Kelly Chen/ Shanghai Daily news

Almost 90 percent of the food inspected in the first six months this year passed their tests, but food safety problems still remain, the Shanghai Food and Drug Administrative Bureau said yesterday.

According to a press conference held yesterday regarding the safety of the city's food in the first half of the year, 89.3 percent passed inspection, up 2.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

However, four major problems are listed in the food safety report issued yesterday, including trace elements of heavy metals and chemicals as well as bacteria.

Experts said that additives were overused by some producers in order to extend the shelf life or keep the appearance of the produce. These additives are used in flour and pickled meat.

The bacteria problem remains serious in unqualified meat and marine products. As the number of food poisoning cases related to bacteria increases, two new types of bacteria, listeria and E. coli O 157, were found in the inspection. The local supervision department and disease control center are highly concerned.

Experts also warned that people’s understanding and awareness of food safety, including food purchase and intake, should be enhanced.