The Chinese government has launched an investigation into allegations that fuel tankers have been used to transport cooking oil without proper decontamination after carrying toxic chemicals.
Allegations have surfaced that a state-owned food company, Sinograin along with the private conglomerate Hopefull Grain and Oil Group have been using the same tankers to transport both cooking oil and fuel without proper cleaning procedures.
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A report by the Beijing News revealed that several tanker trucks were transporting cooking oil immediately after unloading fuel or chemical liquids with no cleaning in between.
This practice was described as an open secret in the transportation industry aimed at cutting costs during increasing competition.
The food safety office of China’s State Council announced an interdepartmental investigation into the transportation of edible oil.
Officials promised severe punishment for those found responsible for any malpractice. Major edible oil manufacturers not implicated in the report issued statements denying the use of fuel trucks for transporting their products.
State media including CCTV and the People’s Daily have criticized the alleged practices describing them as showing extreme disregard for consumers’ lives and health and calling for regulatory action.
Experts have warned about the health hazards of consuming oils contaminated with fuel residues. Long-term consumption of such oils could lead to symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and may cause damage to organs like the liver and kidneys.
Food safety expert Liu Shaowei addressed that using chemical tankers for edible oils inevitably results in residual contamination.
The scandal has dominated Chinese social media particularly on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter where it has generated tens of thousands of posts and millions of views.
Comments from users addressed the critical importance of food safety with comparisons drawn to the infamous 2008 Sanlu milk scandal.
A subsidiary of Sinograin is implicated in the scandal. Sinograin has initiated an internal investigation and suspended the use of trucks found in violation of regulations.
Another major company involved is Hopefull Grain and Oil Group. The company announced a thorough self-inspection following the allegations.
The Chinese government has promised a thorough investigation and severe punishment for any companies and individuals found guilty of wrongdoing.
Both the Hebei and Tianjin provincial governments have launched their own investigations.
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The State Administration for Market Regulation has set up a joint investigation team to probe the use of fuel tankers for transporting cooking oil.
The Communist Party’s People’s Daily has condemned the practice by addressing the need for zero tolerance towards food safety violations.
While China lacks specific laws governing the transport procedures of edible oils, national guidelines prohibit the use of non-dedicated containers for transporting edible liquids.
The Food Safety Law of China mandates that food must not be stored or transported with toxic or harmful items and violators can face severe penalties including lengthy prison sentences and in cases resulting in fatalities.
Sinograin has initiated inspections across its operations and pledged to stop working with any transport providers found to be violating safety regulations.
Hopefull Grain and Oil Group claimed that the tanker in question was not owned by them and said that their products met quality standards.
No official product recalls have been announced, but Sinograin’s Jinding cooking oil brand was not available on Taobao though the reason remains unclear.
Food safety has been an issue in China with numerous scandals over the past decades. Incidents include the 2008 melamine-tainted milk powder case which resulted in the deaths of six infants and sickened hundreds of thousands.
The 2008 Sanlu milk scandal which resulted in the illness of 300,000 children and six deaths due to melamine contamination.
Other scandals include the sale of gutter oil and unhygienic practices in pork processing and beer production.
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