Our popcorn is safe, say cinemas
By Wang Qingchu and Xu Wei |
April 23, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI cinemas yesterday told customers that the popcorn sold in their theaters was safe to eat.
The reassurance came following reports that some Beijing theaters had been found using popcorn buckets which contained toxic fluorescent brightener.
"We hope the dangerous popcorn paper bags will not become another food-related scandal following tainted pork and dyed steamed buns," said Jeffrey Qiu, a movie fan in Shanghai. "As frequent theatergoers, my wife and I are more likely to get involved in such danger."
Some containers at major cinemas in Beijing turned blue when exposed to ultraviolet light, indicating the addition of whitening agent, the Beijing Times said yesterday.
Fluorescent brightener is banned in paper food packaging as the chemical can lead to cancer. To reduce costs, some manufacturers use waste paper to make food packaging, which is also not allowed, and add the chemical to whiten the paper.
An unnamed insider told the Beijing newspaper that paper buckets which had the fluorescent brightener added could be 20 percent cheaper than the safe ones.
Both inferior ones and safe ones were found at one cinema, the report said.
"The paper bowls clear of the toxic chemical were probably prepared to pass checks," Dong Jinshi, secretary general of the International Food Packaging Association, told the newspaper. The cinema might have used the unqualified product for customers while they sent safe ones to the quality watchdog, Dong said.
"The fundamental cause of the problem is lax supervision of industry and commerce watchdog," Dong said.
Cinemas in Shanghai contacted by Shanghai Daily yesterday assured customers that their popcorn and its containers were of the good quality.
Zhang Bin, an official at the Shanghai Film Art Center, said their popcorn and containers were bought in vacuum packs from major brand companies.
"We trust our suppliers for their good reputation and acclaimed expertise in this field," he said. "Obviously the dangerous popcorn paper bags in Beijing are bought from small workshops to save the cost." Other cinemas said they would be double checking their products.
The reassurance came following reports that some Beijing theaters had been found using popcorn buckets which contained toxic fluorescent brightener.
"We hope the dangerous popcorn paper bags will not become another food-related scandal following tainted pork and dyed steamed buns," said Jeffrey Qiu, a movie fan in Shanghai. "As frequent theatergoers, my wife and I are more likely to get involved in such danger."
Some containers at major cinemas in Beijing turned blue when exposed to ultraviolet light, indicating the addition of whitening agent, the Beijing Times said yesterday.
Fluorescent brightener is banned in paper food packaging as the chemical can lead to cancer. To reduce costs, some manufacturers use waste paper to make food packaging, which is also not allowed, and add the chemical to whiten the paper.
An unnamed insider told the Beijing newspaper that paper buckets which had the fluorescent brightener added could be 20 percent cheaper than the safe ones.
Both inferior ones and safe ones were found at one cinema, the report said.
"The paper bowls clear of the toxic chemical were probably prepared to pass checks," Dong Jinshi, secretary general of the International Food Packaging Association, told the newspaper. The cinema might have used the unqualified product for customers while they sent safe ones to the quality watchdog, Dong said.
"The fundamental cause of the problem is lax supervision of industry and commerce watchdog," Dong said.
Cinemas in Shanghai contacted by Shanghai Daily yesterday assured customers that their popcorn and its containers were of the good quality.
Zhang Bin, an official at the Shanghai Film Art Center, said their popcorn and containers were bought in vacuum packs from major brand companies.
"We trust our suppliers for their good reputation and acclaimed expertise in this field," he said. "Obviously the dangerous popcorn paper bags in Beijing are bought from small workshops to save the cost." Other cinemas said they would be double checking their products.
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