A Shanghai food company has denied that its famous "White
Rabbit" creamy candy contains the poisonous chemical substance
formaldehyde, as claimed by Philippine food authorities.
Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Company Limited said in a
statement issued Wednesday that the company had carried out
testings on the candy after it heard the news and had sent samples
to the city's authoritative testing institution for further
tests.
The company said no preservative had ever been used in the
production of the "White Rabbit" creamy candy. Formaldehyde, a
known cancer causing agent, can be used as preservative or
disinfectant.
A report posted Monday on www. gmanews.tv, a news Website of
Philippine GMA television said the country's Bureau of Food and
Drug (BFAD) found that the "White Rabbit" creamy candy and three
other food products from China contained formaldehyde "after
inspecting for more than two weeks over 600 food products that the
Philippines imported from China".
The Website said the agency would "advise consumers to refrain
from buying such goods until these are proven safe".
Guan Sheng Yuan said it had asked for the testing report and
candy samples from the BFAD through Philippine distributors, but so
far received no response.
The statement said it was "extremely irresponsible for the BFAD
to release the testing report before the product was identified by
its producer".
Guang Sheng Yuan said fake "White Rabbit" candy products were
rampant in recent years both in home and abroad, due to the
worldwide influence of the famous brand.
Shanghai's quality and technical supervision authorities said
Wednesday they are to investigate into the case and make the
results known to the public as soon as possible.
Three other products allegedly found to be tainted with
formaldehyde are a brand of milk candy made by a company in
Jinjiang city, east China's Fujian Province, two grape biscuits
produced by different companies based in Dongguan, Guangdong
Province.
No response is currently available from the producers of the
three companies.
(Xinhua News Agency July 19 2007)
