Shanghai roast seed producers under investigation

Authorities in Shanghai are inspecting the city's roast seed producers after an investigative report found that harmful industrial additives were being added to roast seed dyes, local media reported Tuesday.

Seed samples from the companies are being tested, and those who fail the tests will be punished, an official from the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision told the Shanghai Morning Post.

The results of the tests will be released to the public as soon as they are available, the official said.

A consumer complained to the Shanghai TV that a package of green tea flavored snack seeds he bought during the Spring Festival holiday turned out to be dyed. The water turned green after the seeds were dipped in it.

Investigative reporters of the channel found that roast seed makers in Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, which are major suppliers of the popular snack to Shanghai, dyed the seeds with colored substances, instead of using real green tea powder.

Harmful industrial talc was also added to the seeds to make them look smooth and bright, the reporters found.

The Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce yesterday ordered retailers to stop selling some 125 kilograms of roast seed snacks from Xuancheng, Anhui province, the newspaper said.

wuni@chinadaily.com.cn