Nanfang Daily reporter Zhao Hongjie Hu Nianfei was colder in winter 2010 than in previous years, and the hot pot market was particularly popular. However, news of the misuse of food flavoring agents in newspapers has caused consumers to be suspicious—one side is a fragrant hot pot, and the other is public health rights and knowledge. right. Are these additives harmful? Today, there is no authoritative body to explain the safety of "one drop of incense."
On December 22 last year, the Hot Pot Committee of the China Cuisine Association reported that 100% of 100 well-known hot pot companies that accounted for 70% of the national market had passed the inspection. Immediately afterwards, the relevant person in charge of the National Food Safety Rectification Office stated that during the random inspection of the production of fragrance companies, there was no unqualified raw material in the hot pot base material.
In spite of this, doubts have not been eliminated and there is still a considerable number of consumers who have no confidence in the pot materials. Experts also said that the prior specifications for hot pot additives are still in disorder.
The Guangdong Provincial Catering Industry Service Association also reached a consensus that large companies took the lead in setting standards for hot pot materials and standardized hot pot materials, which also led to regulatory loopholes in food additives.
Market confusion, "a drop of incense" after the renamed market hot just drop one or two drops, a pot of water becomes a delicious soup, so magical additives have now stirred the food and beverage market. A survey by the Nanfang Daily reporter found that after the media exposed a large amount of “one drop of incenseâ€, all kinds of flavoring agents that changed the name are now beginning to look gorgeous again.
In Dongguan Xinli Agricultural Wholesale Market, you can easily buy a variety of food flavoring agents. "Golfers, loose meat, and fragrant kings, you have as much as you want and what varieties you want." A wholesaler sells to reporters.
In addition to the "golfer" used in hot pots and rice noodles, there are "meat loose", "meat fragrant king", "chili pepper", "meat monosodium glutamate", "ribbone flavor balsam", " Various additives such as duck flavored cream and beef flavor paste. "A lot of Xiangcaikan and Dongbei restaurant owners have come to buy 'meat king', whether it be lo mei or cooking, the effect is very good and can be delivered to the door," said the wholesaler.
In Dongguan Xinli Agricultural Wholesale Market, there are wholesale bosses who heard that the reporters first purchased the goods and then they tried to sell the fragrances. “It's much cheaper than making hot pots. You can configure hot pot soup according to the ratio of 1:1000 to 5:1000. A bottle is available 50 times." The price of the fragrance in his hands is 45 yuan.
Comprehensive reports on all food additives such as “one drop of incense†(or fragrance) and meat fragrant king. If ingredients are marked on the packaging, they are generally propylene glycol, maltol, onion extract, natural red pepper, and meat. Fragrance essence, meat bone extract, French essence, I+G+L, animal protein, etc.
“These are all edible. Nothing can be seen from this alone.†Li Shusheng, secretary general of the Food Society of Guangdong Province and director of the Department of Food Engineering of the South China University of Technology's School of Light Industry and Food, told reporters, but in fact only these ingredients are present. Doubtful.
A staff member from the Guangdong Catering Service Industry Association told reporters that the use of flavoring agents in hot pot restaurants or other types of restaurants is mainly to reduce costs. "In fact, it is not difficult to find the difference between the two. For example, the real chili powder is hot and the tongue is hot, but the pepper is hot and spicy."
Can I send a drop of fragrance to the test? Nanfang Daily reporter found that there are difficulties in the actual operation. The relevant inspection center of the Ministry of Health stated that it is only responsible for testing the specific substances contained in the product proposed by the public. The detection of general harmful substances cannot be done and it is impossible to detect all the substances in the relevant products.
The reporter called the State Food and Drug Administration and the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center. However, almost all departments have stated that only the formulation of the product or the specific name of the submitted substance can be used for the detection of related substances.
In response, some scholars said that it is indeed difficult to analyze the composition of an unknown substance.
There are no national standards for random inspections of regulatory loopholes. Of course, all qualified food additives are compound or natural substances that are added to foods to improve the color, aroma, taste, and other qualities of foods, as well as the need for preservation and processing. "Most of them are not intended to increase nutrition, and their production methods are also divided into natural extraction and chemical synthesis, but there is no difference between the two." Li Yusheng said that including flavors, umami agents, preservatives, etc., this part of the food additives is allowed to use, is subject to GB2760 (food additives use hygiene standards) restrictions and requirements.
"The key issue is whether its use meets the requirements of GB2760. The main problem with the use of food additives is the use of excess and overrange." Li Shengsheng said that the use of flavoring agents is intended to mimic the natural state of soups, such as those produced by proteins. The students issued "white turbid materials". "From this point of view, individual flavoring agents are not necessarily harmful within a certain limit, but it is difficult to ensure safety by compounding or using them in excess."
He believes that the crux of the problem lies in the use of additives in the food and beverage industry. The country does not have a detailed and specific standard, and it is similar to a mixture of additives such as fragrances. There is no authoritative department to give a reasonable version of its safety.
