You've probably seen them, those ominous warnings on the back of so many foodstuffs: "Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including Cadmium and Lead, which are known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm."
Prolific cookbook author Andrea Nguyen received a question from a concerned subscriber of her newsletter, Pass the Fish Sauce, about the warnings on a chili bean paste and the doubanjiang. (He was gathering ingredients to make her mapo tofu recipe.) So Andrea decided to tackle the topic.
These warning labels are the result of Proposition 65. Officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, it requires manufacturers and businesses to assess what chemicals they might be exposing people to. Sinc being enacted nearly 40 years ago, the list of potential carcinogens has expanded and currently includes 900 chemicals that may contribute to an overall lifetime risk of cancers and birth defects.
What do these labels mean? And if they're on so many foodstuffs, how worried should we be? Andrea reached out to a leading Asian food importer to try to understand. He wanted to remain anonymous because it's a sticky issue for his industry.
Food producers have a few options, he told her. Manufacturers can test for all 900 chemicals but that's prohibitively expensive. Some manufacturers test for the top 25 or so chemicals. Others don't test at all and simply slap the warning label on all of their products. Still others take their chances and hope they don't get caught in the crosshairs of a Prop 65 compliance lawsuit. If they do, they typically settle and chalk it up to the cost of doing business in California.
While shopping in a Ranch 99 in Irvine, Nguyen noticed warnings attached to the shelves as she walked up and down the aisles.
"As a cook, and as an advocate of home cooking and for exploring Asian culture and foodways, I'm always nudging people to try new ingredients, to go to Asian markets," Nguyen says. "And I feel when I walk into an Asian market and pick up any kind of packaged good, let's say it's kombu to make dashi, and it's got the warning on it."
That's because many smaller producers are routinely labeling all their products to avoid running afoul of the law or getting sued.
Want to make your own condiment? Try Andrea's recipe for Nước Chấm Dipping Sauce.
Nước Chấm
Makes about 1 cup
Take the time to perfect this tangy-salty-spicy dipping sauce and you can turn practically any dish toward Vietnam! Although nước chấm literally means “dipping liquid” in Vietnamese, it’s not just for dunking. This amber condiment may be drizzled onto rice plates and spooned into rice noodle bowls.
Cooks have myriad ways to make this sauce, and the best approach to per- sonalizing it is to first make a versatile tangy base. For decades I constructed a limeade foundation, but I recently switched to an easier vinegar base accented by fresh citrus. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar has a savory note and is functionally more consistent than citrus juices, which vary in tartness and make finessing the sauce harder.
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup lukewarm water, plus more as needed
- 2 Tbsp agave syrup, mild honey, or granulated sugar, plus more as needed
- 2 1⁄2 Tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar, plus more as needed
- 2 tsp fresh lime or lemon juice, plus more as needed
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce (store-bought or vegan version, page 29), plus more as needed
- 2 to 3 tsp chile-garlic sauce (see page 37), or 1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (optional)
- 1⁄4 cup coarsely grated carrot (optional)
Instructions
-
To make the sauce base: In a small bowl, stir together the water, agave syrup, vinegar, and lime juice. Taste to make sure there’s a tart-sweet foundation. Add additional sweetener and vinegar or juice in 1⁄2- or 1-tsp increments, depending on your palate. Taste and dilute with a splash of water if you go too far.
-
When you’re satisfied, add the fish sauce. Is it salty enough? If not, add more fish sauce 1 tsp at a time. The amount used depends on the type and brand and your flavor preferences. Aim for a big flavor finish because the sauce will coat unsalted or mildly salted ingredients, such as lettuce and herbs. Once you get it the way you like it, jot down your formula for future reference.