163 Chinese products test negative for formaldehyde

A total of 163 Chinese products, including the popular “Maling” luncheon meat and Nestle full cream sweetened condensed milk, tested negative for formaldehyde, a report of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) shows.

BFAD tested samples of the products following the closure of some 180 food factories in China last month, officials said. The samples were randomly collected from various markets across the country.

Reports said the food products coming from the 180 factories were found with formaldehyde, a substance primarily used for embalming.

A BFAD report showed the 163 newly-tested products include fishballs, noodles, pickles, kikiam, yogurt, luncheon meat, gelatin, tea, bubble gum, corned beef, peanut brittle, sausage, candies, preserved vegetables, crackers, tapa (dried beef), biscuits, juice drinks, soy sauce, milk and dairy products, sauces, chocolates and bread.

Four popular brands of candy and biscuits were earlier found by BFAD to contain formaldehyde.

These are White Rabbit Creamy Candy, manufactured by Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food General Factory in China, which are locally distributed by Cheng Ban Yek & Co. Inc.

Another is Milk Candy, manufactured by Romantic Fish Food Industry Co., Inc., Fujian and Balrong Grape Biscuits, manufactured by Dongguan Balrong Foodstuff Co. Ltd., and distributed by Goodway International Trading Corp.; Yong Kang Foods Grape Biscuit, manufactured by Dongguan Yongkang Food Co. Ltd., both in Donggan City, Guangdong, China.