Sudan I, a possible cancer-causing dye, has been detected in
foods produced by a Heinz subsidiary in Guangdong,
China's product quality watchdog said Friday 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
remainder from shelves.
"Inspectors in the south China province have found Heinz' Golden
Mark brand products -- pepper sauce and pepper oil -- contained the
colorant Sudan I, which was banned for use in food in China and
many other countries," said a statement from the state
administration.
The administration 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 China 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 (China) Investment Co. Ltd., told China Daily none of
its five products being recalled in Britain were sold in China,
including Hong Kong and Taiwan.
China 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.
China 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 British Food Standards Agency Chief Executive Jon Bell.
(China Daily March 5, 2005)