Update: China’s response to the food export scandal

Chinese exports have been under scrutiny since the discovery of melamine in shipments of feed and pet food sent to the US.

Ongoing inspections in China have revealed an alarming list of substances, include paraffin wax, dyes, and formaldehyde in biscuits, flour, and seafood, according to the Chinese newspaper, People’s Daily.

FoodQualityNews.com reports, “some processors were also found to be using recycled or expired food in their operations.”

To date, about 180 plants have been shut down, with 37 having their licenses removed. Eleven cases are being dealt through judicial proceedings.

It’s a start. But there’s a lot more to be done. More than 170,000 production licenses were issued by the Chinese food and drug agency over the past decade.

7/3/07 22:25 JR