New Delhi, Aug 23 (KNN)  Accusing Indian manufacturers of dumping an Indian food preservative called tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) on the Chinese market, China’s Commerce Ministry on Thursday announced that it has launched an investigation into imports of the preservative.

“The ministry has received requests from domestic TBHQ producers, accusing Indian manufacturers of dumping the product on the Chinese market and calling for an inquiry,” said a Xinhua report.

Authorities from the ministry will now look into whether Indian companies have sold TBHQ at an artificially low price in China and any consequences that the action may have brought to Chinese businesses.

According to the report, the investigation would take at least a year and may be extended until early 2015.

TBHQ is an aromatic organic compound widely used in the food industry as an antioxidant in vegetable oils, many edible animal fats, roasted food, fried food and other meat products.

It is also used as a stabiliser for insecticides, as well as an intermediate for dyes and pharmaceuticals.

This is the second anti-dumping probe on Indian imports this month by China, the previous probe against the single-mode optical fibre imports from India.  (KNN/ES)