Repeated Odor and Turbidity Controversies, Even Reputable Alcohol Companies Are Worried
Concerns are rising among consumers as foreign substance odors and turbidity issues have been reported in popular domestic brand alcoholic beverages.
Following the so-called 'Diesel Soju,' where a gasoline-like smell was detected in soju, controversy has erupted over 'Mucilaginous Beer,' which reportedly contained cloudy substances in its foam.
These products, which have sparked rumors among self-employed individuals and netizens, are from a liquor company headquartered in the Seoul metropolitan area, and the products are currently awaiting inspection results from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Earlier last month, a post titled "Diesel found in soju on sale" was uploaded on an online community, drawing significant attention.
According to online communities, Mr. A, who runs a barbecue restaurant in Seoul, heard from a customer in early April that the soju had a strange odor.
After smelling it himself, Mr. A realized the soju smelled like diesel, and upon checking other soju bottles, he found that only products manufactured by the same brand had a similar odor.
When Mr. A inspected the liquor delivered to him, about 20 bottles of soju emitted a diesel smell, and a family member of Mr. A reportedly felt unwell after drinking the soju, even requiring a hospital visit.
The liquor company reportedly collected the problematic soju bottles, stating, "We will report directly to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to identify the cause."
However, Mr. A has not received any response or action from the company for two weeks.
Recently, turbidity issues were also raised regarding beer products produced by the same company, which has since posted an apology on its website and announced a recall of all products produced on the affected dates.
The company decided on April 22 to voluntarily recall beer products manufactured on March 13 and 25 at its Gangwon region factory. It also halted shipments of these products and recalled those already distributed.
Additionally, as a precautionary measure, products produced on April 3 and 17 were also subject to recall.
The company explained that a temporary issue occurred during the production process and pointed to lactic acid bacteria as the cause of the turbidity. However, it stated that the turbidity resulted from the combination of polysaccharide carbohydrates and proteins and is considered harmless to humans.
The company is conducting a recall of canned products produced on the four specified dates currently distributed in the market.
Due to this, other liquor companies, not related to the affected company, are reportedly anxious that their products might be mistakenly identified as problematic, potentially spreading the issue.
A representative from a soju manufacturer in the Busan area said, "It is true that we are concerned that consumption might shrink overall due to problems with similar products from other companies," adding, "There have been no complaints or issues raised regarding our company's products."
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