China's latest food scare highlights key concern on country's 'poor' food traceability systems and regulation

A box of Heinz AD Calcium Hi-Protein Cereal, which was part of a batch of the cereal not affected by a recent recall, at a supermarket in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province . Reuters/Stringer

By Adam Jourdan

The entanglement of H.J. Heinz Co. in China's latest food scare highlights a key concern for international and local firms - how to keep track of ingredients from diverse sources in a country where food supply tracing technologies are far from the norm.

The U.S. food maker apologised to Chinese consumers last week and said it would tighten controls over suppliers after it was forced to recall some infant cereal from store shelves due to excess levels of lead.