No toxic chemicals in Chinese vegetable: MARD

Hanoi (VNA) - No toxic preservative substances have been found in vegetables and fruit imported from China, said Nguyen Quang Minh, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Plant Protection Department on Nov. 25.

Only eight out of the 22 samples taken from wholesale markets in Hanoi were
found to contain preservatives but they were under the allowed levels, said Minh.

The remaining samples were free of preservatives, he said.

This check was carried out after public worry over toxic preservative substances in
Chinese fruit and vegetables. More than 5,000 tonnes of Chinese vegetables are
imported from China through Lang Son and Lao Cai borders every month.

After flooding in Hanoi spoiled thousands of hectares of vegetables, the volume
of imported fruit and vegetables has risen 40 percent.

"We want timely information about Chinese vegetable quality, so we can have peace of
mind eating them," said Ly Thi Chung, a resident on Ly Nam De Street .

Consumers should not worry when using Chinese vegetables and fruit, said Trinh Cong
Toan, deputy chief inspector of the Plant Protection Department.

However, to ensure public safety, inspectors would continue checks of vegetables and
fruit nationwide, said Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The ministry will cooperate with Chinese authorities to inform each other of allowed
preservative substances and to discuss establishing laboratory systems with shared
criteria to facilitate the certification of each other's agricultural
produce.-Enditem