An expert who did not want to be named was also pointed out that this reflects the confusion in the management and supervision of food additives. He said that hot pot additives are either harmful to the human body, or harmless to the human body, or are generally harmless, but excessive or composite use is harmful, but the problem is that whether or how to use hot pot additives, the government should have unified, Feasible standards, but now lack the necessary industry norms.
According to the “Food Safety Lawâ€, the deputy director of the Guangdong Province Quality Supervision Bureau’s food supervision department, Qiu, said that food additives should be technically necessary and have been proved to be safe and reliable after risk assessment before they can be included in the allowable range. “The work of risk assessment is organized by the health department, with pathological and toxicological data assessments, but now there is no national standard.â€
At present, the provincial quality supervision department can only conduct random inspections based on corporate standards. Deputy Commissioner Qiu disclosed: “No single drop of incense was found that did not meet company standards.â€
At the beginning of the dawn of Guangdong, the issue of adding chemical additives such as fragrances, hot pot flavoring agents and flavoring pastes to the standard hot pot ingredients for seasonings has caused the attention of relevant Guangdong authorities.
On December 31, 2010, the Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug Administration held a symposium on hot pot ingredients. Representatives of hotpot companies, experts on research additives, international special chefs, provincial catering associations, and Sichuan Chamber of Commerce representatives attended the meeting. .
At the symposium, the Provincial Food and Drug Administration listened to the introduction of hot pot catering companies on the situation of their hot pot base materials, and the countermeasures that the association's representatives and experts put forward for the current market situation. The meeting reached the following consensus: the problem should be solved at the source, and the selling sites for illegal additives should be investigated and dealt with; large-scale enterprises should be responsible for formulating standards for hot pot materials, standardizing hot pot materials, strengthening market supervision, setting inspection indicators, and regularly checking hot pot materials. Hot pot enterprises should strengthen industry self-discipline.
In fact, the city had formulated the “local standards for hot pot ingredientsâ€. On January 1, 2003, Chongqing issued local standards and revised it in 2007, but it is also difficult to avoid the appearance of “a drop of fragrant†flavoring agents. Abuse problem.
"The first thing to do in a large company is to ensure the safety of the use of additives." The person in charge of the Guangdong Provincial Catering Service Industry Association told reporters that although there will be trade secrets, levels of differentiation among hot pot companies, etc. Difficulties, but since Chongqing can do it, Guangdong should also try.
The deputy director of the Department of Food Supervision of the Provincial Bureau of Quality Supervision also revealed to reporters that they have been paying close attention to this issue and submitted the proposal to the provincial health bureau last month, hoping that they would report to the Ministry of Health and draw attention from the country. , and the introduction of relevant standards.
On December 22 last year, the Hot Pot Committee of the China Cuisine Association reported that 100% of 100 well-known hot pot companies that accounted for 70% of the national market had passed the inspection. Immediately afterwards, the relevant person in charge of the National Food Safety Rectification Office stated that during the random inspection of the production of fragrance companies, there was no unqualified raw material in the hot pot base material.
In spite of this, doubts have not been eliminated and there is still a considerable number of consumers who have no confidence in the pot materials. Experts also said that the prior specifications for hot pot additives are still in disorder.
The Guangdong Provincial Catering Industry Service Association also reached a consensus that large companies took the lead in setting standards for hot pot materials and standardized hot pot materials, which also led to regulatory loopholes in food additives.
Market confusion, "a drop of incense" after the renamed market hot just drop one or two drops, a pot of water becomes a delicious soup, so magical additives have now stirred the food and beverage market. A survey by the Nanfang Daily reporter found that after the media exposed a large amount of “one drop of incenseâ€, all kinds of flavoring agents that changed the name are now beginning to look gorgeous again.
In Dongguan Xinli Agricultural Wholesale Market, you can easily buy a variety of food flavoring agents. "Golfers, loose meat, and fragrant kings, you have as much as you want and what varieties you want." A wholesaler sells to reporters.
In addition to the "golfer" used in hot pots and rice noodles, there are "meat loose", "meat fragrant king", "chili pepper", "meat monosodium glutamate", "ribbone flavor balsam", " Various additives such as duck flavored cream and beef flavor paste. "A lot of Xiangcaikan and Dongbei restaurant owners have come to buy 'meat king', whether it be lo mei or cooking, the effect is very good and can be delivered to the door," said the wholesaler.
In Dongguan Xinli Agricultural Wholesale Market, there are wholesale bosses who heard that the reporters first purchased the goods and then they tried to sell the fragrances. “It's much cheaper than making hot pots. You can configure hot pot soup according to the ratio of 1:1000 to 5:1000. A bottle is available 50 times." The price of the fragrance in his hands is 45 yuan.
Comprehensive reports on all food additives such as “one drop of incense†(or fragrance) and meat fragrant king. If ingredients are marked on the packaging, they are generally propylene glycol, maltol, onion extract, natural red pepper, and meat. Fragrance essence, meat bone extract, French essence, I+G+L, animal protein, etc.
