The Shanghai Tea Trade Association has asked all of its 46 member companies to be on the lookout for fake Biluochun tea after China Central Television reported on Sunday that fake tea containing toxic chemicals had been found in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

The association says no fake Biluochun tea has been reported in the city so far.

More than 700 kilograms of counterfeited tea was found in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The tea contains unsafe levels of heavy metals, which can damage the liver and kidney, CCTV reported.

"We sent urgent notices to our 46 member companies as soon as we heard the news," said Zhao Jinfu, an official with the association.

"So far, we haven't received any feedback reporting fake tea in the local market," Zhao said.

The 46 member companies, which operate more than 100 tea stores, were asked to check their supply channels to ensure no poisonous tea entered the local market.

According to CCTV, the counterfeited tea was made in Guizhou Province from low-quality tea leaves.

Producers used a green chemical dye to make the tea look fresh, CCTV reported.

Producing a kilogram of the counterfeit tea only costs 75 yuan (US$9), while the authentic tea sells for 500 yuan a kilogram on average.

"Most customers can't differentiate the fake tea from the authentic leaves," said Xu Yongcheng, a tea expert, who pointed out that authentic Biluochun tea has tiny white hairs on the leaves, while the fake tea has green hairs due to the dye.

Since it is a famous tea, the output of Biluochun is limited every year, Xu added.

Yu Meiqi, a saleswoman at the Jing'an District Tobacco, Sugar and Wine Outlet on Nanjing Road W., said the news hasn't hurt sales so far.

"As few people really know the business, people who are worried about fake tea may stop buying Biluochun," she said.

(Shanghai Daily June 7, 2005)