The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from oyster extracts,[1][2][3] sugar, salt and water, thickened with corn starch (though original oyster sauce reduced the unrefined sugar through heating, resulting in a naturally thick sauce due to caramelization, not the addition of corn starch).

Today, some commercial versions are darkened with caramel, though high-quality oyster sauce is naturally dark.

Oysters were boiled in three iron basins for half an hour, then removed for drying on rattan either by sun or over a moderate fire.

Oyster sauces today are usually made with a base of sugar and salt and thickened with corn starch.

Other ingredients, such as soy sauce and monosodium glutamate, may also be added to deepen the flavor and add color.

Since its early stage of development, oyster sauce has been widely popular with Cantonese chefs as an umami rich condiment.

[citation needed] Dishes that may use oyster sauce include crab in oyster sauce, kai-lan, Buddha's delight, Hainanese chicken rice, cashew chicken, lo mein, cha siu baau, har gow, kai yat sai, wonton noodles, and daikon cake.

[18][19] The joint Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) said it had taken emergency action to amend its food standards code to set a limit for 3-MCPD in soy sauce of 0.02 milligrams per kilogram, in line with European Commission standards that came into force in the EU in April 2002.