Police have detained a manager of a food supplier believed to be the source of the carcinogenic Sudan I dye recently found in a number of prepared food products, spices and sauces, according to a report.

The Beijing Morning Post quoted Guangzhou's Vice Mayor Wang Xiaoling as saying that the manager of the Guangzhou Tianyang Food Co. who was taken into custody recently is facing a criminal investigation.

China launched a nationwide inspection when Sudan I was detected in food and ingredients sold or used by fast-food chain KFC and the Heinz Meiweiyuan (Guangzhou) Food Co., a subsidiary of US food giant Heinz.

Both companies suspended sales of the suspect products.

So far the dye has been found in 12 provinces and municipalities. Food inspectors last week continued to search supermarkets and restaurants around the country for food containing the industrial dye used for coloring solvents, oils, waxes and shoe and floor polishes.

On March 26 in the city of Yan'an, Shaanxi Province, the local industrial and commercial quality control department issued a warning that Sudan I-contaminated food products were believed to be in local circulation.

The department published a list of suspect items, requesting restaurant and canteen operators, storeowners and citizens to report the products if found. The list included four types of hotpot sauce made by the Chengdu Fuchuan Industrial Co., and pepper oil and other sauces from the Chengdu Pixian Jianchun Bean Sauce Production Co.

(China.org.cn, CRI.com March 29, 2005)