The Ministry of Health confirms that benzoic acid is permitted for use in chili sauce.

In a document issued on April 12th, the Food Safety Department of the Ministry of Health affirmed: "Using the preservative benzoic acid in amounts not exceeding 1g/kg of product is in accordance with Vietnamese regulations and the Codex International Standards Committee, and is safe for consumers."

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnamese standards stipulate that benzoic acid is a permitted preservative in chili sauce, with a maximum content of 1g/kg of product. This is also the regulation of the Codex International Food Standards Committee, which includes 189 members, including the United States and European countries.

For a food additive to be included in the Codex list, scientists from JECFA, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and the WHO (World Health Organization) must conduct extensive scientific research. These organizations assess the risks to human health to determine the permissible levels for each additive in food, ensuring consumer safety.

Japan does not regulate the use of benzoic acid in chili sauce. "But that doesn't mean it's a banned substance in food in Japan," said Tran Viet Nga, Deputy Director of Food Safety.

Japan is allowing the use of benzoic acid in caviar, margarine, soy sauce, non-alcoholic beverages, and more.

The Food Safety Authority also stated that Vietnamese regulations only require manufacturers to clearly state the name of the group of additives, the name of the additive, or the international INS code (if any) on the product label; they do not require a warning about the use of benzoic acid.

Last week, the Osaka city portal (Japan) announced the recall of over 18,000 bottles of Chin-su chili sauce originating from Vietnam due to violations of the Food Sanitation Law and the Food Labeling Law. According to the Tokyo Food Sanitation Association, the benzoic acid content in the recalled Chin-su chili sauce was 0.41 g/kg, 0.44 g/kg, and 0.45 g/kg, respectively. Article 11, paragraph 2 of the Japanese Food Sanitation Law stipulates that "products that do not meet standards are not allowed to be sold."

Masan Consumer Holdings Corporation, the producer of Chin-su chili sauce in Vietnam, stated that it has never directly or indirectly exported this product to Japan.