China Probes Food Safety Concerns in Cooking Oils Amid Allegations of Mixed Transportation Practices
Chinese authorities have initiated an investigation into food safety issues surrounding cooking oils following a report by local media uncovering that tankers transporting soybean oil from a prominent state-owned enterprise were also used to transport a type of coal.
The investigative report by Beijing News, renowned for its investigative journalism and backed by the state, revealed that tankers carrying products from Sinograin, a major state-owned corporation, were not adequately cleaned between trips transporting edible oils and chemicals. This practice was reportedly known among truck drivers as an “open secret.”
The State Council of China announced on Tuesday the formation of an investigation team comprising officials from the Food Safety Commission, Public Safety Bureau, and other relevant ministries. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the announcement stated that enterprises found violating regulations and individuals responsible would face severe legal consequences.
Beijing News conducted its investigation by tracking a tanker from Ningxia in northwestern China, which initially transported a type of hydrocarbon used in liquid fuel production. After unloading in Tianjin, the same tanker was refilled with soybean oil from Sinograin without undergoing cleaning procedures.
Experts quoted in the Beijing News report expressed concerns that residual components from hydrocarbon products could contaminate soybean oil, potentially leading to health risks including poisoning.
Sinograin, officially known as China Grain Reserves Group, responded to the media allegations by stating it was conducting an internal audit.
The investigative report also identified other trucks transporting hydrocarbons from facilities owned by China Energy Investment Corporation, a national-level company under direct government oversight. These trucks subsequently loaded edible oils from other suppliers without proper cleaning between cargoes.
The report, published last Tuesday, has garnered significant national attention, particularly implicating major state-owned enterprises. It has reignited public concerns over food safety, recalling past incidents such as the 2008 melamine-contaminated infant formula scandal that resulted in fatalities and prompted widespread consumer distrust in domestic food products.
