4 held over cancer chemical bean curd
By Staff Reporter |
December 5, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
POLICE in central China have detained four people for their roles in the production and sale of bean curd sticks laced with cancer-causing chemicals.
The chemicals were added to boost yields and improve the appearance of the tofu sticks - known as fuzhu in Chinese - state television reported yesterday in its investigative Weekly Quality Report.
The scandal surfaced in August when officers conducted a routine check at the Minle Bean Products Plant in Changsha County, Hunan Province. They noticed the "unusually bright" bean curd sticks, China Central Television said.
Officers also discovered shocking hygiene and highly dubious production methods in the plant.
"There were armies of flies - they were bumping into people instead of people bumping into them," Cao Yao, an officer based at Langli police station who took part in the inspection, told CCTV.
Only a few tiles remained on the plant's roof, leaving production open to the elements, the report said.
But the most disturbing discovery was the dried bean curd sticks the factory produced, which Cao described as "abnormally bright."
Officers took samples for food safety regulators to test. Authorities found borax, a chemical usually used as a disinfectant and preservative, methenamine, a plasticizer, and formaldehyde.
Experts say borax can lead to cancer and accumulates inside human organs, while methenamine can cause cancer, allergies, abnormal growth of human organs and cell mutations, according to CCTV.
Police also discovered that Minle's output was way beyond its estimated capacity.
Cao told CCTV that 500 kilograms of soy bean usually produces 150-200kg of bean curd sticks but at Minle the same amount could yield 330kg - after adding 10 yuan (US$1.56) worth of a "secret concoction." The mystery blend added at the factory contained borax and methenamine, the report said.
Minle bought the chemicals from Cao Hui, boss of the Xiangsheng Wholesale Shop.
Cao repeatedly sold the chemicals to Minle, even after he knew that the factory would use them in making bean curd sticks, police said.
Cao Hui said, "Even if I didn't sell it to them, others would have."
He told police he had sold borax and methenamine to factories making pickled vegetables, rice noodles and bean curd sticks in Hunan's Changsha and Loudi, Yichun City in Jiangxi Province and Nanping City in Fujian Province.
Cao Hui is among the four detained, along with Minle owner Liao Daizhao and technician Wu Yuansheng and Cheng Dengqing, head of a company selling Minle products.
The chemicals were added to boost yields and improve the appearance of the tofu sticks - known as fuzhu in Chinese - state television reported yesterday in its investigative Weekly Quality Report.
The scandal surfaced in August when officers conducted a routine check at the Minle Bean Products Plant in Changsha County, Hunan Province. They noticed the "unusually bright" bean curd sticks, China Central Television said.
Officers also discovered shocking hygiene and highly dubious production methods in the plant.
"There were armies of flies - they were bumping into people instead of people bumping into them," Cao Yao, an officer based at Langli police station who took part in the inspection, told CCTV.
Only a few tiles remained on the plant's roof, leaving production open to the elements, the report said.
But the most disturbing discovery was the dried bean curd sticks the factory produced, which Cao described as "abnormally bright."
Officers took samples for food safety regulators to test. Authorities found borax, a chemical usually used as a disinfectant and preservative, methenamine, a plasticizer, and formaldehyde.
Experts say borax can lead to cancer and accumulates inside human organs, while methenamine can cause cancer, allergies, abnormal growth of human organs and cell mutations, according to CCTV.
Police also discovered that Minle's output was way beyond its estimated capacity.
Cao told CCTV that 500 kilograms of soy bean usually produces 150-200kg of bean curd sticks but at Minle the same amount could yield 330kg - after adding 10 yuan (US$1.56) worth of a "secret concoction." The mystery blend added at the factory contained borax and methenamine, the report said.
Minle bought the chemicals from Cao Hui, boss of the Xiangsheng Wholesale Shop.
Cao repeatedly sold the chemicals to Minle, even after he knew that the factory would use them in making bean curd sticks, police said.
Cao Hui said, "Even if I didn't sell it to them, others would have."
He told police he had sold borax and methenamine to factories making pickled vegetables, rice noodles and bean curd sticks in Hunan's Changsha and Loudi, Yichun City in Jiangxi Province and Nanping City in Fujian Province.
Cao Hui is among the four detained, along with Minle owner Liao Daizhao and technician Wu Yuansheng and Cheng Dengqing, head of a company selling Minle products.
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