The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) discovered two types of prepacked plum products sold locally that contain excessive amounts of the sweetener aspartame through the bureau’s routine food sample testing, according to an IAM statement yesterday.
The first product of prepacked plums, “Seedless Dried Sour-Sweet UME”, manufactured in Japan by “Kanro”, expires on November 5 next year and weighs 160 grams, the statement said.
The statement pointed out that the problematic dried sour-sweet Japanese plum product was found to contain 6.2 grams of aspartame per kilogramme.
The other problematic product, “干梅” (dried plums), the brand of which the statement did not reveal, manufactured in Japan, was found to contain 2.59 grams of aspartame per kilogramme, with a weight of 160 grammes and an expiration date of February 24 next year.
The bureau has ordered shops to stop selling and recall the problematic products, and it urged consumers not to eat them, the statement said, which did not elaborate on the health standards involved.
The statement pointed out that the levels of aspartame detected in the two products were analysed to be generally unlikely to cause adverse health effects under normal consumption conditions.
The bureau reminded traders to source food only from reliable suppliers and not to purchase and sell food if they have doubts about its hygiene and safety, while for consumers, the statement urged them to maintain a balanced diet to avoid excessive intake of a particular substance.
This undated handout photo shows the “Seedless Dried Sour-Sweet UME” and “干梅” product that was found by the Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) to contain excessive amounts of the sweetener aspartame.
