China's General Administration of Quality Inspection, Supervision and Quarantine has issued a pre-warning for a range of substandard food products imported into China from Europe.
Substandard food products from Europe are said to include Italian brandy (with excessive methanol), bechamel sauce from Britain (with excessive sorbic acid), soy protein powder imported from Holland (with transgenic elements), dairy products from Spain (with excessive benzoic acid), chocolate products from Belgium (with excessive lemon yellow, light blue and quinoline) as well as the Belgium jam (with excessive sorbic acid).
Local quality supervision and inspection departments have either returned or destroyed the substandard food at the entry site. In addition, AQSIQ has sent a report to Europe proposing a food safety cooperation mechanism and saying it is willing to hold further discussions with the European side on food safety.
Under AQSIQ's pre-warning measure, a 90-day test will be conduct on the food listed above evaluating whether any further action is needed.
