Zhongchao Town 'Hongfa Rice Wine Workshop' Rice Wine Exceeds Saccharin Levels
China Finance Daily reported on March 31st that the Guiyang Municipal Administration for Market Regulation issued a notification on March 26th regarding four batches of substandard food, involving alcohol content and saccharin (calculated as hexamethylenetetramine) indicators.
Specifically, a batch of 'Saitai Wine' from Redlianguan Wine Brewery, affiliated with Guizhou Province Renwei City Moutai Town, had an alcohol content that did not comply with the labeling on the product. A batch of 'Jinli Lai Tasting Wine' produced by Guizhou Province Renwei City Moutai Town Jinli Lai Wine Industry had an alcohol content that did not comply with the product labeling. A batch of 'Qianzhitang (Brewed Wine)' produced by Guizhou Province Renwei City Jufeng Wine Industry also had an alcohol content that did not comply with the product labeling.
Notably, a batch of rice wine produced by Hongfa Rice Wine Workshop in Zhongchao Town, Lijiang County, contained saccharin (calculated as hexamethylenetetramine) that did not meet the national food safety standards. The inspection agency was the Guizhou Province Product Quality Supervision and Testing Institute.
Image Source: Guiyang Municipal Administration for Market Regulation Website
The notification stated that hexamethylenetetramine sodium (saccharin) is a commonly used sweetener, with a sweetness 30-40 times that of sucrose. As a non-nutritive sweetener, it is widely used in breads, pastries, beverages, and candied fruits. 'Food Safety National Standard Food Additive Use Standard' (GB 2760—2014) stipulates that saccharin shall not be used in baijiu (white liquor). The reason for detecting saccharin in baijiu may be that the production enterprise adjusted the product's taste and used sweeteners beyond the permitted range. Long-term excessive consumption of saccharin exceeding the standard foods may affect human health to some extent.
In response to the substandard food found in the sampling, according to the 'People's Republic of China Food Safety Law', 'Food Safety Sampling Inspection Management Provisions', and 'Food Recall Management Provisions', the Guiyang Municipal Administration for Market Regulation has instructed relevant municipal and autonomous prefectures to investigate and rectify in accordance with the law. The departments of Zunyi City and (Qiandouzhou – Qian Dong Zhou – Qian Dong Zhou) have urged food production enterprises to trace the product's flow and recall the substandard products, analyze the causes, and make corrections. The municipal and autonomous prefectures should report to the Provincial Administration for Market Regulation within the stipulated time and requirements, as well as the risk prevention measures and verification disposal situation, and publish it to the public.
Just recently, a complaint from a 'Old Ghost Wine' distributor regarding the detection of saccharin in 'Old Ghost Wine' had triggered a tremor throughout the entire baijiu (white liquor) industry, and the ripples are still lingering.
In 2019, 'Four Seasons Wine' also reported detection of 'saccharin' disclosed by the Fujian Provincial Administration for Market Regulation. In January 2020, 'Boquan Prince Wine' from Sichuan's Mianyang Boquan Wine Industry was investigated and penalized for detecting 'saccharin'.
In 2020, 'Tang Yu Liquid' reported detection of saccharin was investigated and penalized.
