Editorial | Heavy price must be paid for latest China food safety scandal
- Shipping of cooking oil in fuel trucks that had not been cleaned raises health fears and further undermines public confidence
China has suffered from an embarrassing history of food safety scandals and scares that date back decades. Particularly disgraceful was the melamine affair in 2008, in which baby milk was laced with a chemical used in plastic, poisoning 300,000 children.
Such shameful episodes not only harm those directly affected, but also lead to a widespread loss of public trust. Much work has been done by authorities in a bid to restore confidence, but sadly just as progress seems to have been made, something has happened to undermine it.
The latest incident was uncovered by journalists at The Beijing News, who reported on how companies were shipping cooking oil in tanker trucks also used to carry fuel – without cleaning between shipments to save costs. The story understandably caused national uproar and created widespread concern about food safety.
That the new scandal has emerged at a time when President Xi Jinping has been stressing the need for the country to bolster its food security makes it all the more troubling. That would explain why the State Council, or China’s cabinet, has set up a multi-agency team, including state regulator the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to investigate.
In the case of the tainted melamine, which led to the death of six babies, 22 manufacturers were accused of using the chemical to boost protein levels in nutrition tests. Sentences for offenders ranged from lengthy prison terms to the death penalty.
