The world's largest inspection and testing company SGS has cleared candy brand White Rabbit of a claim that its products contain formaldehyde and other harmful substances.

 

The allegation was made by the Philippines' bureau of food and drugs under its health department.

 

Weng Mao, general manager of Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Ltd, the manufacturer of White Rabbit sweets, said the Philippines' food authority was "extremely irresponsible" in condemning the candy without evidence.

 

Weng said the independent verification and testing agency had played a major role in helping the company defend itself against the allegation.

 

Certification

 

An anonymous inspector at the Shanghai branch of SGS-CSTC, a joint venture under Switzerland-based SGS that conducted the White Rabbit candy laboratory test, said transnational certification institutes could help Chinese manufacturers access the international market efficiently and reduce unnecessary risks.

 

"As an independent inspection and testing agency, we cherish our reputation as a reliable and authoritative third-party judge of product quality assessment, so we provide fair and objective testing and verification services to our clients," said the researcher, adding that SGS's product quality certificates are recognized by the international market.

 

Tan Yihong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, said quality problems in some Chinese products result from varying global standards and manufacturers should get internationally recognized certificates to protect themselves.

 

The SGS researcher said many countries, especially key importers like the United States and European Union member nations, frequently update and draw up new quality standards to protect consumers and local businesses - and this can act as a trade barrier for exporters.

 

"We have carried out many quality verifications and inspections of Chinese products. The bulk of them are good and even above international standards," said Sangem Hsu, business director of the certification company's Northeast Asian branch.

 

"But different national standards and inaccurate data has led to many exports being pegged as defective."

 

Last month, US toy maker Mattel recalled 20.2 million China-made products because of hazards from small magnets and fears over the use of paint containing lead.

 

Flaws

 

A report by two Canadian business professors concluded that most recalls of toys made in China are due to design flaws, not manufacturing problems or the lead paint issue.

 

The report, which looked at Chinese-made toy recalls by investigating those issued by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission from 1988 to August this year, found that of the 550 toy recalls, 76.4 percent are due to problems that could be attributed to design flaws.

 

Of the 20.2 million toys recalled by Mattel in the past month, 80 percent contained small magnets - a design flaw, according to the report.

 

However, media focus has been on the lead paint issue, according to Hari Bapuji, a professor at the University of Manitoba, who prepared the report with Paul W Beamish, a professor at the University of Western Ontario.

 

"Companies like Mattel have a responsibility to ensure that the products they bring to China to be manufactured were safe and conform to the standards of this part of the world," Bapuji said.

 

Germany-based product quality inspection and testing institute TV SD said the quality problem is an issue in any marketplace.

 

Andreas Bauer, an executive of the group, said the quality of Chinese products is constantly improving due to economic development, technological upgrading and efforts by the government and local producers.

 

Bauer said it is wrong to exaggerate the safety concerns of all Chinese products based on the toy recalls.

 

Germany is no exception when it comes to quality problems, said Bauer. The country has recently been hit by a string of "rotten meat" scandals.

 

(China Daily October 15, 2007)