The State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) made public on Tuesday a list of 30 Chinese companies that produced 88 food products containing the carcinogenic Sudan I dye.

AQSIQ and subordinate organizations conducted inspections of chili sauce, chili oil, spicy preserved food and spicy instant noodles in 18 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country.

Most of the 30 companies are in south China's Guangdong Province, east China's Jiangsu Province and Shanghai Municipality, said the source.

The red dye was first discovered early March in a chili sauce made by the Heinz Meiweiyuan (Guangzhou) Food Co. in Guangdong's capital city.

The agency required local quality inspection departments to destroy the contaminated products immediately.

The agency also instructed all the companies producing chili pepper products to strengthen internal checks of their product formulas, raw materials and final products.

AQSIQ will also carry out inspections in other provinces and intensify examinations of industrial companies that produce Sudan I to prevent it from entering the food industry.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2005)