Condiments
Seasoning and sauces are an important part of Asian cooking to bring out the rich aroma and flavour of foods.
It is good to be mindful that we buy organic seasoning that has not been adulterated with additives.
Like vegetable bouillon and broth, it is good to look out for the stock that is made from organic green, root vegetables and not loads of salt and maltodextrin (derived mainly from starch like corn which is likely GMO).
To you are using sauce like soy sauce, oyster sauce, refined oil and hoisin sauce, do check that it is genuinely organic and not made from protein hydrolysis. Hydrochloric acid is used to speed up the breakdown of protein into amino acids, rather than the traditional slow fermentation of the soy bean.
A by-product 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropanediol) is produced which is hazardous to health and even carcinogenic.
The joint Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) set a limit of 3-MCPD in soy sauce of 0.02mg/kg in line with European Commission Standards which come with force in the EU in April 2002.
Choose organic sauces and seasoning!