China's national quality watchdog has urged its local branches to increase supervision of cosmetics and food products imported from Japan after a series of quality problems.

According to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the quality authorities in South China's Guangdong Province detected chromium and neodymium, which are forbidden ingredients of cosmetics in China, in SK-II cosmetics produced by Procter and Gamble (Japan).

The Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau found a type of SK-II cosmetic containing 4.5 mg/kg of neodymium. It also found chromium in some other types of SK-II cosmetics, with a rate of 0.77 mg/kg to 2.0 mg/kg.

According to China's Regulations on Hygienic Standards for Cosmetics (GB1976), cosmetics should not contain chromium or neodymium.

Experts said chromium could cause skin diseases such as allergic dermatitis and eczema, which is very hard to cure. Neodymium can cause irritation of the eyes and mucosa. If inhaled, the substance can damage the lung and liver.

Europe has also banned these two elements in cosmetics, according to the administration.

In another development, the administration issued warnings against food products imported from Japan after a series of products were found to contain excessive chemicals.

The administration said they have found quality problems in more than 30 batches of food products imported from Japan since June.

The Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, found excessive sorbic acid in fish sticks, reaching a rate of 1.3g /kg, 17.3 times the nation's safety limit.

It has also detected excessive sorbic acid in salted carrots imported from Kyushu in Japan.

Source: China Daily