State media reported that the Chinese food safety commission is going to investigate the alleged use of fuel tankers for transporting cooking oil. This has led to sharp criticisms and renewed fears of food contamination in a country where several food and drug scandals have occurred.
According to Parami News, Sinograin, China’s largest grain storage and transport company, and Hopefull Grain and Oil Group are two main players in this scandal. Both companies have admitted that investigations are being carried out.
Last week, the Beijing News published an article reporting that some tankers belonging to Sinograin had been found ferrying different kinds of meals like soybean oil, syrup as well as cooking oil without washing them off first. The food safety commission will hold a special meeting with the National Development and Reform Commission, The State Administration of Grain and Reserves among other ministries to discuss further on it at which point we can only hope that proper action is taken according to state broadcaster CCTV.
“Those enterprises violating laws will face severe penalties prescribed by law,” said CCTV.
Following a series of food scandals including melamine contaminated milk scandal in 2008 which resulted in infant deaths Chinese made products came under intense scrutiny both locally and internationally. To try improve on its food safety controls as well as allay fears from importers on fake goods coming into their countries; Beijing has done everything possible over these years while some people would prefer foreign brands with more reliability.
China’s press referred to the issue of edible oils as “open secret” within transportation industry whereas it was described by national television channel CCTV like “equivalent poisoning.”
Massive public outcry
Many citizens took to China’s heavily censored social media platforms calling for product recalls as well as tighter industry regulation. Others even linked it with general problems facing the nation such us economic crisis wherein social unrests are fomented or existence of a single authority without responsibility over influential bodies related to government authorities?
However, despite notable improvements in people’s lives over the years, food security has remained a matter of grave concern. In response to dozens of these scandals, the local media has become increasingly stringent in terms of government control.
