Guangdong to crack down on tainted rice  

廣東省政府部署嚴查入粵重金屬鎘超標大米

廣東南方日報27日報道稱，2009年有一批來自湖南省的重金屬鎘超標大米流入廣東市場，該消息一出在社會上引起軒然大波。廣東省政府有關部門當日迅即舉行會議，研究處置辦法，以確保市場糧食安全。

Guangzhou (CNS) -- Guangdong's provincial government will initiate a special campaign to crack down on cadmium-tainted rice in the province, the local government said Wednesday.

More than 10,000 tons of cadmium-tainted rice is believed to have entered markets in Guangdong province since 2009, from suppliers in Hunan province, according to a Nanfang Daily report.

Shenzhen Cereals Group, a state-owned enterprise for grain reserves and a major rice supplier in Guangdong, bought the rice in 2009 from branches of China Grain Reserves Corp in Hunan province, the report said.

Samples of the rice that Shenzhen Cereals subsequently sent to food quality supervision authorities in Shenzhen showed that the rice had excessive cadmium.

The company recalled the tainted rice, but some of it was resold to Foshan, Guangdong province, the report said.

Immediately after noticing the report, the Guangdong provincial government held a meeting on Wednesday, urging related departments to tighten their inspection on rice entering the province.

An improved monitoring system will also be established to ensure food safety in the region.

Any departments involved in the purchasing of tainted rice in Guangdong will be held accountable, according to the government.

Medical experts have warned that continued exposure to cadmium over a long time may lead to cancer.