Herbal tea with unlicensed additives could be harmful to health, the Guangzhou Daily reported Saturday.

The report cited a proposal submitted to the Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress by deputy Zhao Yunyan on Friday.

Zhao found in a survey that many herbal tea vendors mixed prescription medicine such as antipyretic and cough syrup in their herbal teas for effectiveness. However, none of these vendors had applied for government licenses for adding prescription medicine. Some vendors even add preservatives or use inferior raw materials in herbal tea.

Zhao said the additives could be harmful to consumers. She said the MPC should establish general criteria for herbal tea vendors and require a compulsory description of ingredients on the label.

Herbal tea is the most popular beverage in Guangdong Province. Cantonese believe that some nonprescription herbal ingredients can cure colds.

Editor: Catherine