The Chinese State Council report said on Tuesday that more efforts will be directed at improving food safety in meat products and “punish those who illegally purchase, produce or sell sick or dead animals” [Xinhua]
The Chinese Cabinet has issued fresh guidelines to implement food safety this year that includes stricter supervision of China’s multi-billion dollar infant formula business, a government statement said on Tuesday
The Chinese government has vowed a crackdown on land and water pollution and on the usage of banned pesticides and veterinary drugs, the statement said.
“The quality of baby formulas will be strictly monitored and a campaign will be made to crack down on any illegal use of food additives,” said the statement.
On October 14, global milk powder company Danone Corp said it would replace managers in China after state-owned CCTV broadcast a report that the company’s formula unit — Dumex — had bribed doctors in the northern city of Tianjin to gain better access for its product.
China’s anti-monopoly regulator National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) handed down record fines to six milk powder companies, including Mead Johnson Nutrition Co and Danone SA last year.
Meanwhile, the Chinese State Council report said on Tuesday that more efforts will be directed at improving food safety in meat products and “punish those who illegally purchase, produce or sell sick or dead animals”.
Campaigns will be run to improve food safety in the rural areas, the statement added.
Draft amendments to the Food Safety Law released in October last year said China will triple the fines for severe food safety violations, and those jailed for such crimes will be banned forever from the food industry.
According to a survey conducted by people.com.cn ahead earlier this year, food and drug safety came in third on a list of national issues the Chinese are most worried about, outranked only by social security and the anti-corruption crackdown.
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