Certain health supplements and raisins imported from the United States failed to meet Chinese safety standards and have been returned or destroyed, the country's food safety agency said today.
Inspectors in the ports of Ningbo and Shenzhen found bacteria and sulphur dioxide in products shipped by three US companies, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said.
The companies were identified as K-Max Health Products, CMO Distribution Center of America, and Pervalu International Division. The administration said K-Max and CMO exported health capsules, including honey and bacteria-fighting supplements, and that Pervalu exported raisins.
The announcement was the second mention in recent days of China rejecting foreign food imports. Late last month, France's Groupe Danone said China seized five containers of Evian water in February because of concern over high bacteria levels.
Those came after concerns were raised over the safety of Chinese food exports following the deaths of cats and dogs in North America blamed on tainted pet food ingredients from China.
In recent months, US inspectors have banned or turned away a growing number of Chinese exports, including monkfish containing life-threatening levels of pufferfish toxins, drug-laced frozen eel, and juice made with unsafe colour additives.
The US Food and Drug Administration has also stopped all imports of Chinese toothpaste to test for a potentially deadly chemical reportedly found in tubes sold in Australia, the Dominican Republic and Panama.