Hello, this is CNN reporting on the mounting public outrage in China over allegations that a major state-owned food company has been cutting costs by using the same tankers to carry fuel and cooking oil without cleaning them in between. The scandal implicates China’s largest grain storage and transport company Sinograin, and private conglomerate Hopefull Grain and Oil Group, raising concerns of food contamination in a country plagued by food safety scares in recent years.
According to a report in the state-linked outlet Beijing News, it was an “open secret” in the transport industry that the tankers were being used for double duty, with trucks carrying certain fuel or chemical liquids also transporting edible liquids such as cooking oil, syrup, and soybean oil without proper cleaning procedures. This alleged malpractice has sparked criticism from Chinese state media, prompting an interdepartmental team to investigate the transportation of edible oil.
China’s administrative State Council announced that those responsible for any wrongdoing will be severely punished in accordance with the law, while the companies named in the report have initiated their own investigations. In response to public backlash, Sinograin has pledged to stop working with any transport providers found to be violating safety regulations, emphasizing the need to prevent contamination risks to grain and oil reserves.
Meanwhile, experts quoted in official media have highlighted the health hazards of consuming oils with chemical residues, which can lead to poisoning and irreversible damage to organs. Public anger has sparked calls for product recalls and greater industry oversight on social media platforms, with concerns about accountability for powerful entities in the country.
Food safety has long been a significant issue in China, with past scandals leading to tighter government regulation. The current scandal involving contaminated cooking oil has the potential to be the largest food safety scandal since 2008, given the volume of oil regularly transported and the implication that this issue may have affected a large portion of the population. Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of food safety and securing grain supplies, tying it to government legitimacy and the ability to govern effectively.
As investigations continue and public outrage grows, the implications of this scandal on food safety and government oversight in China remain a critical concern. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
