Bangkok bak kwa has high levels of preservatives: Thai consumer agency

Bak kwa sold in Bangkok shops have been found to have excessive levels of preservatives, a report said.

Lin Zhen Xiang, a dried snack shop in Bangkok's Yaowarat that is popular with tourists, was one of those named by The Universal Daily News, a Chinese paper in Thailand.

The Thai Consumer Protection Association said on July 12 that many brands of bak kwa have high levels of sodium nitrite, but they do not indicate the use of the preservative on their packaging.

The sellers also do not print the expiry dates of the products on the wrappers.

These were findings from testing 14 samples from shops in Yaowarat and in malls in Bangkok. All were found to contain excessive amounts of the chemical.

This is against Thai food safety regulations, the association said.

Sodium nitrite, which is often used to preserve meat, has been linked to a greater risk of cancer.

In some circumstances, the nitrites can form cancer-causing substances in the bowel. However, studies have found that vitamin C can inhibit these carcinogens from forming.

Thailand is not among the approved sources of pork products by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore.

Travellers are allowed to bring in a maximum of 5kg of pork products from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and US.

（THE STRAITS TIMES）