Cambodia News (Phnom Penh): On January 20, 2023, in order to ensure the safety of food consumption for the upcoming celebration of the Chinese New Year, a team of CCF* authorities inspected and cracked down on seafood stalls in Phnom Penh which were selling prawns injected with an illegal jelly substance.

The officials found some market stalls were selling prawns injected with the jelly substance (CMC)** in the Trabek market, and around 180kgs of the prawns were seized to be destroyed. However, the authorities haven't clarified how they will proceed legally with the sellers who were found selling the illegal prawns.


* The Royal Government of Cambodia renamed Cambodia Import-Export and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CAMCONTROL) as the Consumer Protection Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) by Sub-decree 38, dated on 16th March 2020.

** Note that, contrary to what is said in the article above, Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) itself is not considered dangerous to health, but in this case, the substance CMC is injected into the prawns to retain water and fraudulently increase the weight.

FDA Regulations
In the United States, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is affirmed as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) as a multi-purpose food substance under the following conditions: https://bakerpedia.com/ingredients/carb ... ulose-cmc/