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Beijing Strengthens Food Safety

Beijing food-safety inspectors on November 2 began visiting construction sites to teach workers how to avoid food poisoning, China Daily reported.

In the November 3 report, Deng Ying, deputy chief of Disease Control in the Health Supervisory Division of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, said the improper preparation of green beans was involved in 10 of 14 food poisonings of construction workers investigated during the first ten months of 2004.

"Since food for construction workers is stir-fried in huge cauldrons, beans can hardly be thoroughly cooked in a short time. Half-cooked beans are poisonous in some cases. However, a number of workers do not know this," said Deng.

He said food processing at construction sites is usually very simple, so labourers -- most of whom are farmers-turned-workers -- are at high risk of food poisoning.

"A few years ago, most of the construction workers could not tell salt from nitrites, which is a chemical used in construction and which may cause death if consumed. Nitrite poisonings occurred frequently at construction sites," said Deng.

"But after repeatedly educating workers, the number of nitrite poisoning cases dropped dramatically."

He said health workers would distribute 100,000 food safety pamphlets to construction workers this week.

The 50-page, free booklet details how to tell whether beans are properly cooked, tells workers how to prevent food poisonings and how to ensure that their food is clean and safe to eat.

There are roughly 1.2 million construction workers in Beijing. About 1 million of them are migrant workers.

"The food safety of such a large population needs more attention from responsible government departments," said Deng.