China Launches Investigation into Sinograin’s Cooking Oil and Fuel Contamination Scandal

China’s largest grain storage and transportation company, Sinograin, is under fire after a state-run newspaper exposed the firm’s practice of transporting cooking oil in tankers that also carry fuel shipments without proper cleaning.

The Beijing News investigation discovered that tankers owned by Sinograin and a private company, Hopefull Grain and Oil Group, were switching between carrying fuel and cooking oil without proper sanitation procedures. Some of the fuel involved was from the state-run China Energy Investment Corporation, which included toxic chemicals like “coal-to-liquids.”

Truck drivers revealed to Beijing News that the practice of using tankers for both fuel and edible shipments was an “open secret” among their ranks. The company’s response was met with widespread outrage from Chinese consumers, who have experienced a string of food and pharmaceutical safety scandals in the past.

Sinograin initially attempted to downplay the situation, claiming to be just as shocked as anyone and promising to conduct a full investigation. However, this move was met with skepticism, and by Monday, Communist Party-controlled media outlets were labeling company executives as “accessories to attempted murder” and demanding harsh punishment from the central government.

The state-run CCTV condemned the actions of Sinograin and Hopefull, describing them as “tantamount to poisoning” and claiming the public was “confused and stunned” to discover major brands linked to the state were disregarding consumer safety.

The State Council, China’s national cabinet, has established a joint investigation group to address the issue, promising severe punishment for companies and individuals found in violation of food safety regulations.

Old videos from news reports dating back to 2005 have surfaced, documenting incidents of food oil being transported in the same tankers as chemicals. Despite the promises of internal investigations from the companies involved, including Sinograin, the scale of the problem suggests it may be too late to “nip in the bud.”