Korean Rice Cake Association Sticker
Bought some tteok (떡 = traditional Korean rice cakes) this morning and when I got home I noticed a pink and blue sticker of an organization called the Korean Rice Cake Association. Furthermore, it said: Discard after 24 hours. Section 111223 of the Health and Safety Code. Reproduction of this label is prohibited. Then hand-written was 4.20, meaning April 20.
Really piqued my interest. It turns out there’s a special provision in the California Health and Safety Code for Korean rice cakes.
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, SECTION 111222-111223
111222. For purposes of this article, a “Korean rice cake” is defined as a confection that contains rice powder, salt, sugar, various edible seeds, oil, dried beans, nuts, dried fruits, and dried pumpkin. The ingredients may not include any animal fats or any other products derived from animals. A Korean rice cake is prepared by using a traditional Korean method that includes cooking by steaming at not less than 275 degrees Fahrenheit, for not less than five minutes, nor more than 15 minutes.
111223. All manufacturers of Korean rice cakes shall place a label issued by the Korean Rice Cake Association Corporation on the Korean rice cake that indicates the date of manufacture. The Korean rice cakes label shall include a statement that the rice cake must be consumed within one day of manufacture.
The reason this special provision came about is because the Los Angeles County Department of Health had insisted that Korean tteok makers refrigerate their tteok after preparation, fearing that the water content could lead to the bacterial growth. Of course, no Korean wanted to buy refrigerated tteok.
So the Korean-American community lobbied and lobbied and enlisted the help of California Assemblymember Carol Liu. Finally in 2001, Governor Gray Davis signed AB 187, which laid out these legal provisions. Tteok must be sold with a label on which the date of manufacture is written and bear a statement that it should be thrown out after 24 hours.
