Food safety administration staffs inspect a restaurant in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on Nov 10, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

THE SHENZHEN FOOD and drug administration in South China initiated an investigation into the cooking oil used in the canteens of Shenzhen University after a food quality report suggested that the university was using recycled waste oil. According to the administration, the original tests were conducted by a testing company whose test methods have not yet been appraised and it had arranged for third-party testing organizations to conduct new examinations of the oil used in the university's canteens. Guangming Daily commented on Monday:

Food is a necessity of life, and food safety should be a top priority. The harmful effects of using gutter oil have long been recognized. If a restaurant was revealed to be using gutter oil it would be a fatal blow to its business. If a university's canteen is suspected of using gutter oil it is even more scandalous. Therefore, we must deal with food safety tests cautiously.

After the allegation food was being cooked using gutter oil in the canteen of Shenzhen University, the university accused the oil checking company of not being nationally certified.

All food tests should be conducted by certified companies and the tests should be scientific and standardized. Also the testing procedures and data must be transparent.

Specific to the incident of Shenzhen University's canteen, it is necessary to figure out the ins and outs of the matter. The difficulty, however, is that there may be an "unspeakable" cause, so that the parties are reluctant to talk.

If the tests are not conducted to a uniform standard, how do you identify which institutions are qualified to conduct food safety tests and which are not?