China blocks U.S. products, saying they are dangerous

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Certain health supplements and raisins imported from the United States failed to meet Chinese safety standards and have been returned or destroyed, the country's food safety agency said Friday, turning the tables on the U.S. amid growing worries over dangerous Chinese products.

According to the China General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Inspectors in the ports of Ningbo and Shenzhen found bacteria and sulfur dioxide in products shipped by three American companies.

The agency didn’t meet the press to elaborate rather left a short message in their website and said, "The products failed to meet the sanitary standards of China”. They also didn’t return any calls.

The three companies are K-Max Health Products, CMO Distribution Center of America and SuperValu International Division.

The administration said K-Max and CMO exported health capsules, including bee pollen and bacteria-fighting supplements. SuperValu exported Sun-Maid Golden Raisins, it said.

The shipments from K-Max and SuperValu have been destroyed and CMO's capsules were returned, the notice said.

The notes did not say what types of contaminants were found. Sometimes Sulfur dioxide is used as a preservative in dried fruits. They however said the inspectors found high levels of it, but no precise data in the notice were given.

"Local quality officials should step up the inspection and quarantine on imported food products from the U.S.," the notice said. "Chinese importers should also clarify food safety demands in contracts when importing U.S. food products, so as to lower the trade risk."

Last month China seized five containers of Evian Water because of concern over high bacteria levels.

Both these incidents happened after concerns spiked over the safety of Chinese food exports following the deaths of cats and dogs in North America, which were blamed on tainted pet foods from China.

In recent months, U.S. inspectors have banned or turned away a growing number of Chinese exports, including monkfish containing life-threatening levels of pufferfish toxins, drug-laced frozen eel, and juice made with unsafe color additives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also stopped Chinese toothpastes after it was found to carry potentially deadly chemical in toothpastes sold in Australia, Dominican Republic and Panama.

I think this is a retaliatory measure by China after their food stuff was banned in America. If that is not the case then the Chinese authorities should show proof. The Congress should investigate this banning.