CHINA - The baijiu industry has suffered a major setback after plasticizers
were allegedly found in almost all brands of the liquor.
On Monday, shares in the
Shenzhen-listed Jiugui Liquor Co, a large baijiu manufacturer based in Hunan
province, were suspended from trade after business news website 21cbh.com
reported the company's products were found to contain excessive plasticizers.
The trading of shares in the
company will resume after the relevant facts are verified, the suspension
notice said.
The company's shares remained
suspended on Tuesday.
"I felt very confused about
the test results as reported by media because there is no special national
standard for such a chemical in baijiu at all. And now the company's products
have been sent to a qualified department to be tested," Fan Zhen,
vice-president of Jiugui Liquor, was quoted as saying by China Central
Television on Tuesday.
Plasticizers are banned in China
as food additives because the chemicals can cause male fertility problems and
induce early female puberty, and experiments on animals have demonstrated a
carcinogenic effect.
Liquor products produced by
Jiugui, which were bought in Beijing, were tested for three types of
plasticizers at an independent lab, 21cbh.com reported on Monday.
The amount of plasticizer DBP in
the company's products was 1.08 mg/kg, far exceeding the national standard of
0.3 mg/kg for food, the report said.
On Monday, the China Alcoholic
Drinks Association said on its website that the country's liquor products do
contain plasticizers, but the content is far below the standard limit set on
such products overseas.
According to a statement posed on
its website, the association launched an investigation into baijiu
manufacturers on the mainland after plasticizers were found in a range of foods
and drinks in Taiwan in May 2011.
"High-grade baijiu products
have a higher content of plasticizers, while the content in low-grade baijiu is
lower," the association said.
The products were contaminated
during the transfer, storage and packing of liquor, because plastic products
are widely used during this process, it said.
"But since plastic-related
products and equipment have been in use in the production of baijiu since the
1970s, no human illness has been reported due to plasticizers in baijiu until
now," the statement said.
Dong Jinshi, executive
vice-president of the International Food Packaging Association, said on Tuesday
it is possible that these chemicals were added by manufacturers.
"Otherwise, it would not be
common to see almost all products contain plasticizers," he said.
Dong said the chemicals help
liquor products easily adhere to the glass and enhance flavor.
"Government authorities
should clarify the details of the testing of plasticizers in baijiu as soon as
possible. And strict punishments for the manufacturers found to be engaging in
illegal activities should also been launched," Dong said.
Sales of liquor products by
Jiugui Liquor were continuing as normal at the Beijing Hua Tang Yokado
Department Store on Tuesday, said Cheng Ning, who is in charge of external
liaison in Hua Tang Yokado Commercial Co in Beijing.
"So far, we have not
received any official notice to pull any liquor products off shelves. But now I
am concerned about the sales of baijiu, which may be affected in the near
future," she said.
Bian Chunshan, 26, who worked in
Beijing for four years, said he is extremely worried about his health as baijiu
was once a frequent choice of drink when he socialized.
"Now I am thinking of
replacing baijiu with other types of drinks, such as beer and red wine,"
he said.
China is conducting research into
setting a specific limit for the amount of plasticizers in baijiu, according to
the China Alcoholic Drinks Association.
China Daily/Asia News Network
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