The Ministry of Health confirmed that benzoic acid is allowed to be used in chili sauce.
The Ministry of Health believes that chili sauce using benzoic acid preservative with a content not exceeding 1g/kg of product is in accordance with international standards.
In a document issued on April 12, the Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health affirmed: "Using the preservative benzoic acid with a content not exceeding 1g/kg of product is in accordance with the regulations of Vietnam and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, safe for users."
According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnamese standards stipulate that benzoic acid is a preservative allowed for use in chili sauce, with a maximum content of 1g/kg of product. This is also a regulation of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which includes 189 members, including the US 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 many scientific studies. These organizations assess the risks to human health to determine the allowable levels of each additive in food, ensuring safety for users.
Japan does not regulate the use of benzoic acid in chili sauce. "But that does not mean the substance is banned from use in food in Japan," said Deputy Director of the Food Safety Department Tran Viet Nga.
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The Food Safety Department also said that Vietnamese regulations only require manufacturers to clearly state on product labels the name of the additive group, the name of the additive or the international INS code (if any); they do not require warnings about the use of benzoic acid.
Last week, the Osaka City (Japan) electronic information portal announced the recall of more than 18,000 bottles of Chin-su brand chili sauce originating from Vietnam for violating the Food Sanitation Law and the Food Labeling Law. According to the Tokyo Food Hygiene 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, Clause 2 of the Japanese Food Sanitation Law stipulates that "if the standards are not met, they cannot be circulated".
The manufacturer of Chin-su chili sauce in Vietnam, Masan Consumer Goods Joint Stock Company, said it has never directly or indirectly exported this product to Japan.
