18 Margarine Products Sold In HK Contain Cancer-Causing Substance. What About Malaysia?
The Health Ministry has conducted tests and issued a statement regarding the matter.
By Tang Ruxyn — 23 Apr 2018, 01:17 PM
The Hong Kong Consumer Council revealed recently that almost 20 margarine products sold in its local market were found to contain a substance thought to cause cancer
According to media reports, the Consumer Council conducted tests on 30 types of margarine, butter, and other related products. Findings of the tests were revealed by the Consumer Council last week on 16 April.
Asia Times reported the Consumer Council as saying that most margarines on sale in Hong Kong contain harmful substances known as glycidol (epoxy propanol), a substance which can cause cancer, and contaminant 3-MCPD, which could harm the kidneys and male reproductive systems.
Tests by the council found that 18 margarine samples were detected with glycidol while at least 16 margarine samples contain 3-MCPD.
The council also added that half of the 30 products it tested have inaccurate nutrition labels.
Responding to the findings of the tests, the Consumer Council has advised the public to keep the intake of food containing the carcinogenic substance as little as possible
The Hong Kong consumer watchdog urged the public in a press statement to follow the recommended limits suggested by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UN Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
It pointed out that the recommended daily limit of 3-MCPD per kg of body weight is at 2 micrograms, which means a person weighing 60kg should not consume more than 120mcg of 3-MCPD per day. It added that a person would have to consume 24 teaspoons of the test sample to go beyond the recommended threshold.
"Therefore, with normal consumption, the impact on health is minimal."
The issue did not only scare residents in Hong Kong but it also received attention in Malaysia, which prompted the Ministry of Health (MOH) to issue a statement to offer an explanation on the matter
In a statement issued on Friday, 20 April, health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry, through its Food Safety & Quality Division (FSQD), had been monitoring the glycidyl fatty acid esters (GEs) and 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) esters contents in margarine products.
It was learned that the checks were conducted following the circulation of report by a local portal, which listed margarine brands in the market that are supposedly dangerous.
According to Noor Hisham, findings by the FSQD showed that several margarine products in the country that were tested contain low amount of these substances.
The health director-general said that the exposure of the substances are low among Malaysians and they do not pose a health risk for consumers
"However, there is no clear scientific information on the percentage of GE content in food that can be turned into glycidol in the intestine to date.
"Glycidol is a substance that is a result of the decomposition of GEs in the intestine. It is a type of contaminants detected in all kinds of vegetable oils and fats which are produced during the filtration process at high temperatures above 240°C," Noor Hisham explained in the statement.
The MOH has also urged consumers with concerns over food safety issues to refer to the State Health Departments or District Health Offices nearest to them. They can also contact the Health Ministry through its website or the Facebook page of the Food Safety and Quality Division.