Aflatoxin Food Safety Scandal in China Widens to Include Oil

Jan. 3, 2012 - PRLog -- The Chinese government has recalled cooking oil products that were made by three separate companies after discovering high levels of aflatoxin, according to AFP. This latest food safety scandal has raised public outcry, as it closely follows the news that milk from the country’s leading dairy firm, Mengniu, was tainted with aflatoxin as well.

Aflatoxin is a potentially lethal compound produced by fungi that usually grow on whole grains, seeds, spices, and nuts. Exposure occurs primarily through diet, and high levels can cause liver cancer, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Operations have ceased at the Chinese plants that produced the tainted oil, but it is unknown whether the products reached the market. AFP reports that Mengniu’s contaminated milk was recalled before it was available to consumers, but the Chinese media is already questioning whether the company can survive the public relations disaster.

“EMSL Analytical, Inc. has helped numerous companies and individuals investigate possible food contamination issues,” states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL. “Our food division, staffed by experienced and highly regarded microbiologists and chemists, provide a wide range of food testing services, including aflatoxin testing.”

For more information on EMSL’s food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675, email info@emsl.com, or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.

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EMSL Analytical Inc. is a nationally recognized accredited testing laboratory and locally focused provider of consumer product, environmental, microbiology, industrial hygiene, food and materials testing services to professionals and the general public.