,35500 Bidor

Perak

9556538000025

27/07/2013

46.6 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

11 Giant Light Soy

Sauce

Giant Hypermarket 2,

Jurong East Street

#04-32A,IMM

Building Singapore

609601

9556538001527

09/07/2012

41.7 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)


15

No Brand Product

Name


Date

% Dry

Matter

as

Total

Solid,

g/100g

3-MCPD

(Fresh

Weight),

mg/kg

3-MCPD

(Based

on 40%

dry

matter),

mg/kg

12 Adabi Kicap

Manis

Adabi Consumer

Industries Sdn

Bhd,Lot136,Rawang


Rawang

9556252273453

11/01/2014

60.9 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

13 Adabi Kicap

Masin

Adabi Consumer

Industries Sdn

Bhd,Lot136,Rawang


Rawang

9556252273606

05/01/2014

44.0 ND

(<0.01)

ND

(<0.01)

ND:Not Detected

5. Discussion and Recommendations

All the soy sauce samples tested by ALS Technichem (M) Sdn Bhd could be considered to be

generally free of 3-MCPD.

Based on the background study that we have done, Standards Users have noted that there are

also other consumer products that have been detected for 3-MCPD in other countries. Due to

our limitation, we were not able to test these products.

The products suspected to contain 3-MCPD are:

1. Vegetarian Meat which may use VHP and flavor enhancers

2. Cheeses

3. Burgers

4. Salamis

As a precautionary measure, Standards Users would like to urge both Ministry of Health to

carry out market surveillance and test other products (for example those listed above) which

have tendencies to be contaminated with 3-MCPD.


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6. References

1. IFST issues statement on 3-MCPD-http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-

Nutrition/IFST-issues-statement-on-3-MCPD

2. http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/webpage/soyproductsqa/

3. Robjohns S, Marshall R, Fellows M, Kowalczyk G (September 2003). "In vivo genotoxicity

studies with 3-monochloropropan-1,2-diol".Mutagenesis 18 (5): 401–

4. doi:10.1093/mutage/geg017. PMID 12960406.

http://mutage.oxfordjournals.org/content/18/5/401.long

4. Samojlik E, Chang MC (April 1970). "Antifertility activity of 3-chloro-1, 2-propanediol (U-

5897) on male rats". Biology of reproduction 2 (2): 299–

304. doi:10.1095/biolreprod2.2.299. PMID 5520328.

http://www.biolreprod.org/content/2/2/299.long

5. Ericsson RJ (July 1970). "Male antifertility compounds: U-5897 as a rat

chemosterilant". Journal of reproduction and fertility 22 (2): 213–

22.doi:10.1530/jrf.0.0220213. PMID 5428943.

6. Macarthur R, Crews C, Davies A, Brereton P, Hough P, Harvey D (November 2000). "3-

monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) in soy sauces and similar products available

from retail outlets in the UK". Food additives and

contaminants 17 (11):9036. doi:10.1080/026520300750038072.PMID 11271703.

7. Food.gov.uk press release soysauce

8. Chart with five mentions of affected oyster sauces

9. Fu WS, Zhao Y, Zhang G, et al. (August 2007). "Occurrence of chloropropanols in soy

sauce and other foods in China between 2002 and 2004". Food additives

andcontaminants 24 (8):8129. doi:10.1080/02652030701246039. PMID 17613068.

10. http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/bigimages/soysauceproducts.gif

11. http://www.bar.gov.ph/barchronicle/2004/may04_1-31_soysauce.asp

12. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/reports/2007/05/699774

13. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iiMrrBvLTLGX3P0uXmSqeT1Zjayw

14. Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985

1. background and introduction - totalweb! lite · 2017. 3. 29. · manjalara 52200 kepong, kuala...

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