The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed its import alert on canned mushrooms shipped from China, said a Chinese official Tuesday.

The unnamed official from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said the FDA decided to lift the alert recently because it found that China has set up a strict and comprehensive inspection system for its canned mushroom exports.

When an import alert is given, US customs officials hold any imports of Chinese canned mushrooms for further examination by the FDA before they are allowed to enter the market, explained the official.

This practice has been conducted since 1989 when the FDA found canned mushroom products to be insalubrious and caused staphylococcal food poisoning. The FDA conducted an evaluation of China's inspection system and records of exports submitted to the Administration, and eventually agreed to the removal of the measure nearly one month ago.

"We have taken many measures to improve production, which was highly praised when the FDA conducted on-the-spot inspections in China in 1998," the official said.

Despite the repealing of this trade barrier, exports will not resume fully since canned mushroom products are still subject to anti-dumping duties as high as 198 percent.

(China Daily March 10, 2004)