THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND FAMILY PLANNING COMMISSION recently published a draft document on its website, suggesting it intends to allow the addition of powdered gold foil to products. The move aroused debate because traditional Chinese medicine believes gold, as a heavy metal, is harmful to health if eaten. An anonymous member of the staff said a liquor company had urged them to do so, but as yet there has been no official explanation. Comments:

In a 2011 document, the Ministry of Health, the agency that preceded the National Health and Family Planning Commission, clearly prohibited gold from being added to food. If the commission means to revise this principle, the officials need to at least offer some explanation so that people know whether to support it or not.

hsw.cn, Feb 4