Hup Seng says cream crackers safe amid HK claim

Local biscuit maker Hup Seng Perusahaan Makanan Sdn Bhd has reaffirmed that its cream crackers are safe for public consumption, several days after Hong Kong Consumer Council's (HKCC) claim of cancer-inducing elements found in the product.

"We would like to inform that the Special Cream Crackers produced and marketed in Malaysia are safe for consumption and in line with local regulations on quality standards and food safety.

"We will offer full cooperation with the authorities in any investigations if required to do so," said the company which grew to be a household brand from a family business by four brothers in Batu Pahat in 1957.

"We would like to thank all our loyal customers and staff for their support," it added in a statement today.

The South China Morning Post on Monday reported HKCC's findings based on 60 samples of pre-packed biscuits and crackers sold in Hong Kong - including from Hup Seng - contained cancer-inducing elements such as glycidol or acrylamide.

"We believe that these kinds of contaminants are possible to avoid because according to our findings some of the ingredients in these biscuits are palm oil… You can minimise the contaminants as much as possible," HKCC's CEO Gilly Wong Fung-han reportedly said.

The council also found that 40 percent of the products analysed had misleading nutrition labels.

Responding to the findings, Health Ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division in Putrajaya on Friday said initial investigations found that Hup Seng's factory premises hold a valid Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points certificate, subject to further verifications.

It also noted that the identified acrylamide and glycidol elements were contaminants that could be produced during the product manufacturing process.

On the issue of misleading nutrition labels, the division said Malaysia's guideline permits companies to declare the numbers based on calculation or analysis, and also to state the amount within a permitted range. - Mkini