Substandard imported goods seized

Border quality control officers seized 332 batches of substandard imported food products and cosmetics in March, the top quality watchdog said late on Monday.

The substandard products, from big-name companies including Fonterra and the Imperial Teas Group, were seized at ports of entry in March and were either returned or destroyed, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement on its website.

Three batches of milk imported from New Zealand were past their shelf life. Also, three batches of green tea produced by Imperial in Sri Lanka were found to contain unsafe levels of rare earth, according to the statement.

Some hair color products made by L’Oreal were destroyed as the exporter failed to provide required certificates.

The administration regularly releases information about unsafe imported products seized at borders. None of these substandard products entered the Chinese markets.