IAM urges caution over dried fruit snacks

The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has detected excessive amounts of the sweetener aspartame in two pre-packaged sugared fruit snacks during a routine inspection. IAM told the businesses to stop selling and recall the products, and warned the public to avoid consuming them. The two affected products are “Seedless Dried Sour-Sweet UME” and “Dried Plum,” both imported from Japan. The “Seedless Dried Sour-Sweet UME” weighing 160 grams and expiring Nov. 5, 2025, contained 6.2 grams of aspartame per kilogram. The “Dried Plum” weighing 160 grams and expiring Feb. 24, 2025, contained 2.59 grams of aspartame per kilogram. Both products exceed the permitted levels set by Macau’s “Standards on the Use of Food Additives in Foodstuffs.”