SFA orders recall of two makers' kueh products which contain illegal food additive
Two manufacturers have been ordered to recall their kueh products, including carrot cake and soon kueh, after they were found to contain a prohibited food additive.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Thursday (March 10) that it detected benzoic acid in kueh products manufactured by K & B Nonya Kueh Manufacture and Beng San Food Industry Supplier.
Benzoic acid is not allowed in kueh products under the Singapore Food Regulations.
The affected products are: kueh lapis and the pandan, corn and red bean-flavoured kueh seri muka from K & B Nonya Kueh Manufacture, as well as yam cake, carrot cake, pumpkin cake, soon kueh and png kueh from Beng San Food Industry Supplier.
Only permitted food additives are allowed for use in food, within the permitted amounts.
SFA said that based on the levels of benzoic acid detected in the affected kueh products, once-off consumption of the products should not be of concern.
But people should not consume food containing high levels of benzoic acid over a long period of time, it added.
This is because even though benzoic acid is a common additive which is safe in small quantities, studies have shown that animals fed on high doses of benzoic acid have disorder of the central nervous system as well as changes in their brains, said SFA.
Those who have consumed the affected products and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice, and contact their point of purchase for inquiries.
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