China to launch national crackdown against "gutter oil"

2011-09-14 12:51:50 GMT2011-09-14 20:51:50(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China will start a nationwide campaign targeting the production, sale and use of illegally reprocessed cooking oil, the country's top economic planner said on Wednesday.

The decision was announced after a video conference that involved the food safety committee under the State Council, or the Cabinet, Ministry of Public Security and relevant agencies, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement on its website.

According to the statement, the campaign will include regulating the disposal of restaurant waste, intensified market supervision and crackdown on illegal workshops and sellers of illegal cooking oil -- made from leftovers dredged from gutters behind restaurants.

The statement, however, did not provide further details such as when the campaign will start and how long it will last.

Chinese police have arrested 32 suspects who allegedly produced "gutter oil" and sold it to restaurants in a number of provinces, the Ministry of Public Security reported on Tuesday. More than 100 tonnes of the oil was seized after police busted a criminal network spanning 14 provinces.

| PRINT | RSS

Add Your Comments:

Please read our Terms of Service. Messages that harass, abuse or threaten others; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or links may be removed.