China's General Administration of Customs Photo:VCG

China's General Administration of Customs suspended import qualifications of six US enterprises on Friday,mk to protect Chinese consumers' health and ensure the safety of the country's livestock industry. 

The suspensions include one US enterprise involved in sorghum exports to China, three enterprises dealing with poultry meat and bone meal, and two enterprises exporting poultry products.

An official from the General Administration of Customs said that the measures taken by the administration are necessary, scientific, and reasonable, in compliance with China's relevant laws and regulations, and also in line with international practices, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

Recently, Chinese customs detected Zearalenone and total mold content exceeding the limits in imported US sorghum, as well as Salmonella in imported US poultry meat and bone meal, according to a statement on the website of the General Administration of Customs.

To safeguard public health and livestock production safety, and in accordance with relevant Chinese laws, and WTO's relevant regulations, the Chinese authority has decided to suspend the Sorghum import qualification of the US company C&D (USA) INC, and poultry meat and bone meal import qualification of companies including American Proteins, Inc, Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc and DARLING INGREDIENTS INC.

Also, in a separate notice, the Chinese customs said it has repeatedly detected furazolidone, a prohibited drug under Chinese law, in imported US poultry products. Therefore, it has decided to suspend the import of poultry products of US companies including Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc and Coastal Processing, LLC, to China.

The official explained that Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by various species of Fusarium fungi. If it enters the food chain through feed, it can pose a threat to both animal and human health, Xinhua said. 

Salmonella, on the other hand, is a zoonotic bacterium. When animals consume contaminated feed, it can lead to decreased productivity or death. If consumers ingest animal products contaminated with salmonella, symptoms such as diarrhea may occur, and in severe cases, death may result, according to Xinhua. 

The measures adopted by the customs are necessary, scientifically reasonable, and in line with China's relevant laws and regulations as well as international practices, the official was quoted as saying in the Xinhua report. 

Chinese customs will continue to strengthen the inspection and quarantine of imported agricultural and food products, resolutely safeguarding the security of the nation's borders, the official said.