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KFC Food in the Soup Again

Food safety authorities in Guangdong have confirmed that a vegetable ingredient that was being used in some KFC soups was poisonous.

According to a warning from the provincial Food Safety Experts Committee, tianluxiang, which translates as "sweet leaf bush," or Sauropus androgynus, in the KFC soup is toxic and could be harmful if eaten in large quantities or regularly over a long period.

The soup was sold in KFC stores in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, and in Tianjin Municipality in North China. KFC suspended sales of the soup on October 28.

The committee drew three conclusions:

* Tianluxiang is not suitable to be promoted as an edible vegetable;

* People should avoid the long-term and regular consumption of tianluxiang;

* Occasional consumption has not been shown to be poisonous to human health.

According to recent research by Yang Xian, professor of vegetables from South China Agricultural University, tianluxiang contains levels of cadmium four times higher the national food safety standards recommend.

An overdose could result in damage to human livers, kidneys and reproductive systems. Yang warned that people should not consume the vegetable regularly or in large amounts.

The announcement that the chain restaurant's soup contained a potentially poisonous element caused widespread public concern, coming just a few months after some KFC foods were found to contain the carcinogenic colouring Sudan-1.

Tianluxiang is a popular vegetable among Guangzhou residents. Many are lured by its reputation of being nutritious and some believe it helps weight loss. It is a leafy green perennial vegetable mainly found in Southeast Asia. It also grows in South China.