Audience friends, hello and welcome to “Qin Peng Observation”.
Today, let’s take a look at how tankers are cleaned internationally, with such high standards that Chinese netizens marvel: so clean it’s almost obsessive, after watching it, you can be completely reassured. Surprisingly, the United States has 5 levels of cleanliness, with the highest level being something many may have never heard of.
Several well-known foreign companies have also come under scrutiny. The Chinese Communist Party is planning a counterattack, but the outcome is still uncertain.
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Let’s start by watching a video.
This is a milk tanker in New Zealand, a familiar sight for anyone who has lived there. These massive tankers dash through the cities and countryside of New Zealand every day, tasked with collecting raw milk from thousands of dairy farms. The standards are strict – it’s not just cleaned periodically, but after every operation. Both the interior and exterior are thoroughly cleaned using high-temperature steam, through an automated process. Instead of manual reporting, the onboard monitoring equipment automatically sends reports to the headquarters after each operation.
In the past few days, this video has caused a stir among many Chinese netizens. Some have marveled at how extreme it is but also how reassuring. Some have even commented, “In my eyes, this is the standard of a developed country, not just skyscrapers and computer AI.”
Thanks to this rigorous management, New Zealand holds 33.8% of the global dairy export market share, despite being a small country with a population of only 5 million, solidifying its position as a leader in the dairy industry.
Meanwhile, the cleanliness of Japan’s edible oil tanker also astounded netizens: it’s so clean it’s like a mirror, reflecting the vehicles behind it and the scenery on the roadside with clarity!
Some Chinese netizens, having observed the tanker management overseas, lamented about the unfortunate state in China. This sentiment was echoed by Chinese studying in the US who realized that transport vehicles for various products must adhere to strict isolation principles.
However, upon closer examination of the US standards, I discovered that they are much more complex and stringent than what the American netizen described. Looking at the management standards of Kan-Haul, a leading food-grade tanker transport company in the US, and studying the introduction of the renowned tanker cleaning company Danny’s, as well as the relevant standards set by the FDA in the US, here are a few observations to share with friends:
First, the US tankers are strictly managed. Food-grade tankers must not mix with industrial products or hazardous materials. Dairy transport vehicles are dedicated specifically for dairy use and require cleaning almost daily. Unlike in China, US liquid food transport vehicles are equipped with special temperature control systems during transit to maintain food at ideal temperatures for optimal quality.
Secondly, contrary to what the American student experienced, in reality, most types of food can be transported in the same food-grade tanker but must undergo thorough cleaning. Additionally, third-party confirmation is required to certify that the tanker is clean.
Furthermore, in the US, tanker cleaning is categorized into 3 national or world-class standards, divided into 5 levels. These three major standards are:
Firstly, the Interstate Milk Shippers Plan (IMS), jointly developed by the FDA and the USDA, sets rigorous hygiene compliance and execution standards for transportation stations, trucks, receiving stations, dairy farms, laboratories, containers, closures, packaging, and coding.
This standard spans 227 pages. However, what matters most is the quality, as highlighted by the 2020 scrutiny of China’s dairy industry that sparked public outcry. Professionals believe that China’s dairy industry faces two major problems: first, the current raw milk standard is significantly below international standards; the colony count limit of 2 million/mL is vastly lower than the 1986 standard, regressing by 25 years. High colony counts and somatic cell counts are indicators of milk safety, excessive levels pose serious safety risks. Second, standards haven’t been updated for ten years, even till present, new standards have not been introduced.
The second significant US tanker-related standard is the Juice Products Association (JPA) Regulatory Guidelines, which amalgamate various food-related industries’ requirements for tanker cleanliness to form a standard, despite bearing the name of a juice association.
Lastly, the international Kosher food standard, also known as Kosher certification regulations, deems many foods as impure and adheres to the “nine nos” standard, including no toxins, no fats, no caffeine, no alcohol, no wax, no colorants, no additives, and no swallowing issues.
Moreover, the minimum requirements by JPA for tankers are:
a. Food-grade tankers are exclusively mandated with clear labeling distinguishing them as “food-grade.”
b. Oil tankers can only transport approved food, ingredients, or potable water
c. Tanker interiors and accessories must be made of food-grade stainless steel—this single requirement already far exceeds the expectations set by Chinese media and netizens on oil tanker cleanliness in recent days.
