China's General Administration of Customs, through its import and export food safety division, has flagged a substantial incoming shipment tied to WL Delicious (09985.HK), the snack maker known for its spicy strips. According to the July 2026 list of food and cosmetic products denied entry into the country, a 162-tonne consignment of konjac flour imported from Indonesia by Henan WeiLong Food Enterprise E-commerce Development Co., Ltd. was halted at the Qingdao port. The cause cited was sulphur dioxide levels that exceeded the permissible limits set under the national standard GB 2760-2024, rendering the goods non-compliant with China's food safety regulations. The shipment originated from Indonesia, with the production facility identified as PT.BANSHANG TECHNOLOGY JAWA TIMUR.

In a response on September 12, a customer service representative for WL Delicious clarified that the raw material batch was intercepted and tested at the customs checkpoint, where it was found to breach national food safety import standards. The company stated that the entire batch was returned in accordance with regulatory requirements, asserting that none of it was used in any WL Delicious products and that the issue bears no connection to items currently available for sale.

The reference standard, GB 2760-2024, which governs the use of food additives, specifies the scope and dosage limits for substances like sulphur dioxide, measured as SO2 residue. For instance, the maximum allowable amount is 0.1 g/kg for marine shrimp and crabs, 0.05 g/kg for surface-treated fresh fruits, and 0.1 g/kg for dried fruits. When small quantities of sulphur dioxide enter the human body, they typically convert to sulfates and are excreted through urine. However, excessive intake that surpasses the body's metabolic capacity could trigger symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, potentially harming organs like the liver and kidneys, and may also induce allergic reactions including skin itching and redness.

Recently, WL Delicious released its interim results for the first half of 2026, reporting revenue of RMB 3.715 billion, an increase of 6.66% year-on-year, while net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 767 million, up 4.58%. The company's core business has notably pivoted from its traditional spicy strips to konjac snacks. In the first half, revenue from seasoned flour-based products, represented by spicy strips, fell 9.8% to RMB 1.181 billion, with its share of total revenue dropping from 37.6% to 31.8%. Conversely, vegetable-based offerings, led by konjac snacks, surged 15.8% to RMB 2.441 billion, boosting their revenue contribution to 65.7%.