Comment on "60 percent of food additives just undetectable" (China Daily website, June 16)

According to media reports, food safety authorities say 60 percent of the about 2,200 food additives used in China cannot be tested because of technical limitations. This is shocking. What if the undetectable additives are poisonous? What would happen to public health, especially the health of children?

Technical limitations should not be cited as excuse for food scandals. It is the authorities' responsibility to protect public health. If they have genuine difficulty in detecting harmful additives in food products, they should find a way to eliminate their use. The least they can do is to strengthen legislation on food safety to reduce such malpractices.

Mao Yang, via e-mail

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