Toxic mildew found in peanuts
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
December 31, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE food safety regulators in the southern city of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province yesterday found carcinogenic mildew in peanuts and cooking oil.
The cancer-causing substance, called aflatoxin, triggered public concern this week after being found in milk products from dairy giant Mengniu.
Aflatoxin occurs naturally in the environment and is produced by certain common types of fungi. It can cause severe liver damage, including liver cancer.
The Shenzhen market supervision bureau said it found up to 4.3 times the permitted level of aflatoxin in peanuts sold in two supermarkets and one frozen food store, and up to four times the allowed level of aflatoxin in cooking oil in four restaurants.
Fungi and the aflatoxin they produce can infect crops before harvest or during harvesting and storage. The tainted crops then enter the food chain either directly, or indirectly via animal feed.
On Thursday, food safety officials recalled cooking oil produced by three companies in Guangdong they may contain excessive levels of aflatoxin.
The companies' storage facilities were closed and licenses revoked as authorities continue the investigation. Their factories were ordered to suspend operations, officials with the provincial bureau of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine said Thursday.
It was not immediately known how much of the three companies' tainted products entered the market.
These incidents are the latest in a string of safety scandals to hit China's food industry in recent years.
The mildew has caught the nation's attention after it was found in high doses in dairy products from Mengniu Dairy Group. An initial investigation showed that the contamination was caused by mildewed feed given to cows in the dairy's plant in Sichuan Province. The report said the toxin would disappear if the cows simply stopped eating the mildewed feed.
China's quality watchdog said yesterday that the latest checks by testing organizations did not find excessive levels of aflatoxin in milk products made by Chinese dairies. A brief statement on the government agency's website said the checks have covered major makers, including Mengniu, Yili Industrial Group, Bright Dairy, and Sanyuan Food.
The cancer-causing substance, called aflatoxin, triggered public concern this week after being found in milk products from dairy giant Mengniu.
Aflatoxin occurs naturally in the environment and is produced by certain common types of fungi. It can cause severe liver damage, including liver cancer.
The Shenzhen market supervision bureau said it found up to 4.3 times the permitted level of aflatoxin in peanuts sold in two supermarkets and one frozen food store, and up to four times the allowed level of aflatoxin in cooking oil in four restaurants.
Fungi and the aflatoxin they produce can infect crops before harvest or during harvesting and storage. The tainted crops then enter the food chain either directly, or indirectly via animal feed.
On Thursday, food safety officials recalled cooking oil produced by three companies in Guangdong they may contain excessive levels of aflatoxin.
The companies' storage facilities were closed and licenses revoked as authorities continue the investigation. Their factories were ordered to suspend operations, officials with the provincial bureau of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine said Thursday.
It was not immediately known how much of the three companies' tainted products entered the market.
These incidents are the latest in a string of safety scandals to hit China's food industry in recent years.
The mildew has caught the nation's attention after it was found in high doses in dairy products from Mengniu Dairy Group. An initial investigation showed that the contamination was caused by mildewed feed given to cows in the dairy's plant in Sichuan Province. The report said the toxin would disappear if the cows simply stopped eating the mildewed feed.
China's quality watchdog said yesterday that the latest checks by testing organizations did not find excessive levels of aflatoxin in milk products made by Chinese dairies. A brief statement on the government agency's website said the checks have covered major makers, including Mengniu, Yili Industrial Group, Bright Dairy, and Sanyuan Food.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
