Easter Sunday came and went but there might be an unpleasant surprise lurking in those imported chocolate eggs – Salmonella Typhimurium.

Hopefully by now, you have already heard the news of Ferrero Group’s worldwide recall which was announced by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Friday (Apr 15), warning consumers not to purchase or consume products made at Ferrero’s Arlon plant in Belgium due to possible salmonella contamination.

Along with the UK-centric products that have been recalled (Kinder Surprise, Kinder Surprise Maxi, Kinder Mini Eggs and Kinder Schok-Bons), Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. also recalled the Kinder Happy Moments, Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats, as well as Crispy Wafers Assortments that have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 09800 52025 on its right side panel and a “Best By” date of Jul 18, 2022.

Luckily for us in China, what retail is the Kinder Joy and Kinder Bueno, which were announced to be unaffected on Ferrero’s website at the time of writing.

On Monday (Apr 18), Forbes reported that over 150 people, mostly young children, across 10 countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, had contracted salmonella. Most of the victims below 10 years of age have been hospitalised due to the health risks brought on by salmonella’s most common symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that may last up to seven days.

If you think your child might have contracted salmonella, please seek medical attention immediately.

If you have purchased any of the recalled products via any Mainland China shopping channels, do not consume them and throw them out at once. You will be able to request a refund for the recalled products through that channel. According to GAC, you can also request a refund from Ferrero China.

KEEP READING: Bittersweet Indulgence: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Chocolate

Images: Pexels

[UPDATED Dec 28, 11.30am] Yesterday, BHG reached out to us to explain what was going on in the photo that our witness supplied, and it seems like a reasonable explanation for what appeared to be staff tampering with vitamin supplements. 

BHG communicated: “This health food was off the shelf a year ago, and on that day our shop assistant cleaned up the stock and got rid of the expired merchandise. Labels were not being removed or changed. Our company takes pride in our reputation of providing the best quality product. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding about how our staff handles expired product. This time our employees cleaned up three different kinds of health food: capsules, protein powder, and enzymes. The capsules were first poured into the box and centralized. Protein powder and enzymes are poured out directly. What he (the concerned witness) could see was that the employees were pouring capsules from bottles into boxes, next the capsules were destroyed.”

Beijingkids has received evidence apparently showing staff from a high-end city supermarket tampering with what appears to be edible food products, supplements, or vitamins.

The picture was taken two weeks ago in the car park of the Shunyi branch of BHG, a Beijing-based supermarket chain, by a local parent who has asked to remain anonymous. He told us:

“As I arrived at the underground parking to get back to my car there were three people dressed in BHG uniforms squatting on the floor opening and repackaging vitamin containers. I stopped for a second and took the photo.”

We have concealed the faces of individual staff members

It’s not possible to tell from the photograph precisely what is taking place. The boxes bear the logo of NBTY, a health supplement company which owns the trademark “Nature’s Bounty”. This would support our source’s claim that the containers held vitamin pills, and the uniforms worn are identical to BHG uniforms. However, on a visit to the store, we were unable to find any products on sale which resembled the containers in the photograph. At least one of the staff members is wearing gloves, but they are operating in clearly unsanitary conditions.

Whatever the purpose of this activity, given the numerous food scandals in China over the last few years, to have staff sitting in a dirty car park, next to the toilet, opening and resealing bottles of substances intended for human consumption, would seem to be a dubious practice at best.

Our source tells us that he emailed BHG’s headquarters about this issue immediately after the incident, but has received no response. We have also approached BHG for comment. There was no answer on their publicly listed number, and we have not yet received any response to our email inquiry. We will update this story as and when we hear from them.

Photos: http://news.everychina.com/wz40d8c0/new_store_opened_bhg_market_place.html, anonymous source

Let’s face it: as much as we might want to splurge on good food, we simply cannot afford to eat at fine restaurants day and night. Many times we rely on the comforts of buying food online, but if you’re more into eating healthily and cutting costs (especially Beijing is becoming more and more expensive), cooking your own grub is the way to go.

But there’s more to just saving money to consider when we prepare our food, because we don’t want ourselves suffering from unwanted food-borne illnesses. What you experience after consuming bad food depends on what kind of toxin it carried, but generally, the common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration.

While handling and storing foods and beverages properly reduces the risk of contamination, we still have to be prepared to act on this common home or office emergency. Here are some of the most common causes of food-borne illnesses.

