Yan Weixing, the deputy director of nutrition and food safety for the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has disclosed to local media that the Guangzhou-based Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company has used herbal medicines that have not been approved by the Ministry of Health for its beverage products.
Earlier, China media reported that a consumer from Hangzhou got ulcer of stomach after drinking Wanglaoji Cool Tea and the doctor's diagnosis showed that the patient had a stomach cold, which might have some affiliations with the herbal medicine in the Cool Tea.
Yan confirmed that Wanglaoji had used in its beverage products ingredients and raw materials that are not on the list of the Ministry of Health. Yan stated that Ministry of Health is reviewing and regulating food additives and will organize experts to further classify these additives and ban those that are found to be inappropriate.
Supermarkets which sell Wanglaoji products say that they have not received any complaints about the discomfort caused by the products from their customers.
JDB Group, the parent company of Wanglaoji, was reported to be holding a teleconference on the issue and declared that it would make a public response.
