The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 8) announced that a sample of ground turmeric was detected with sudan dyes, a colouring matter which is not permitted in food. The CFS is following up on the case.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Ground Turmeric
Brand: Nguan Soon
Place of origin: Thailand
Distributor: Brilliant Sky Trading Limited
Net weight: 50 grams per bottle
Best-before date: April 30, 2022
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from an online shop for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained sudan dyes at a level of 0.22 parts per million."
The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product. The distributor concerned has initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions. Members of the public may call the distributor's hotline at 5563 6506 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. The CFS is also tracing the source of the affected product.
The spokesman said, "Sudan dyes are synthetic chemical dyes for industrial use. Under the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations (Cap 132H), sudan dyes are not permitted in food. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment."
The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.
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