Mass Food Poisoning Raises Query Over Chinese Olympics Catering

Safety standards in China's food industry were called into question again today with reports that dozens of people in Japan had become ill after eating imported dumplings containing insecticide.

About 80 people are reported to have fallen ill over the past two days after eating the frozen dumplings, made by Tianyang Food Processing in Hebei province. They include a five-year-old girl who fell into a coma, but later regained consciousness.

Tests by the Japanese health ministry revealed that the dumplings contained traces of an organic phosphorous insecticide that can cause severe stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea.

Officials in Tokyo cast doubt on China's commitment to food safety, just months before hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors are expected to arrive in Beijing for the Olympics.

"I'm afraid there was a rather loose safety awareness on the Chinese side," Nobutaka Machimura, Japan's top government spokesman, said.

Chinese authorities said Tianyang Food had been ordered to halt production and recall all of its exports, most of which go to Japan. The country's foreign ministry said preliminary tests conducted on two batches of dumplings made at the factory had found no traces of harmful chemicals, but promised a full investigation.

Schools and restaurants in Japan removed Chinese-made food from their menus and TV stations warned viewers not to eat any food imported from China.

The outbreak casts doubt on China's claims to have raised food safety standards after a four-month campaign prompted by the discovery of hazardous substances in children's toys, toothpaste, pet food and other exported items.