Norovirus, or the winter vomiting bug, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis.
– What it does to you: Infection causes diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
– How to avoid: Thoroughly wash raw fruits and vegetables. The virus can easily pass on via direct contact so proper hand washing with soap and water and sanitizing food preparation areas are necessary to prevent the virus from spreading.

Salmonella are bacteria that cause salmonellosis, a type of food poisoning. They usually thrive in raw or undercooked meats, raw eggs, and dairy products like milk.
– What it does to you: Salmonella infection causes enteritis, or the inflammation of the small intestine, with symptoms like diarrhea with blood or pus, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. Salmonella can also cause typhoid fever.
– How to avoid: Food must be cooked thoroughly and liquids like soups should be boiled when reheated. Maintain good personal hygiene while handling food products and properly sanitize kitchen utensils to avoid contamination, since salmonella can survive for a long time without a host.

Clostridium perfringens are bacteria that can multiply rapidly on foods left unrefrigerated for too long. It’s commonly found on raw meat and chicken.
– What it does to you: Infection causes diarrhea and abdominal cramps within 6 to 24 hours, with the illness beginning suddenly and lasting for less than 24 hours. People infected with the bacteria usually do not have fever or vomiting.
– How to avoid: Cook and maintain food at the correct temperature (freshly cooked food must be kept at 60°C. For leftovers, refrigerate them at a temperature of 4.4°C or cooler, and they should be reheated to at least 74°C before serving. Bacteria growth is prevented under these temperatures. Any food that has been left out for too long can look fine, but it’s safer to throw it away.

Shigella are a group of bacteria that cause shigellosis, a kind of intestinal infection.
– What it does to you: Two days after people become exposed to the bacteria, they develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The illness usually resolves within 5 to 7 days, and some people might not have any symptoms at all but can pass the bacteria to others.
– How to avoid: As the illness usually happens after someone swallows something that has come into contact with the bacteria, washing hands with soap and water still is the most effective way to lower the risk of infection. Also, avoid swallowing water from areas such as untreated public swimming pools, lakes, or ponds.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are a diverse group of bacteria, some strains of which can cause sickness. Undercooked beef and unpasteurized milk are the usual causes of E. coli infection.
– What it does to you: It depends on the strain, but the ones which cause food poisoning are Shiga toxin-producing E. coli with symptoms ranging from severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. The length of infection varies, but patients usually get better within 5 to 7 days.
– How to avoid: Maintain a proper food safety protocol: clean meat, vegetables, and utensils thoroughly, separate food items, cook at correct temperatures to ensure that germs are killed, and chill and reheat at correct temperatures to prevent the growth of bacteria. Also, thoroughly wash hands and utensils after they come into contact with raw meat.

Photo: rawpixel.com via Pexels

Factories producing substandard snacks will experience renovation or shutdowns, as China is launching a large-scale campaign aimed at poor quality snacks sold near schools, according to an official announcement released by the State Administration of Market Regulation on April 24.

According to the Administration, stricter regulations will be implemented towards factories that produce snacks including soft drinks, and they will crack down on those factories with unsanitary producing conditions or using substandard ingredients, and cut off their sales channels. Random inspections of the factories will be conducted regularly at the same time.

Besides stricter inspections and closures of substandard factories, local education authorities are been urged by the food authority to conduct educational campaigns for both students and their parents on food safety. Food authorities also encourage students to report those products without manufacturing dates, or those that fail to identify the producers.

Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education, said that children are especially attracted to those snacks, which often use excessive quantities of preservatives and additives.

In June last year, Beijing has witnessed a campaign against unhealthy snacks in wholesale markets and shops near schools, with a total of 6,100 kilograms of substandard snacks removed from shop shelves in the city.

According to Chu, despite the positive results yielded by these previous shutdowns, substandard snacks are still commonplace.

“Junk food is a problem that threatens children’s health more commonly for those who are from less privileged families”, Chu added.

Food safety has become a massive concern in China in recent years, with a most recent scandal that leftovers from Beijing restaurants are used as swill to feed pigs, which triggered people’s concern on the pork quality and the potential health problems it may cause.

The State Administration of Market Regulation, the newly-established regulatory administration that now oversees the former China Food and Drug Administration, is expected to implement stricter regulation to ensure food safety across various aspects.

