Over 200 food and drug firms punished for violations

More than 200 food and drug producers or business operators have been punished so far this year for various hygiene violations, Shanghai's Food and Drug Administration said.

The businesses include Gelaoguan, Metro, Carrefour, and Century Mart, according to the FDA.

The Xinzhuang outlet of Gelaoguan, a bullfrog hotpot restaurant, was warned and ordered to rectify its failure to wash and disinfect dishware and kitchenware based on requirement by the Minhang District Market Supervision and Management Bureau.

The Shangnan outlet of Lotus in Pudong New Area was fined 50,000 yuan (US$7,690) for selling expired vodka and pineapple pastry.

The Qingpu outlet of Metro was fined 5,000 yuan for selling biscuits containing excessive peroxide while the Huamu outlet of Century Mart in Pudong was fined 10,000 yuan for selling chicken essence seasoning that had already exceeded its expiry date by nearly one month.

A fine of 20,000 yuan was slapped on the Caoying outlet of Carrefour in Qingpu District after it was found selling expired food and failing to abide by a checking and recording system of goods purchased and sold based on requirement.

The Hongyu Japanese Food Restaurant in Jinshan District was fined 4,800 yuan after its salad and bream were found to contain excessive amount of coliform, a group of bacteria typified by E-coli. 

The Shaanxi Road outlet of Shanghai Fengyu, a shengjian (pan-fried dumplings) restaurant, was fined 10,000 yuan and its profit from making and selling substandard food was seized.