China probes liquor for plasticizer

CHANGSHA - An ongoing investigation has found no evidence that a domestic brand liquor has been intentionally using plasticizer in its products, a Chinese local quality watchdog claimed Wednesday.

In response to the latest food safety scandal, the Hunan provincial administration of quality and technological supervision said in an online statement that the ongoing investigation results showed by 5:30 pm Tuesday that no such additive was being used by Jiugui Liquor Co Ltd.

The inspection is being carried out by the quality watchdog of the Tujia-Miao autonomous prefecture of Xiangxi.

It carried out a "law enforcement inspection" at the company, which is based in Jishou city, the prefectural seat of Xiangxi on Tuesday.

The quality watchdog will continue with its investigation and severely deal with any illegal acts, the provincial administration said in the brief statement.

The investigation was launched after a report Monday on www.21cbh.com. The business news website, based in south China's Guangdong province, said tests made by Shanghai company Intertek showed one type of Jiugui liquor contained 1.08 mg of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) per kg, one kind of plasticizer.

The level was 260 percent higher than the allowed maximum level of 0.3 mg per kg in food as outlined in a document issued by the Ministry of Health last June, the news article said.

It said four bottles of a type of Jiugui liquor, which sells for 438 yuan ($70) each, was tested.

Jiugui Liquor defended itself on Monday night, saying it did not add the plasticizer in its production process and was checking the tests, the news article added.

Stocks trading in Jiugui Liquor have been suspended since Monday. But sales of Jiugui products continued in supermarkets across the country. Some stores began to take Jiugui liquor products off shelves on Tuesday, media reports said.