New edible vegetable oil transport guideline launched

Edible oil products on sale at a supermarket in Beijing. (SONG JIARU/FOR CHINA DAILY)

China's top market regulator recently launched the mandatory standards for transporting edible vegetable oil after some companies were found transporting cooking oil in the same tankers they previously used to move liquid fuels.

According to the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation, the standards, titled "Sanitary requirements for the bulk transportation of edible vegetable oil", will come into effect from Feb 1, 2025.

The new standards outline the requirement that containers for edible vegetable oil must be packaged in dedicated food-grade containers clearly marked "for edible oil only" or "food use only".

In addition, the interior and exterior of the containers must strictly be clean and sanitary. Containers used for non-food items are prohibited from transporting edible oils.

In July, companies like Sanhe Hopefull Grain and Oil Group and China Grain Reserves Group, or Sinograin, were reported to have transported cooking oil in the same tankers that they had previously used for delivering liquid fuels produced from coal.

Previously, China had only one non-mandatory standard for the bulk transport of edible vegetable oil, which stipulates that bulk edible vegetable oil should be transported using dedicated tankers.