Some 30 food manufacturers in Japan have ordered the recall of their products following news that a banned agent has been used to flavour them.
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The agent is acetaldehyde, one of three banned additives which include propionaldehyde and castor oil. The substances are approved additives in the US, but not Japan.
Well-known ranges of ice cream, chocolate confectionery, beverages and other products are being pulled from the shelves in what has been reported to be the largest-ever product recall in Japan. Companies involved include Meiji Seika, Ezaki Glico and Bourbon Corp.
As many of the companies affected export their products, the recall is extending beyond Japanese borders. Ezaki Glico, for example, is recalling 10,000 packets of its ‘Almond Ball Chocolate’ from 7-Eleven and Okashi outlets in Hong Kong, along with another 500 packets from Japanese department stores in Taiwan.
Although no one is reported to have been taken ill after consuming products containing the banned ingredients, Japanese food makers appear to be taking no chances in view of the spate of recent scandals which have eroded public confidence in the food industry.
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