"Used When Eating Naengmyeon..." Do Not Eat This Preservative-Laden Sauce

MFDS "Preservatives Exceeding Limits Detected in Some Seasoning Sauces"

Preservatives exceeding the standard limits have been detected in seasoning sauces used in various dishes such as spicy fish stew (Maeuntang), steamed dishes (Jjim), and cold noodles (Naengmyeon), prompting the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to order a sales suspension and recall.

According to the MFDS on the 2nd, the preservative ethyl para-oxybenzoate was found to be non-compliant with the standard regulations in the "All-Purpose Seasoning Sauce" and "Mul Naengmyeon Seasoning Sauce" products sold by the sauce manufacturer Company H. Ethyl para-oxybenzoate is a preservative that inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. This ingredient, mainly used for long-term preservation of processed foods, is a colorless or white crystalline powder with no odor.

The "All-purpose Sauce" and "Mul Naengmyeon Sauce" manufactured by Company H, which have been suspended from sale and recalled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. [Image provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

The standard limit for ethyl para-oxybenzoate is 0.2 or less. According to the Gyeongbuk Health and Environment Research Institute, 0.29 was detected in Company H's Mul Naengmyeon Seasoning Sauce and 0.59 in the All-Purpose Seasoning Sauce, both exceeding the standard limit.

The products subject to the sales suspension and recall are the "Mul Naengmyeon Seasoning Sauce" labeled with an expiration date of March 27, 2024, and the "All-Purpose Seasoning Sauce" labeled with an expiration date of June 22, 2024. Both are 2kg packages. These products are known to have been mainly supplied to restaurants.

The MFDS emphasized, "Consumers who purchased these products are urged to return them to the recall locations and actively cooperate with the recall of hazardous foods."

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