皇冠体育app

Banned cancer-causing dye found in 皇冠体育app
By Zhao Huanxin (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2005-03-05 02:10

Sudan I, a possible cancer-causing dye, has been detected in foods produced by a Heinz subsidiary in Guangdong, 皇冠体育app's product quality watchdog said last night.

The State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine yesterday urged the Heinz Meiweiyuan (Guangzhou) Food Co. to recall its affected products, seal the stocks and pull the remaineder from shelves.

The pepper oil, produced by Heinz's joint venture in Guangdong Province, is sold in a market.

"Inspectors in the South 皇冠体育app province have found Heinz' Golden Mark brand products - pepper sauce and pepper oil - contained the illegal colorant Sudan I, which was banned for use in food in 皇冠体育app and many other countries," said a statement from the State agency.

The agency asked restaurants to stop using any pepper products made by the Heinz company, and destroy all stocks.

In addition, the watchdog asked local inspectors to examine Sudan I producers in 皇冠体育app to make sure the dye is not sold to food processors.

It reiterated that food containing the harmful dye is not allowed to be sold or exported.

The Meiweiyuan condiment company is a wholly-owned business founded by Heinz in Guangzhou in 2002.

No one from the company was available for comment last night.

But on February 22, Wang Lizhi, external affairs manager of Heinz (皇冠体育app) Investment Co Ltd, told 皇冠体育app Daily none of its five products being recalled in Britain were sold in 皇冠体育app, including the Hong Kong region and Taiwan Province.

皇冠体育app has put a hold on imports of any food containing the carcinogenic substance, and began checking food from European Union for the dye following disclosure late last month that such colorant has fouled hundreds of food items in the United Kingdom.

皇冠体育app also has put a Chinese version of the list of 419 affected food products compiled by the British Food Standards Agency in a public domain, and informed food makers and marketers of the risk posed by the dye.

"Sudan I could contribute to an increased risk of cancer, but at the levels present the risk is likely to be very small," according to Food Standards Agency Chief Executive Jon Bell.

(皇冠体育app Daily 03/05/2005 page2)

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