Tough line promised on food security

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-10-26  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

CHINESE Premier Wen Jiabao promised yesterday to toughen supervision on food safety after the latest milk powder scandal.

"Not only were companies responsible for the scandal, but the government should also be held responsible for lax supervision," he told a press conference in Beijing at the end of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting.

China would strongly deal with the scandal and punish both those who were directly involved in the matter and officials who were responsible, he said.

The Chinese government would learn from the scandal and ensure "effective and forceful" supervision of the production, transportation and processing of food, he added.

Protein levels

In the tainted dairy products scandal, melamine, often used in the manufacture of plastics, was added to sub-standard or diluted milk to make protein levels appear higher. At least three infants died and more than 50,000 were affected after prolonged drinking of the contaminated milk.

The Chinese government quickly enacted regulations after the incident to intensify supervision and management of the dairy industry to ensure safety, Wen said.

China's top legislature began reviewing a draft law on food safety last week, which sets stricter food quality standards and demands greater government responsibility, he added. The law would ban all chemicals and materials other than authorized additives.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to food safety, not only in the interest of the Chinese but also people in the world," he said.