Substandard dairy imports destroyed by Chinese customs 04-29-2020

On April 9, Chinese customs in Ganjiang new district, Nanchang city, Jiangxi province destroyed 50 tonnes of imported dairy products that were deemed to be of unsatisfactory quality. This is the first time to destroy a large batch of imported dairy products at the port in Nanchang.


This decision was supervised by Chinese customs officers in Ganjiang New District. The 50 tonnes of substandard imported dairy products were compressed and then sent to an incineration power plant, where the substandard imported dairy products were disposed without harming the environment. The rationale behind this decision was to prevent these products from entering the Chinese market and causing health problems.


Salmonella detected in whey powder imported from Belarus

According to a news report, the substandard imported dairy products came from Belarus. The dairy products were packed with two 40ft containers which included 2,000 bags valued at USD 32,400. The dairy products entered the Chinese border via the railway port in Nanchang. The customs officers in Ganjiang New District took a sample of several dairy powder products from the shipment to perform laboratory tests for safety after reviewing the documents of these products. The results from the laboratory tests showed that salmonella was detected in these products, and therefore the products did not meet the requirements of the Chinese Food Safety Standards for Whey Powder and Whey Protein Powder.


The customs officers in Ganjiang New District stated that salmonella is one of the common indicative bacteria to cause food contamination around the world, and it is also a significant indicator for microbiological abnormalities. Salmonella is a type of bacteria to cause various diseases in the human body, and it is highly infectious. Foods with salmonella will easily cause food poisoning. The officers also reminded importers that the differences between the food safety standards of China and other countries should be noted when importing food to China. Some ingredients which are allowed to be used in certain countries may be prohibited from use in China.

 

Salmonella mainly exists in the intestinal tract of both the human body and the bodies of animals. Animal-derived foods such as pork, chicken meat, animal offal, eggs, and raw milk often contain salmonella. Vegetable-derived foods may be contaminated with salmonella as well. For example, melon was tested with salmonella in the United States in 2012, causing food poisoning in over one hundred people. In addition, people with salmonella are also one of the significant sources of infection.


China’s dairy imports mainly from Oceania, with other regions’ imports increasing

China’s imported dairy products are mainly from New Zealand, Australia, North and South America, and European countries. In 2008, China established a free trade area with New Zealand, and as a result, China’s imported dairy products from New Zealand increased quickly, from 247,400 tonnes of dairy products coming from New Zealand in 2009 up to 700,400 tonnes in 2016. Additionally, the volume of imported dairy products from the United States has also seen a twofold increase, from 148,100 tonnes in 2009 to 281,000 tonnes in 2016. Although the imported volume of dairy products from Australia is limited, the volume of imports is increasing. The free trade agreement between China and Australia will promote the cooperation between the two countries with regard to dairy imports.


For more information on China’s import and export situation, please check our Online Database.

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