A few days ago, the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation imposed administrative penalties on Abbott Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., accused it of “production and operation of food and food additives contaminated by packaging materials, containers, transportation vehicles”, confiscated items and illegal income 343.740729 million Yuan, and imposed a fine of 909.314058 million Yuan.

This heavy fine is mainly due to the detection of vanillin in Abbott’s Stage 1 infant formula milk powder, which does not allow the addition of food flavoring.

According to GB 2760-2014 National Food Safety Standard Standard for Uses of Food Additives, any food flavoring substance must not be added to infants and young children formula food from 0 to 6 months old. Older infants and young children formula food can use vanillin, ethyl vanillin and vanilla bean concrete (extract), and the maximum level is respectively 5mg/100mL, 5mg/100mL and appropriate level as required in production. Vanillin can also be used in cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children, and the maximum level is 7mg/100g. Meanwhile, no food flavoring substance or flavoring is allowed be added into such foods like pasteurized milk, cream, rice, edible starch, honey, natural mineral waters for drinking, tea and coffee.

Abbott said that the company has already completed the recall of all this batches of products remaining in the market around the beginning of February. The production line of this imported product has also been re-optimized.