Tests on samples of frozen green beans that reportedly caused sickness in Japan showed no evidence of pesticide residue, Chinese authorities said in Laiyang, Shandong Province on Thursday.

Sample tests carried out on Wednesday found no sign of pesticide residue, said Mu Xin, vice mayor of Laiyang City, Shandong Province, where Yantai Beihai Foodstuff Co. Ltd is based.

No abnormal signs were found in the beans' planting and processing procedures, Mu said at a news briefing held on Thursday afternoon.

According to Japanese media, a woman fell ill after eating the beans produced by the company, a joint venture established in 1990 by Taiwan and Japanese investors. The woman experienced numbness in her mouth after eating the beans on Sunday.

Japanese health authorities reportedly said they had detected 6,900 parts per million of organophosphate pesticide dichlorvos in the beans, or 34,500 times the maximum level the government allows for imports.

"The company and its production base in the northeastern Heilongjiang Province have never used such a kind of pesticide," said Mu Mingde, Yantai Beihai Foodstuff general manager.

The company's pesticide management was in complete accord with the standards Japan requires, he said.

He added the exported products had passed pesticide residue tests by Chinese quality and quarantine authorities, exporters and Japanese importers and no problem was detected.

The company, mainly processing frozen vegetables, stopped exports of the products to Japan. It had 85 percent of its products exported to the country. But its production was continuing.

"We are fully confident of our products," he said. "We hope to resume the exports as soon as possible and continue to provide Japanese consumers with safe food."

Mu said he hoped Japanese police would deepen its investigation and find out the exact cause of the incident.

Laiyang police were also investigating the case, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2008)