More than 100 food products in Hong Kong contained stevioside - the suspected cancer-causing artificial sweetener - including popular soya sauces and drinks served in Japanese and Korean restaurants, a manufacturer claimed yesterday.
Max Ho Man-wang, chief executive of HerbalFit Holdings (HK) and founding member of the Hong Kong Stevia Association, said the recent scare would affect more than 1,000 Japanese and Korean restaurants in the SAR as stevioside was the most common ingredient in their flavourings and sauces.
'Besides Japanese food products, some products made in Korea and China also contain this natural sweetener. For example, a Korean liquor called sake is very popular in many Korean restaurants,' Mr Ho said.
The disclosure came after two more products, Skyslim and Pocari Sweat Stevia, containing the banned sweetener were recalled yesterday. The total number of products recalled so far has reached 18.
Mr Ho insisted that stevioside was a natural sweetener and safe for consumption, although the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department claims it is an unsafe, artificial ingredient that can cause cancer.
Stevioside is extracted from stevia leaves.
'About 85 per cent of stevia is grown in China,' Mr Ho said. 'Would the Chinese Government want to harm her people?'