More than a dozen types of imported cosmetics from countries where
mad cow disease (boving spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE viruses)
has been found were seized in Beijing by the city's health and
quarantine authorities during their recent market inspection.
The seized makeup products included perfumes, lipsticks and creams
of famous brands like Chanel (France), Shiseido (Japan) and Nivea
(Germany), according to Gu Qun, director with the supervision
office under the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau.
The bureau and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Quality Supervision
and Inspection and Quarantine on Thursday jointly checked the
imported cosmetics in markets and beauty parlors around the
city.
The seizure was in line with a March 4 notice released by the
Ministry of Health, which forbids cosmetics from BSE-discovered
countries or regions containing certain animal tissues - including
cattle or sheep brain tissue, nerve tissue, internal organs,
placenta and blood, or their extracts - from sales in China unless
official safety certificates are achieved.
The notice by the Ministry of Health also required domestic
businesses withdraw such imports of cosmetics from those countries
before the deadline - April 20 or face punishment.
Earlier this week the Ministry of Health released a statement
listing two types of animal tissues used as cosmetic components in
those BSE-discovered countries and regions. All cosmetic products
from those places should be attached with official quarantine
certificates showing the products are free of 73 kinds of tissues
in List I. Those imported cosmetics comprising 12 other types of
animal tissues in List II should further offer component-risk
evaluation reports for approval before sales.
(China
Daily April 27, 2002)