“These are all edible. Nothing can be seen from this alone.†Li Shusheng, secretary general of the Food Society of Guangdong Province and director of the Department of Food Engineering of the South China University of Technology's School of Light Industry and Food, told reporters, but in fact only these ingredients are present. Doubtful.
A staff member from the Guangdong Catering Service Industry Association told reporters that the use of flavoring agents in hot pot restaurants or other types of restaurants is mainly to reduce costs. "In fact, it is not difficult to find the difference between the two. For example, the real chili powder is hot and the tongue is hot, but the pepper is hot and spicy."
Can I send a drop of fragrance to the test? Nanfang Daily reporter found that there are difficulties in the actual operation. The relevant inspection center of the Ministry of Health stated that it is only responsible for testing the specific substances contained in the product proposed by the public. The detection of general harmful substances cannot be done and it is impossible to detect all the substances in the relevant products.
The reporter called the State Food and Drug Administration and the National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center. However, almost all departments have stated that only the formulation of the product or the specific name of the submitted substance can be used for the detection of related substances.
In response, some scholars said that it is indeed difficult to analyze the composition of an unknown substance.
There are no national standards for random inspections of regulatory loopholes. Of course, all qualified food additives are compound or natural substances that are added to foods to improve the color, aroma, taste, and other qualities of foods, as well as the need for preservation and processing. "Most of them are not intended to increase nutrition, and their production methods are also divided into natural extraction and chemical synthesis, but there is no difference between the two." Li Yusheng said that including flavors, umami agents, preservatives, etc., this part of the food additives is allowed to use, is subject to GB2760 (food additives use hygiene standards) restrictions and requirements.
"The key issue is whether its use meets the requirements of GB2760. The main problem with the use of food additives is the use of excess and overrange." Li Shengsheng said that the use of flavoring agents is intended to mimic the natural state of soups, such as those produced by proteins. The students issued "white turbid materials". "From this point of view, individual flavoring agents are not necessarily harmful within a certain limit, but it is difficult to ensure safety by compounding or using them in excess."
He believes that the crux of the problem lies in the use of additives in the food and beverage industry. The country does not have a detailed and specific standard, and it is similar to a mixture of additives such as fragrances. There is no authoritative department to give a reasonable version of its safety.
An expert who did not want to be named was also pointed out that this reflects the confusion in the management and supervision of food additives. He said that hot pot additives are either harmful to the human body, or harmless to the human body, or are generally harmless, but excessive or composite use is harmful, but the problem is that whether or how to use hot pot additives, the government should have unified, Feasible standards, but now lack the necessary industry norms.
According to the “Food Safety Lawâ€, the deputy director of the Guangdong Province Quality Supervision Bureau’s food supervision department, Qiu, said that food additives should be technically necessary and have been proved to be safe and reliable after risk assessment before they can be included in the allowable range. “The work of risk assessment is organized by the health department, with pathological and toxicological data assessments, but now there is no national standard.â€
At present, the provincial quality supervision department can only conduct random inspections based on corporate standards. Deputy Commissioner Qiu disclosed: “No single drop of incense was found that did not meet company standards.â€
At the beginning of the dawn of Guangdong, the issue of adding chemical additives such as fragrances, hot pot flavoring agents and flavoring pastes to the standard hot pot ingredients for seasonings has caused the attention of relevant Guangdong authorities.
On December 31, 2010, the Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug Administration held a symposium on hot pot ingredients. Representatives of hotpot companies, experts on research additives, international special chefs, provincial catering associations, and Sichuan Chamber of Commerce representatives attended the meeting. .
At the symposium, the Provincial Food and Drug Administration listened to the introduction of hot pot catering companies on the situation of their hot pot base materials, and the countermeasures that the association's representatives and experts put forward for the current market situation. The meeting reached the following consensus: the problem should be solved at the source, and the selling sites for illegal additives should be investigated and dealt with; large-scale enterprises should be responsible for formulating standards for hot pot materials, standardizing hot pot materials, strengthening market supervision, setting inspection indicators, and regularly checking hot pot materials. Hot pot enterprises should strengthen industry self-discipline.
In fact, the city had formulated the “local standards for hot pot ingredientsâ€. On January 1, 2003, Chongqing issued local standards and revised it in 2007, but it is also difficult to avoid the appearance of “a drop of fragrant†flavoring agents. Abuse problem.
"The first thing to do in a large company is to ensure the safety of the use of additives." The person in charge of the Guangdong Provincial Catering Service Industry Association told reporters that although there will be trade secrets, levels of differentiation among hot pot companies, etc. Difficulties, but since Chongqing can do it, Guangdong should also try.
The deputy director of the Department of Food Supervision of the Provincial Bureau of Quality Supervision also revealed to reporters that they have been paying close attention to this issue and submitted the proposal to the provincial health bureau last month, hoping that they would report to the Ministry of Health and draw attention from the country. , and the introduction of relevant standards.