After last year’s ban on soft cheese, another popular dairy product has come to the attention of Beijing’s public health officials. This time it’s ice cream which is to be prohibited from sale throughout the city.

“Ice cream is bad for our children in so many ways,” said Dr. Fu Lingyu of the city’s Food Inspection Board (FIB). “The sugar rots their teeth and the milk fats clog their arteries, while the cold imbalances the body temperature, blocks the meridian channels, and slows blood circulation.

“Until proper tests are undertaken to establish the effects of consuming this substance, it would be irresponsible to allow it to continue to be sold to minors. We recommend that it is replaced in children’s diets by red bean buns and deep fried durian.”

There have been reports of panic buying of the remaining stocks before the ban is implemented at midday, particularly by the city’s foreign residents. We advise against any rash responses, but suggest that parents may wish to buy their kids an ice cream this morning, as we don’t know when they may be available again.

After this summer’s scandal involving Haidilao, yet another popular Beijing hot pot franchise has become embroiled in a food safety scandal.

The Xiabu Xiabu hot pot restaurant chain is undergoing a media meltdown after a video emerged online that showed live cockroaches scampering on top of a dining table at the restaurant’s U-Town location near Chaoyangmen.

However, as damaging as such allegations can be for a restaurant, Xiabu Xiabu have shown themselves to be completely inept at handling the fallout from the scandal.

When confronted by a reporter from The Beijing Times, a person identifying himself as the manager for the U-Town Xiabu Xiabu restaurant did his best to minimize the backlash. Masquerading as an acquaintance of the affected party, the reporter was offered free meals and was told, “it’s not as serious as you think.”

However, when another reporter from The Beijing Times contacted the store, a man identifying himself as the manager (with the same voice) completely denied any knowledge of an incident with a cockroach.

The meltdown doesn’t end there. Besides getting the U-Town Xiabu Xiabu manager contradicting himself on tape, The Beijing Times also sent a correspondent to the restaurant with a hidden camera. When asked about cockroaches, an unidentified Xiabu Xiabu employee was caught on tape saying “the entire U-Town Mall is infested with cockroaches.”

The bald-faced lying stands in contrast to the way Haidilao handled its own food safety scandal earlier this year. After a month-long undercover investigation discovered rats and unhygienic conditions at two Beijing locations, Haidilao responded by voluntarily shutting down those locations even before municipal health authorities became involved.

It’s more than likely that a speedy response by the restaurant helped maintain its popular image with the public, especially since patrons were still seen attending the affected restaurant on the same day the scandal broke out.

Meanwhile, Xiabu Xiabu has not made any statements regarding the allegations on its Weibo account.

This news comes as a shock to fans of the popular hot pot franchise that has distinguished itself with Western-style counters that make it suitable for solo dining. But even though Xiabu Xiabu is so popular in China that it opens a hundred new locations every year, it hasn’t been immune to controversy in the past.

Back in 2015, a couple dining at the Xidan location of Xiabu Xiabu found a cockroach cooking inside their hot pot. Under food safety laws that allow for compensation worth tens times the original amount, the couple was given RMB 600 for their trouble.

Photos: Sohu Auto, NetEase Finance, Wochacha, Xiangmu

This post first appeared on our sister site, The Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.
Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com

Almost daily, we read in the news about the latest food safety issue, whether it is fast food made with expired meats, melamine found in our milk powder or baby cereals containing excessive levels of lead. 

Food safety in China has become one of the hottest topics trending on community chat rooms and social media as it affects us all. But what we may not always think about is the safety of the foods we feed our pets. A trip to some local pet shops and even some pet hospitals may reveal a surprising array of imported brands of pet foods from North and South America, Europe and other Asian countries. What is not apparent is whether the manufacturers of these brands even know that their products are being sold in China. 

Products that are legally registered and approved for sale in one country may be shipped to other countries where they are not legally approved for sale. These products are commonly known as “parallel imports,” “smuggled goods,” “grey imports,” “black market imports,” “odd-lot goods,” “bootleg goods” or in Mandarin, “shui huo,” meaning “water goods” as these products are often shipped in by boat. 

What are the risks of purchasing parallel import pet foods? Parallel imports are not brought in under the approval or supervision of the manufacturers or the State Food & Drug Administration (SFDA) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). There is no quality control or supervision of the distribution channels and the way these foods are stored or transported. The pet food may be contaminated or spoiled though the packaging may look fine.These breaches in safety may result in serious illness, expensive veterinary bills and even the death of your pet.

