16 Dec, 2008 - China's first list of banned food additives issued this week contained substances commonly used as insecticides, drain cleaners and industrial dyes.
The register of 17 substances included boric acid that is not only used as an insecticide but is also added by Chinese food manufacturers to meatballs and noodles in order to increase elasticity. Formaldehyde and lye, which is used in soap production and drain-cleaner, was also banned. The materials are also added to water in which seafood is soaked to make the produce appear fresher and bigger.
The list of outlawed substances is the result of an investigation by Chinese officials charges with improving standards in the country’s food industry where the practice of adding industrial chemicals to foodstuffs is rife.
The government working group even listed an addictive substance made from the poppy plant and related to opium, which can be used as a painkiller. It is often used in hot pot, a Chinese dish where meat, vegetables and tofu are cooked at the table.
Local authorities were also cautioned to scrutinise ten common foods – such as cookies, meats and wheat flour – for the presence of potentially harmful food colourings and preservatives. Many of these materials are more commonly used as industrial dyes and the government has warned these should not be used excessively.
A Ministry of Health statement said: “This list provides clues for relevant departments as they carry out this campaign.”
State news agency Xinhua revealed that only 30% of the country’s 500,000 food processing companies have more than 10 employees. The announcement emphasises the small-scale nature of the industry amongst which setting and monitoring of rigorous safety standards has so far proved too much for authorities.