SOY SAUCES AND OTHER SAUCES RECENT ALERT FROM THE FSA:
LEVELS OF 3-MCPD IN SOY SAUCE AND OTHER SAUCES





Statement from Lee Kum Kee



Rest assured - Lee Kum Kee maintains a a tradition of quality


You may have read reports in the media recently about Lee Kum Kee and its products. As a valuable customer of our company, you have our assurance that we strive to ensure an exceptionally high quality of products at all times. We would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the facts behind these reports.


According to information released by various government sources, 3-Monochloropropane 1, 2-diol (3-MCPD) does not pose immediate health hazard to humans, and ther are no international regulations governing the levels of 3-MCPD allowed in foodstuffs.

Notwithstanding this, following an initial survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK in September 1999 about the presence of 3-MCPD in various brands of Chinese Sauces, Lee Kum Kee had taken its own initiative immediately by adopting enhancement procedures which effectively eliminate any traceable levels of 3-MCPD and its derivatives, namely: 1, 3-DCP and 2,3-DCP from all Lee Kum Kee products.

Lee Kum Kee's testing laboratory has been internationally accredited by Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) to test against 3-MCPD in raw materials and finished products. It is the first laboratory to receive the accreditation for 3-MCPD testing in Hong Kong.

We regret, owing to some flaws in the sampling procedures, the results of a recent survey released by the FSA in June 2001 indicated that 3-MCPD was still found in some Lee Kum Kee products. This was attributed to the fact that all the samples concerned were drawn from products manufactured before the enhancement procedures. These survey results simply fail to reflect the true situation of our products in the marketplace, nor have they acknowledged Lee Kum Kee's continuous endeavours to enhacnce product quality.

Being a responsible manufacturer striving for absolute product compliance, Lee Kum Kee as well as the food industry as a whole are still expecting the scientific community and regulatory agencies to reach a consensus on the effects and safety levels of those substances in question. This is an important regulatory and industry issue pending any conclusive and defininite parameters on the safety levels of 3-MCPD. We will continue to conduct our own testing, comply with existing standards and monitor the developments.

We trust the above should sufficiently remove the doubts and misunderstanding of the concerned parties about this issue. Again, we would like to assure you that Lee Kum Kee will continue to do whatever is necessary to remain and promote the firmly established trust with customers and the long and well-respected heritage of our global brand.


All sauces can be bought with confidence from Wing Lee Hong Co. Ltd.


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Statements issued by manufacturers and importers:

Lee Kum Kee Sauces
S.W. Trading Limited: Pearl River Bridge Soy Sauce
Amoy Sauces