Source: Shaanxi City Express
Gold leaf chocolate,
Gold leaf ice cream, gold leaf cake...
Is the gold leaf on these influencer foods edible?
On February 9, the reporter learned from the State Administration for Market Regulation that the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Health Commission and the General Administration of Customs have recently triggered the "Notice on Investigating and Handling illegal Acts of Producing and Operating Food Containing Gold and Silver Foil Powder" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"), which clarifies that gold (silver) foil gold (silver) powder substances (hereinafter referred to as "gold and silver foil powder") are not food additives and cannot be used in food production and operation.
On the evening of February 8, the reporter logged on to an e-commerce platform and searched for keywords such as "edible gold leaf" and "edible silver leaf", and could not search for relevant stores. Among the gold and silver foil products displayed in the search, there was no "edible" related promotion. However, a gold leaf silver foil dessert cooking cake decoration product sold by a cake decoration shop is priced at 15.8 yuan for gold leaf to buy one free; gold powder in 15g is priced at 9.9 yuan.
It is worth noting that many consumers are not sure whether gold leaf and silver foil can be eaten. Below the above products, consumers asked in the store "whether it is edible", and many consumers who had already purchased claimed to be able to, and said that they had eaten. On the afternoon of February 9, the reporter logged on to the store again, and the relevant products have been removed from the shelves.
The reporter noted that the "Notice" issued this time is strictly managed from six aspects: food safety, import food safety, network transactions, advertising, violations of laws and regulations, and popular science publicity and public opinion guidance.
In terms of food safety, market supervision departments at all levels are required to urge food producers and traders to strictly implement the main responsibility, food producers must not purchase and use gold and silver foil powder to produce processed food, food sellers must not purchase and sell food containing gold and silver foil powder, and catering service providers must not make and sell meals containing gold and silver foil powder. Customs departments at all levels should urge food importers to implement the main responsibility, not to import food containing gold and silver foil powder, and to stop selling those that have been imported.
In terms of online transaction supervision, market supervision departments at all levels should urge online trading platforms to strictly implement the main responsibility, strengthen the qualification review of business operators within the platform, and strictly prohibit business operators on the platform from selling food containing gold and silver foil powder. Strengthen the monitoring of online transactions of "food containing gold and silver foil powder" and "edible gold and silver foil powder", and promptly supervise and urge online trading platforms to take disposal measures such as removing shelves in accordance with law.
In terms of advertising supervision, market supervision departments at all levels should severely crack down on advertising and propaganda behaviors that violate the good social trend, such as using the addition of gold and silver foil powder as a gimmick to promote extravagance and hedonism, and strictly investigate and deal with false and illegal advertisements such as adding gold and silver foil powder to propaganda food with health care functions and therapeutic effects in accordance with the law.
At the same time, with regard to violations of laws and regulations, all relevant departments should intensify law enforcement, severely crack down on the illegal acts of producing and trading food containing gold and silver foil powder, severely crack down on the illegal acts of falsely publicizing the edible food of gold and silver foil powder, and severely crack down on the illegal acts of importing food containing gold and silver foil powder. Once relevant illegal conduct is verified, it will be strictly and promptly investigated and dealt with in accordance with law; where a crime is suspected, it will be transferred to the public security organ for criminal responsibility in accordance with law.
In terms of science popularization and public opinion guidance, all relevant departments should strengthen food safety and nutrition and health education, organize experts to carry out health interpretation, correctly guide public opinion, timely release consumption tips, and advocate scientific and rational consumption. Encourage all sectors of society to supervise, smooth the channels for complaints and reports, actively create a good consumption environment, and resolutely curb the "wind of food and gold".