Moutai shares suspended in Shanghai

Kweichow Moutai Co's shares were suspended from trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Monday, according to a notice filed with the exchange.

Media reports said that the shares were suspended due to a post on popular portal Sina.com, which caught the public's attention.

A netizen known as Shui Jing Huang wrote on his blog on Sunday that a sample of the company's products was found to have excessive plasticizer levels at a laboratory in Hong Kong.

Plasticizers are banned in China as food additives because tests on animals have shown a carcinogenic effect.

The amount of plasticizers found in the company's liquor analyzed in Hong Kong was 3.3 mg/kg, far exceeding the national standard of 1.5 mg/kg for food, the blogger wrote, declining to name the Hong Kong-based laboratory.

Kweichow Moutai said in a separate statement on its website on Monday that it does not use any additives during its production process.

It said that it closely follows the country's relevant laws and regulations on food safety in its plants.

The company also said that it has a strict monitoring system for raw materials and vessels that come into contact with its liquor to ensure the products meet industry standards.