Various ministries such as the Ministry of Public Health issued an announcement yesterday. Since May 1, 2011, it has banned the production of food additives and benzoyl peroxide, ****, in the flour.

Benzoyl peroxide is commonly known as flour brightener. Since last year, this newspaper has continued to pay attention to the problem of the retention and waste of flour whiteners. In December last year, the website of the Ministry of Health Supervision Office publicly solicited opinions on the prohibition of the use of flour brighteners, benzoyl peroxide and ****. This will also result in the depletion of "flour whiteners" that will last for ten years. The draft of the Consultation shows that since December 1, 2011, the use of benzoyl peroxide and **** in flour production has been banned. For the "proposed one-year transitional period", some members of the public did not think it necessary.

According to an official announcement issued yesterday, since May 1, 2011, the production of food additives and benzoyl peroxide, ****, have been banned.

For the shortening of the “probation period,” Chen Rui, deputy director of the Ministry of Health’s Food Safety Comprehensive Coordination and Hygiene Supervision Bureau, said that first, this is a major policy adjustment, leaving time for all parties; second, there are many voices in the society. Requesting to shorten the implementation time, the Ministry of Health carried out repeated research and consultation with various parties and set aside a two-month transition period, which is also an international practice.