Manufacturers will usually disavowany responsibility for claims of illness or other quality related issues caused by parallel imports of their own brands. On occasion, global product recalls of pet foods may occur, but unless the manufacturer knows the countries in which its products are sold, it is nearly impossible for the recall information to reach pet owners in a timely manner. Manufacturers selling legally registered products have passed SFDA and AQSIQ approval and have agreements with licensed distributors that sell to their authorized retailers. A product recall by the manufacturer should set off a chain reaction with distributors notifying the retailers who in turn notify the pet owners that may have purchased the foods.

A major pet food safety incident occurred shortly after the Olympics with several reports in the Chinese and international media that a contaminated imported brand of dog food may have been linked to the illness or death of pets in China. The Xinhua News Service reported in the Chinese press on January 14, 2009 that the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) confirmed that the Optima brand of dog food (You Ge Gou Liang 优格狗粮) was not legally registered in China and that all products found on the market were parallel imports. It was reported that at least 20 dogs in four Chinese cities, including Beijing, died after consuming the brand because of liver complications from aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical from a fungus sometimes found on corn and other crops. It is worth noting that the number of pets that died as a result of eating the contaminated pet food did not represent the actual number of animals affected due to the many pet owners who may not have pursued diagnostics or treatment for their pets and were therefore, unreported.

Chinese authorities have struggled to clamp down on parallel imports and tainted products. Popular brands can be quickly counterfeited and sold with no supervision or inspection of quality. Supply chains for even genuine products can be murky, and the many small, sometimes unlicensed retail establishments and online vendors are difficult to monitor.

So what can pet owners do to minimize the risk of unsafe foods for their pets? Purchase only legally registered pet foods at reputable retailers. Ask the retailers or pet hospital if they are sourcing products from an authorized distributor. Do not purchase pet foods from street vendors and unregulated animal markets and never purchase loose pet foods sold in bulk as these are most prone to spoilage and contamination. If you are searching for a particular brand of pet food and not sure if it is legally available in China, you can search the manufacturer’s website and send an email to the company to confirm.

For pet owners wishing to prepare home-cooked foods, please consult with your veterinarian for advice on essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids in the correct balance for your pet at his or her life stage. And while raw food diets for pets may be a trend in other countries, it is probably a good practice to cook meats purchased locally for our pets as well as for ourselves.

You can follow ICVS on Weibo, Twitter and Facebook.
Mary Peng is the Co-Founder & CEO of International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS).

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on September 19, 2014.

Photos: Wikimedia commons, Ironypoisoning and BuzzFarmers (Flickr)

Starting from October, parents in Beijing and Jiangsu province will be able to buy baby formula from vending machines in 20 designated pharmacies, according to an announcement by the China Association of International Trade Center (which falls under the Ministry of Commerce). There are plans to expand the vending machines to another 20,000 pharmacies nationwide by 2015.

Xu Jing, head of the center, was quoted in China Daily as saying that the purchase and distribution of milk power in the pharmacies would be conducted by the Ministry of Commerce. To guarantee quality control, sales will be only be permitted through the machines; that means no purchases can be made at the pharmacy counter.

Many Chinese mothers still debate whether to continue feeding their children milk powder after a string of heartbreaking local and foreign scandals. This move by the Ministry Commerce is designed to boost their confidence in food safety. 

But how safe is the new distribution system? The latter should help filter counterfeit and unlicensed milk powder, but neither the deadly 2008 domestic Sanlu incident or the more recent international Fonterra scandal could be blamed on sales channels. Rather, they were caused by improper manufacturing processes and the poor quality of the milk source. What’s more, both companies were registered and legally allowed to process milk powder. Can distributing milk formula through pharmacies prevent similar incidents from happening in the future?

Choosing a baby formula is never easy in China. My sister, who also happens to be a pharmacist, recently thought of giving up milk power for her 2-year-old. She frequently switches brands to offset the risk, but the downside is that her daughter’s body does not take well to constant change. 

We don’t know whether selling milk power in pharmacies will do much to improve safety, but she figures that at least her pharmacy is more likely to maintain an air-conditioned environment (under 25°C) that will be favorable to milk powder storage.

Photo courtesy of  Yangtse Evening News