5 Cooking Sauces & Pastes Recalled After They Failed to Declare Fish Allergen on Label

You’ve finally learned how to make Nasi Lemak, and you’re pretty proud of yourself.

The coconut rice smells more like Chicken Rice, and the chicken looks more like grated coconut, but it doesn’t matter.

You crack open that bottle of Sambal Belachan you recently bought to eat with your meal, and dig in.

But a few minutes later, something feels wrong. Very wrong. 

You head to the bathroom and see that you now resemble a blowfish. It also looks like you were stung by a thousand bees.

This sounds scary, but it could have easily happened to customers who bought a number of cooking sauces that were recently recalled.

5 Cooking Sauces & Pastes Recalled After They Failed to Declare Fish Allergen on Label

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has instructed Kwong Cheong Thye to recall five of its cooking sauces and pastes after they were found to potentially contain an undeclared fish allergen.

According to a statement by the SFA, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has detected a fish allergen in a sample of Kwong Cheong Thye Sambal Belachan Chilli Paste manufactured in Singapore.

The allergen was not declared on the product’s label, meaning customers with a fish or shellfish allergy could have suffered a reaction.

Under the Sale of Food (Food Regulation), food products containing ingredients that are
known to cause hypersensitivity must be declared on food packaging labels to safeguard
public health, the SFA said.

Further investigations by the manufacturer revealed that four of its other products could also contain the fish allergen, due to the shrimp-based ingredients used in these products.

Here are the affected products:

1. Kwong Cheong Thye Sambal Belachan Chilli Paste 230g jars that are best before:

• 5 Sep 2021
• 8 Nov 2021
• 4 Feb 2022
• 30 March 2022
• 8 April 2022

2. Kwong Cheong Thye Crispy Chilli in 230g jars that are best before

• 16 May 2021
• 11 Dec 2021
• 29 Dec 2021
• 28 Jan 2022
• 10 Feb 2022
• 19 Feb 2022
• 15 Apr 2022

3. Kwong Cheong Thye Chilli Crab Sauce in 300g and 1kg packets, for all best before dates

4. Kwong Cheong Thye Laksa Paste in 200g packets that are best before 23 July, 2021, and 1kg packets that are best before 10 Sep, 2021, and 3 Jul, 2021

5. Kwong Cheong Thye Premium Chilli King in 230g jars that are best before:

• 11 Nov 2021
• 29 Jan 2022

Signs of Allergic Reaction

While customers who are not allergic to fish have no reason to worry, those with a fish allergy who purchased these products should not consume them.

Those with a fish allergy may experience hives, swelling of the lips, itchy skin and rashes, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing and tightening of the throat, after consuming food that contains fish or shellfish.

Seek medical attention immediately if you’ve already consumed these products and experience any symptoms.

“Consumers who have purchased the affected products, and are allergic to fish, may contact their point of purchase for enquiries,” SFA said.

Featured Image: SFA