CHANGSHA - Local health authorities have admitted waiting five months before announcing that secret recalls had been ordered for a brand of camellia oil that had been found to contain excessive carcinogens.

The oil was manufactured by Jinhao, a well-known edible oil maker based in Central China's Hunan province.

An official with the provincial bureau of quality and technical supervision confirmed, on the condition of anonymity, that in March, the bureau found excessive amounts of a harmful element known as benzoapyrene in a sample of Jinhao camellia oil.