China's food quality watchdog shuts down 180 plants

A nationwide inspection of China's food-production industry has led to the closing of 180 plants for the use of illegal ingredients in food processing. Thirty-seven firms had their licenses revoked and eleven cases have been forwarded to judicial organs.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine found that industrial materials such as dyes, mineral oils, paraffin wax, formaldehyde and the carcinogenic malachite green were being used for the production of flour, candy, pickles, biscuits,black fungus, melon seeds, bean curd and seafood.

They also found that some manufacturers also use recycled or expired food in their operations. An AFP report says that more than 23,000 substandard or tainted food were found.

Han Yi, director of the administration's quality control and inspection department said at a press conference that the incidents were not isolated cases. He said most of the cases involved small, unlicensed plants with less than 10 employees. The plants caught engaging in illegal practices have been shut down.

Official statistics show that about 75 percent of the 1 million food processing plants in China are small and privately owned.

According to preliminary figures released on Tuesday, quality inspectors have seized 200 million yuan (19.5 million euros) worth of contaminated or substandard food products since the nationwide inspection was launched in December.

According to China Daily, both the Food Hygiene Law and Criminal Law ban the use of chemical ingredients or harmful substance in food production. Violators can face sentences ranging from 10 years to the death penalty for causing poisoning or death.

China was on the spotlight last year because of scandals involving contaminated or substandard food. The country hit international headlines after melamine-contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein used in the manufacture of pet food led to animal deaths in North America.

Han emphasized that to the administration, food safety was a priority and has punished violators. He said the inspection of widely-consumed food products such as wine, meat, milk, beverages, soy sauce and cooking oil, will continue. Rural areas and suburbs are still considered key areas, he said.

Inspection could be hampered by the sheer number of small processing plants scattered all over the country coupled with the inadequate number of enforcement officers, Ye Zhihua, a senior researcher of quality standards and testing technology with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences warned.