What is lurking in your margarine and will it really give you cancer?

After Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog sounded a warning over levels of glycidol and 3-MCPD in spreads sold locally, we take a closer look at what they are and the risks they pose

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Many Hongkongers have worried recently that their spread was upping their risk of cancer. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:01am, 19 Apr 2018Updated: 4:37pm, 19 Apr 2018

A cancer-risk food scare spooked Hong Kong residents this week after the city’s consumer watchdog said many margarine spreads sold locally contain possible carcinogens.

The Consumer Council found two “possibly carcinogenic” compounds, glycidol and 3-MCPD, in the spreads. Its tests revealed that 18 margarine products contained glycidol and 16 harboured 3-MCPD. Both are “possibly carcinogenic”, while 3-MCPD can cause kidney problems and male infertility.

Hong Kong does not regulate safe limits of the substances in food.

A Centre for Food Safety spokesman said on Thursday it had tested 330 food samples for 3-MCPD between 2011 and last year and that all test results were satisfactory.

“The potential risks of glycidol in food have only come to the attention of the international food safety community in recent years,” he added. “The CFS will conduct a risk assessment study on glycidol in food.”

1. How do glycidol and 3-MCPD get into food?

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