Plasticizers found in baijiu

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The baijiu industry suffered a major setback after plasticizers were allegedly found in almost all brands of the liquor.

On Monday, shares in the Shenzhen-listed Jiugui Liquor Co, a large baijiu manufacturer based in Hunan province, were suspended from trade after business news website 21cbh.com reported the company's products were found to contain excessive plasticizers.

The trading of shares in the company will resume after the relevant facts are verified, the suspension notice said.

The company's shares remained suspended on Tuesday.

"I felt very confused about the test results as reported by the media because there is no special national standard for such a chemical in baijiu at all. And now the company's products have been sent to a qualified department to be tested," Fan Zhen, vice-president of Jiugui Liquor, said Tuesday on China Central Television.

Plasticizers are banned in China as food additives because the chemicals can cause male fertility problems and induce early female puberty, and experiments on animals have demonstrated a carcinogenic effect.

Liquor products produced by Jiugui, which were bought in Beijing, were tested for three types of plasticizers at an independent lab, 21cbh.com reported on Monday.

The amount of plasticizer DBP in the company's products was 1.08 mg/kg, far exceeding the national standard of 0.3 mg/kg for food, the report said.

On Monday, the China Alcoholic Drinks Association said on its website that the country's liquor products do contain plasticizers, but the content is far below the standard limit set on such products overseas.

According to a statement posted on its website, the association launched an investigation into baijiu manufacturers on the mainland after plasticizers were found in a range of foods and drinks in Taiwan in May of last year.

"High-grade baijiu products have a higher content of plasticizers, while the content in low-grade baijiu is lower," the association said.

The products were contaminated during the transfer, storage and packing of liquor, because plastic products are widely used during this process, it said.

"But since plastic-related products and equipment have been in use in the production of baijiu since the 1970s, no human illness has been reported due to plasticizers in baijiu until now," the statement said.

Dong Jinshi, executive vice-president of the International Food Packaging Association, said on Tuesday it is possible that these chemicals were added by manufacturers.

Dong said the chemicals help liquor products easily adhere to the glass and enhance flavor.

Sales of liquor products by Jiugui Liquor were continuing as normal at the Beijing Hua Tang Yokado Department Store on Tuesday, said Cheng Ning, who is in charge of external liaison at the company in Beijing.

Questions:

1. What industry suffered a setback?

2. What happened with the product?

3. What are some potential problems?

Answers:

1. The baijiu industry.

2. Plasticizers were allegedly found in almost all brands of baijiu.

3. Plasticizers can cause male fertility problems and induce early female puberty, and experiments on animals have demonstrated a carcinogenic effect.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.