Shanghai moves to curb use of food additives

Xinhua, June 8, 2011

The local legislature in Shanghai Tuesday reviewed a draft regulation ordering strict control of food additive use by food producers.

Food makers should use additives in line with food safety standards and record what additives they use, while food safety regulators should boost supervision, according to the draft.

The draft stipulated that food companies should register recalled products and also have clear caution signs on food products near the expiration dates.

The food safety regulators should create credit files for food companies and launch more inspections at those who have a bad credit history, according to the draft.

The regulation followed a dyed bun scandal that emerged in Shanghai in April when China Central Television (CCTV) reported that a food company had been adding coloring to make wheat buns look like corn flour buns and black rice buns.

CCTV also reported that workers relabeled buns made two days earlier with new production dates. These workers also added expired buns, which had been returned to the factory by retailers, to their mixers to create "new" buns.