A famous chef's curry brand claims zero sugar, despite listing sugar as an ingredient.

A customer noticed the mismatch and filed an official food safety complaint over Baek Jong-won's curry.

Translated by Klore · Published

Source & context
Trending on a Korean communityView original post ↗
● Some K-contextFoodSocietyHow much Korea-context this story assumes. English translations and context by Klore.
Korean community post, image 1: Sugar and onion sit right in the ingredient list — yet the label claims 0g sugar.
English translation
Sugar and onion sit right in the ingredient list — yet the label claims 0g sugar. 'Zero-sugar curry,' lol.

제품명 연돈카레 중량 200g 제조원 에프와이지 주식회사 괴산공장지점 충북 괴산군 괴산읍 대제산단2길 64 유통전문 (주)더본코리아 / 서울 특별시 강남구 판매원 봉은사로1길 39, 유성빌딩 지상 5,6층(논현동) 원재료명 양파(국산), 정제수, 돼지고기(국산), 유함유가공품 {영국산/버터밀크, 식물성유지(경화팜유, 팜유), 크림, 버터밀크 분말, 혼합제제(글리세린지방산에스테르, 폴리글리세린지방산 에스테르, 폴리소르베이트60, 글리세린지방산에스테르, 폴리소르베이트80)}, 식용돈지, 과·채가공품1, 치즈, 양조간장, 즉석조리식품, 카레분, 소스1, 기타엿, 복합 조미식품1, 마늘, 과·채가공품2, 설탕, 소스2, 혼합제제(변성전분, 말토덱스트린), 복합조미식품2, 생강, 생강분말 대두,밀,돼지고기,소고기,닭고기,우유,조개류(굴),토마토 함유 영양정보 총내용량 200g 255kcal 나트륨 1,190mg 60% 탄수화물 16g 5% 당류 0g 0% 지방 17g 31% 트랜스지방 0g 포화지방 11g 73% 콜레스테롤 25mg 8% 단백질 9g 16% 설탕,양파가 들어가는데 당류 0g 제로슈거카레 ㄷㄷㄷ

Community postEnglish translation
Anonymous

Results of the report on Baek Jong-won's 'zero-sugar' curry백종원의 당류 0g 카레 신고 결과

[Food Safety Report Center (1399) — investigation results][불량식품통합신고센터(1399) 조사/처리결과 안내]

- Case number: [redacted]- 문서번호: [블러 처리됨]

- Agency: Goesan County Agri-food Distribution Division / 043-**-***- 답변기관: 충청북도 괴산군 농업건설국 농식품유통과 / 043-***-****

- Response:- 답변내용:

1. Thanks for helping improve food safety standards.1. 올바른 식품위생 문화 정착을 위해 의견 주신 귀하께 깊은 감사의 말씀을 드립니다.

2. Responding to your report on 'FYG Co. Goesan Plant – Yeondon Curry.'2. 귀하께서 “에프와이지주식회사 괴산공장지점-연돈카레” 신고 사항 관련하여 다음과 같이 답변드립니다.

3. Sample collected Aug 25; lab testing found actual sugar content exceeded the allowed label tolerance — a penalty is coming.3. 8월 25일 수거하여 충북보건환경연구원에 영양성분(당류) 의뢰한 결과 당류 실제 측정값이 영양표시량 대비 허용오차 범위를 초과하였기에 처분예정임을 알려드립니다.

4. We'll keep working to ensure safe food distribution.4. 앞으로도 안전한 식품이 유통 판매될 수 있도록 식품안전관리에 최선을 다하도록 하겠습니다.

Trending on a Korean communityView original ↗
💡 Wait, a government office wrote back personally?
Korea's 1399 hotline lets anyone report shady food labeling, and the agency has to reply with a real investigation, not a form letter.vs. the US: like the FDA sending you a signed report instead of an auto-reply.Klore note
💡 Why does this sting this brand especially?
The Born Korea is run by Baek Jong-won, Korea's most trusted TV chef, famous for fixing failing restaurants' recipes on air.vs. the US: like finding out Gordon Ramsay's own bottled sauce mislabeled its nutrition facts.Klore note

What Koreans said

11 top comments on the original thread, translated
  1. 85 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    There's more onion than water in it but sugar content is listed as 0g lol

    양파가 정제수보다 많이들어가는데 당류 0g ㅋㅋ

  2. 16 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Not even a sugar substitute, they literally list sugar as an ingredient but say 0% sugar? Truly amazing

    대체당도 아니고 대놓고 설탕 표기해놓고 당류 0%? 진짜 어메이징 하네

  3. 106 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    If a diabetic eats this and sues, they're screwed. Do they not realize that?

    저러다 진짜 당뇨환자먹고 소송걸리면 ㅈ되는거모르나

Read all 11 translated repliesShow fewer replies
  1. 81 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    They were bragging about having food safety certification, but the agency just said 'never happened' with no real consequences

    식약처 안전 인증을 받았다고 이빨까고 다녔음에도 식약처에선 그런적 없다고만헀지 별 조치없었던거 보면

  2. 52 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Don't they check this stuff when approving it? Feels like the real problem is it got approved in the first place lol

    근데 애들은 허가 내려줄때 이런거 안봐? 애초에 허가가 난게 문제아닌가 싶은데 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

  3. 110 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Faking the ingredient label is just fucked up lol

    성분표기 주작은 씹 ㅋㅋㅋ

  4. 12 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    By law you can only label something 'zero sugar' if it's under 0.5g per 100g. A teaspoon of sugar is about 3g for reference

    국내 식품위생법상 100ml 또는 100g당 당류가 0.5g 미만일 때만 공식적으로 '제로(0)' 또는 '무당'이라는 표시를 사용할 수 있습니다. 티스푼 하나가 3g 정도래

  5. 23 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    If they crack down on every single label like this, all the small local food companies would get wiped out

    저거 하나하나 다 허가로 때리면 동네 작은 식품업체들은 그냥 싹 박멸임

  6. 13 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    If they sue public interest complaints as defamation... that's just game over lol

    공익적인 신고도 명예훼손으로 신고하면...그건 그냥 끝 아니냐 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

  7. 14 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    A surprising number of people don't realize how sweet onions actually are

    양파가 얼마나 단지 모르는 사람 은근 많더라.

  8. 15 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    If you look closely there's also 'other syrup' in there lol

    잘보면 기타엿도 있음 ㅋㅋ

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