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Chinese consumers concerned about food safety

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-27 15:02

IMPORTS CAN ALSO BE DANGEROUS

Experts warned that problems in the inspection and quality system in China were also exposing Chinese consumers to unsafe imported food. For example, in December, China suspended the import of Irish pork products and animal feed after the products were suspected of being tainted with dioxin, a chemical derived from petroleum, which is thought to be harmful to humans.

China's quarantine inspectors detained about 312 tons of Irish pork products, but by then another 93 tons had already made their way into the market.

Ge Zhirong, a former AQSIQ director, told Beijing Sci-Tech Report this month that the government should introduce new regulations on import/export food safety supervision and management.

"That would safeguard the rights of both domestic consumers and overseas consumers," he added.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS

In addition to the labeling law introduced in September, the Chinese government has made other safety efforts.

In February, China approved a Food Safety Law, which states that "only those items proved to be safe and necessary in food production are allowed to be listed as food additives."

The law, which will take effect June 1, says food producers may only use additives that have been approved by the authorities.

Companies that break the law face possible temporary or permanent closure, the latter through the loss of production licenses in serious cases.

The law also:

-- requires food producers to follow safety standards when using pesticide, fertilizer, growth regulators, veterinary drugs, animal feed and feed additives, and to keep farming or breeding records.

-- gives consumers whose health is affected by unsafe food the right to claim losses of up to 10 times the purchase price from manufacturers or retailers.

-- regulates ads, stating that "social institutions, organizations and individuals are forbidden to recommend food products in deceptive advertisements" at the risk of unspecified damages.

-- sets up a recall system, under which producers must recall food that fails to meet national standards immediately, while retailers must stop sales of "problem food".

-- makes the Ministry of Health responsible for assessing and approving food additives and regulating their usage.

On March 6, the Ministry of Health issued a circular to its local offices, urging them to step up prevention of food contamination and monitoring of food quality-related illnesses.

The circular covered 16 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities where food problems have been most prevalent.

At the same time, Health Minister Chen Zhu said the ministry would create a national database covering food contamination and food-borne illnesses within two years.

He also ordered hospitals and other health organizations to report food poisoning and other food-related illnesses promptly.

BETTER, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Professor Zhang Xi'an of Northwest University of Politics and Law in Shaanxi Province told Xinhua: "The law was a new push to improve food safety through stricter monitoring and supervision, tougher safety standards, recall of substandard products and severe punishment for offenders."

"Most companies do a good job of ensuring food safety, but some small companies still fail to produce safe food," said Zhu of the Beijing Jindong Law Firm.

"But as far as I know, only a few companies have been punished, because government supervision was not as strict as expected. The government should play a more active role in safeguarding the market," Zhu said.

"Most consumers only learn about food problems from the media. It isn't fair to the people," he said.

Zhu suggested that the government conduct more frequent and stricter inspections nationwide, to expose risks, crack down on illegal activities and protect consumers' rights.

"On the website of the Ministry of Health, there is a document listing all the food additives approved by the government. Consumers should study it carefully to protect their health," he said.

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