These are only the criteria for the second level of cleaning among the 5 levels:
The first level, suitable for fewer clients, is used for loading the same product types and washed with potable water.
The second level, designed for previously transporting water-based foods, requires washing with potable water, followed by high-temperature cleaning cycles, and concluding with low-temperature sanitization.
The third and fourth levels are tailored for water-oil mixtures and oil-based products, respectively. These levels require the prior transportation of water/oil or oily foods with tankers posing potential allergen risks. These cleansing steps involve potable water washing, high-temperature degreasing cycles, high-temperature cleaning cycles, and low-temperature disinfection washing.
The fifth level caters to specific ingredients and adheres to the highest Kosher food cleanliness guidelines. It involves potable water rinsing, high-temperature degreasing cycles, high-temperature cleaning cycles, high-temperature potable water cycles, and final low-temperature disinfection washing.
These latter 4 levels resemble the high-temperature steam cleaning method discussed online in recent days. However, each level specifies more detailed requirements for temperature, time, detergents, and disinfectants.
In recent days, it seems like the Chinese authorities are breaking their silence, with the State Council organizing a joint investigation team, and party media participating in reporting. However, the official response from the Chinese authorities also seems imminent:
1. The tracks of the exposed tankers revealed by the Xinjingbao (New Beijing News) cannot be traced.
2. Netizens are still discussing the matter, but it’s no longer trending on Weibo’s hot search list, leading some to mockingly comment: “The ‘quiet time’ doesn’t happen naturally; someone filters the trends for you!”
3. The fiercely pro-CCP online commentator, Sima Nan, shifts the blame to Xinjingbao and the overseas grain enterprises, attempting to target China’s state-owned enterprises. He urges internet and ideological regulatory authorities to participate in the investigation.
4. The Cyberspace Administration has detailed sentiment analysis but fails to provide specific answers.
5. The related companies not only fail to issue apologies but also engage in deflection, including the China National Grain Reserve Corporation.
Additionally, two CCP officials have come forward. Previously citing an expert who stated China lacks mandatory national standards, one official claimed there are already mandatory standards in place for edible oil transportation. When asked about expanding the varieties of pollutants tested in edible oils, another official responded on July 10, stating, “Regularly consumed edible oil should not contain mineral oil. The fundamental way to prevent contamination of edible oils is not by increasing testing items but by preventing pollution caused by illegal transportation.”
However, the statements from these two officials lack rationality as the existing standards not only lack punitive measures but also focus only on individual responsibilities rather than comprehensive industrial chain management and accountability in case of problems, such as:
1. What happens if manufacturers do not perform checks diligently or inadequately? In this recent incident, China Grain Reserves Corporation failed to conduct appropriate checks. Phoenix News’ “Storm Eye” conducted interviews with two professionals in the tanker cleaning industry, one of whom mentioned that oil companies must undergo testing when refueling in the factory, a necessary step. The leniency shown by refineries towards mixed tankers could be due to favorable relations between fleet and inspection departments, leading fleets to cut corners to save costs. Should these individuals be held accountable?
2. What if the receiving party intentionally deceives? The cutthroat competition amongst oil transporters in China results in failure to adhere to dedicated tanker usage, with some not even cleaning tanks to cut costs.
3. What if the receiving party is irresponsible?
To address these issues, possible measures could include:
1. Implementing a whistleblower system, increasing inter-inspection among relevant parties, and imposing penalties post-incident.
2. Ensuring dedicated tanker usage.
3. Developing detailed standards akin to those in the US, Japan, and New Zealand.
4. Digitizing results from different stages, including manufacturers, transporters, buyers, car washers, and monitoring entities, inputting them into a national network system correlated with GPS for real-time tracking to prevent fraud by any party, with penalties enforced if needed.
What surprised many this time was the involvement of several internationally renowned companies, including the Gold Coin Fishery Enterprise owned by the Malaysian Kuok Hock Nien family and the contracted supplier for the highly sought-after supermarket brand Pangdunlai, as well as the American agribusiness company, Bunge. Notably, Bunge China has remained silent amidst the tainted oil incident to date.
Given the CCP’s close ties with state-owned enterprises and its often favorable view towards large multinational corporations, many are pondering the potential outcomes of the State Council’s investigation and how the authorities will address the mixed oil incident this time.
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