SHANGHAI: Material contamination has been confirmed as the cause of the chemical content detected in canned meat products made by a Shanghai food company.

On December 6, the Shanghai entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau suspended the export of all food products, including canned meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, made by Shanghai Maling Aquarius Co Ltd. The order came after the Hong Kong hygiene authority detected chemical contents in the company's canned meat on December 3.

The food and environment hygiene department of Hong Kong said low levels of nitrofurans metabolite had been found in cans of low-salt pork luncheon meat made by Maling.