'If You Bought This Gopchang Gim, Return It Immediately'... Product Found with Excess Sweeteners

Products Illegally Used for Sweetness Continue to Be Caught

Artificial sweeteners were detected exceeding the standard limits or found to be fraudulently used in traditional laver products distributed in the market, leading to sales suspension and recall measures.

Gopchang Gim
[Photo source=Food Safety Korea website]

On the 28th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced that it confirmed the illegal use of artificial sweeteners in "Gopchang Dol Gim (Special)" by Malgeun Food located in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, and "Gopchang Jaerae Gim" by Solmoe FNC located in Hongseong-gun, Chungcheongnam-do.

Artificial sweeteners were detected exceeding the standard in Malgeun Food's "Gopchang Dol Gim," and saccharin sodium was detected in Solmoe FNC's "Gopchang Jaerae Gim."

Gopchang Traditional Gim
[Photo by Food Safety Korea website]

The MFDS regulates that sweeteners such as saccharin sodium and acesulfame potassium cannot be used in dried seaweed, a natural marine product, but products illegally using them to add a unique sweetness have been continuously detected.

Last year, the MFDS collected and tested 339 dried seaweed samples sold online and offline, and sweeteners were detected in 16 of these samples.

Artificial sweeteners are food additives that provide sweetness to food. They are known not to cause significant harm to the human body when consumed within the recommended intake levels.

However, some studies abroad have shown that long-term excessive intake of artificial sweeteners may cause intestinal bacteria to become diseased, leading to health problems.

Consumers who purchased the recalled and sales-suspended products should stop consumption and contact the customer service center indicated on the product or return the product to the place of purchase. Detailed related information can be found on the Food Safety Korea website.

Earlier, on the 26th, the MFDS suspended sales and recalled burdock (salted burdock) prepared for gimbap after detecting preservatives exceeding the standard. It was confirmed that the preservative (ethyl paraoxybenzoate) in gimbap burdock manufactured by Daechang Nongsan located in Yeongi-myeon, Sejong-si, did not meet the standard.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.