| ■ China Closes 180 Food Plants | 07.07.02 |
| Chinese regulators have closed 180 food plants after uncovering more than 23,000 food safety violations, The New York Times reported. Following a scandal involving contaminated vegetable protein that triggered one of the largest pet food recalls in U.S. history, China said its crackdown on plants that produce food for human consumption began in December. Regulators discovered that some food makers were using "industrial chemicals, dyes, and other illegal ingredients in making a range of food products," the newspaper said. Despite the crackdown, China has denied that its food exports are dangerous. Announcement of the crackdown appeared on the Web site of China's leading quality watchdog. The action involving some 33,000 law enforcement officers uncovered violations including "illegal food making dens, counterfeit bottled water, fake soy sauce, banned food additives, and illegal meat processing plants," according to the Times. Experts told the newspaper that the Chinese food production system is beset with problems, including unenforced regulations, corruption, and bribery. |