GUANGDONG: China Customs has blocked import of a number of Hershey’s milk products into China after it was found that they contained banned artificial sweeteners and coloring agents.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Hershey explained that the milk beverages, seized by Customs, were manufactured by an authorized US licensee.
“We respect China’s food security laws and try to abide by all food regulations. We will continue to work to ensure that third parties import only Hershey products into China that meet China’s standards,” he added.
A official from China Customs told that the Hershey’s strawberry milk beverage and white chocolate milk beverage contained a food coloring, Red 40, and a sweetener, Stevia, which were permitted in other foods and beverages in China but not in dairy products.
It is not the first time that China has banned a food product. Recently a similar case was surfaced when China banned meat products of a company which also exported rotten chicken and beef to McDonald’s Pakistan. The company’s name was Shanghai Husi Food which was banned for selling chicken and beef beyond the date of expiry by declaring it fresh by changing expiry dates.
