Cooking oil contamination incident reignites food safety concerns in China

11 Jul 2024 --- The Chinese government is reportedly investigating claims that companies have been using the same fuel tankers to carry cooking oil and fuel, without cleaning procedures being carried out in between shipments.

The allegations have reignited food safety concerns in the country, which has been rocked by a series of previous high-profile food safety scandals.

Reports of the incident first emerged after state-backed Beijing News reported that edible soybean oil was being directly shipped in tankers also used for inedible coal shipments without sufficient cleanliness checks being carried out.

As part of an investigative report, it followed the movements of tanker drivers. Other Chinese media outlets have described the cost cutting practice as an “open secret” within the industry. Posts online confirm that investigations are taking place.

A troubled food safety history
China is the second most populated country in the world, with around 1.4 billion inhabitants. It is one of the largest producers of agri-foods worldwide, including cereals, cotton, fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs and fishery products. It is also responsible for 23% of global food grain production.

Due to its high rates of agricultural production, food contamination and standards remain a significant concern for the country. One of the most shocking cases in China received worldwide attention in 2008, when around 300,000 babies were taken ill due to contaminated infant milk powder. Six babies died as a result. 

The milk was found to contain melamine, which causes kidney stones in  China is one of the largest producers of agri-foods worldwide, including eggs and poultry.humans and, in some cases, kidney damage. It was found that the company that produced the formula, knew the product was adulterated months before it alerted local authorities. 

In the last 20 years the Chinese government has attempted to tighten its food safety regulations. Most notably, in 2003, it established the China State Food and Drug Administration (now called The National Medical Products Administration). In 2015, it implemented China’s Food Safety Law to ensure food safety and standards for citizens.

Meanwhile, its 2016 national strategy for food safety laid out intentions to have zero tolerance for food safety risks. The government also says it aims to modernize food safety standards and governance further by 2050.

Scale of the challenge
The large number of food safety incidents in China are due to a lack of monitoring and regulation and poor ethical practices by some food companies, according to Dr. Shoba Suri, a senior fellow at think tank the Observer Research Foundation.

“Environmental issues also affect crop yield, food quality, and food safety. About 12 million tons of food grains are contaminated every year due to soil pollution by heavy metals threatening food safety and human health,” she explains in a recent article about China’s food safety issues. 

“The mushrooming of fake and counterfeit products sold through online platforms is putting food safety at risk. The lack of or incomplete food labeling can also jeopardize food safety as the consumer is unsure of the food product.” 

Suri continues that even though China has enacted the “Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods” since 2011 and revised it over the years, its past food scandals suggest that stricter regulations and proper labeling laws are still required.

She believes future food safety strategies should focus on strengthening safety legislation and aligning food safety standards to international benchmarks. Creating awareness among consumers and improved front-of-pack labeling to provide all required information should also be implemented. 

“Further, food safety guidance should be developed for food producers, businesses, and authorities to maintain food safety standards across the food value chain,” adds Suri.