About 44 percent of rice in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, contains excessive levels of cadmium, a carcinogenic metal, according to a survey An article in Beijing Youth Daily calls for better ways of ensuring food safety, (excerpts below).

About half the rice in Guangzhou apparently contains excessive levels of cadmium. Supervisors claimed it was "only a small amount".

However, there is no excuse for food contamination. China produces 200 million tons of rice every year. Even if just a fraction was contaminated this would have repercussions for the health of millions.

The most astonishing fact of the whole incident is that China has no legal standard about the presence of cadmium, or other heavy metals, in rice.

Many countries have introduced detection methods for heavy metals in food, but China still lacks such a mechanism. The food safety authorities must address this situation.