From 2006 to April 2007, the HCMC Institute of Public Health and Hygiene has been carrying out nationwide checks on 200 soy sauce products and discovered 69 samples with surprisingly high levels of 3-MCPD (3-Mono Chloropropane Diol), a toxin reportedly linked to cancer.

A soy sauce sample is tested by the HCMC Institute of Public Health and Hygiene

The investigation has shown that many of the samples had the 3-MCPD level reach as high as 55,000 mg/kg, which far exceeds the tolerable level of 1 mg/kg according to the Health Ministry’s standard. By using these products, consumers are exposing themselves to many cancer-related illnesses.

The Government has needed to take drastic measures. On May 26, the HCMC Health Department urged officials to carry out the 3-MCPD level tests on other soy sauce trademarks, impose punishments on those violating the law and withdraw all the toxic related products from the market. If those blacklisted producers do not abide by the laws, their business will face suspension.

On May 24, the soy sauce producers also made their move on this matter. The Sauce Club’s President held a meeting to discuss a new project of producing “clean” soy sauce, while it is reported that the Nam Duong Company have withdrawn all its products from the market and abolished them according to the Health Ministry’s law.

Four soy sauce producers, including the Nam Duong, Mekong, Hau Sanh and Lam Thuan Companies have volunteered to withdraw their names from the Vietnamese High Quality Goods 2007 list selected by consumers. Representatives from these companies have promised that they will soon correct their mistakes, win back their customers’ trust and retrieve their titles as Vietnamese High Quality Goods.

Concerning consumer feedback, after the news was announced, local marts immediately stopped selling sauces made by Nosafood, Nam Duong, Dong Phuong, Thai Dai Loi, Thai Chan Thanh, Lam Thuan, Truong Thanh, Huong Nam Phuong, Loi Ky and Song Ma. Other trademarks have also received little attention from consumers.

According to Mr. Nguyen Mong Hung, President of the HCMC Consumer Protection Association, no consumer has yet decided to sue any of the blacklisted soy sauce producers. However, he added that such serious violations, should see producers having their licenses revoked and must pay a much higher fine than the previous VND5 million (US$310 penalty).

Further investigations are being conducted into all of the HCMC-based soy sauce producers, all of which are required to submit their latest 3-MCPD level test results to the Government before June 10.