The central government yesterday blacklisted 17 food additives and named 10 kinds of food that could contain excessive additives.
The lists, issued by the Ministry of Health, the Public Security Bureau and seven other ministries under the direction of the central government, were part of a four-month nationwide food-safety campaign to restore consumer confidence.
A government notice said food manufacturers and restaurants would be punished for adding illegal chemicals or having excessive amounts of food additives in their products, but companies would have until January 10 to check their products and destroy those that did not meet standards.
Food suppliers will also have to ensure that the permitted food additives used are within legal limits and produced by licensed companies.
The 17 prohibited items include headline-making additives such as Sudan red, a carcinogenic dye used for colouring egg yolks, and melamine, an industrial chemical used to boost protein readings in milk.
Other banned additives include carbon monoxide, industrial methanol for colouring or improving the texture of food, and opium, added to hotpots to get customers addicted.
