• Entrepreneurs
• Business information
• Certification
• CAFIA laboratories
• CAFIA opinions
• More information
• Consumers
• How to know the food market
• Results of CAFIA inspections
• Consumer rights
• List of risky sites
• Hoaxes
• Other visitors
• Press Releases
• Internships at CAFIA
• Public contracts

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) inspected liquid flavour enhancers – soy sauces, in order to check whether they do not exceed maximal limits for 3-MCPD (3-Monochlorpropane-1,2-diol). The inspectors focused mainly on products imported to the Czech Republic from third countries: China, Malaysia and Vietnam, since according to inspectors´ own findings and information from control authorities of other EU countries these products often contained higher amounts of 3-MCPD in the past. For the complexity of results soy sauces from Great Britain and the Netherlands were also checked.

Analyses have shown that only one out of 12 taken samples contains un-permitted amount of 3-MCPD. Product marketed under name "Sójová omáčka tekuté ochucovadlo"  (packaging 200 ml, best before 30/05/2006) contained 38.7 mg/kg of 3-MCPD, whereas maximal limit determined by relevant decree
is 0.02 mg/kg. This product was manufactured in Vietnam and was imported to the Czech Republic by the company Tralyco, spol. s.r.o., Praha.

CAFIA imposed on exporter to ensure withdrawal from the market, similarly he must not handle contaminated sauces in any manner, unless CAFIA is aware of this and he must inform CAFIA about every new consignment of this product. If he wanted to place on the market newly imported soy sauces of identical label and origin, he would have to provide CAFIA with results of analysis carried out in accredited laboratory. Information about this finding was sent to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed as non-alert notification.

The substance 3-MCPD falls into chlorpropanols. Commission Regulation which determines maximal tolerable limits of this substance in foodstuffs has already been applied for two years in the EU. The same limits are binding in the Czech Republic.

3-MCPD in soy sauces and other liquid flavour enhancers is formed in the course of production. By changing the technological process it is possible to achieve its substantial reduction.

Further information concerning this issue can be found on CAFIA website here.