French mineral water fails China quality tests

TWO brands of mineral water from France were among more than 420 imported food or cosmetic items found substandard during entry tests, China's top quality watchdog said yesterday.

Excessive nitrite, which may increase cancer risks, was detected in Evian and Volvic water, according to a report by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Other problems involved more than 27 tons of salmonella-tainted pork from Denmark for China's largest meat processor Shuanghui Group, posing a huge risk of food poisoning, it said.

None of the affected products made it to the Chinese market as they were either shipped back to exporters or destroyed, or converted for other uses, the authority said.

Evian and Volvic have established a presence in Shanghai through high-end restaurants, hotels and supermarkets since the Danone Group introduced the brands to China.