Police have detained a manager of a food supplier?believed
to be the source of the carcinogenic Sudan I dye recently found in
a number of prepared food products, spices and sauces, according to
a report.
The Beijing Morning Post quoted Guangzhou's Vice Mayor
Wang Xiaoling as saying that the manager of the Guangzhou Tianyang
Food Co.?who was taken into custody recently is facing a
criminal investigation.
China launched a nationwide inspection when Sudan I was detected
in food and ingredients sold or used by fast-food chain KFC and the
Heinz Meiweiyuan (Guangzhou) Food Co., a subsidiary of US food
giant Heinz.
Both companies suspended sales of the suspect products.
So far the dye has been found in 12 provinces and
municipalities. Food inspectors last week continued to search
supermarkets and restaurants around the country for food containing
the industrial dye used for coloring solvents, oils, waxes and shoe
and floor polishes.
On March 26 in the city of Yan'an, Shaanxi
Province, the local industrial and commercial quality control
department issued a warning that Sudan I-contaminated food products
were believed to be in local circulation.
The department published a list of suspect items, requesting
restaurant and canteen operators, storeowners and citizens to
report the products if found. The list included four types of
hotpot sauce made by the Chengdu Fuchuan Industrial Co., and pepper
oil and other sauces from the Chengdu Pixian Jianchun Bean Sauce
Production Co.
(China.org.cn, CRI.com March 29, 2005)