Society

Mainland recalls Taiwan's possibly tainted drinks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-27 20:04

BEIJING Mainland importers have begun recalling possibly DEHP-tainted sports drinks manufactured in Taiwan, Li Yuanping, spokesman for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said on Friday.

The Taiwan health bureau reported to the AQSIQ on Tuesday that cloudy agents used in the drink, produced by Taiwan's Yu Shen Spice Co., have been found to contain DEHP, a plastic polymer, which is not allowed to be used in food additives, Li said at a regular press conference.

A cloudy agent is a legal food additive in fruit juice, jam and soft drinks, but some manufacturers used DEHP as raw materials in the production of cloudy agents to save costs.

The mainland has not imported cloudy agents produced by Yu Shen Spice Co. in the past three years, Li said.

As of Thursday night, mainland importers have recalled more than 4,800 bottles of DEHP-tainted sports drinks from the market. According to the AQSIQ, 792 cases of the contaminated beverages entered the mainland market from Shanghai port in March.

Li said quality watchdogs at all levels should step up monitoring of Taiwan-produced additives and beverages and stop taking applications for permission to import food additives manufactured by Yu Shen Spice Co. beginning on Friday.