China passes tougher food safety law

China’s top legislature on Friday passed a bill to strengthen the country’s food safety law, improving regulatory oversight and imposing stricter penalties for violations, Reuters reported, citing state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).

The amendment, which will come into effect on December 1, focuses on regulating the bulk road transportation of key liquid foods and infant formula liquid milk, CCTV said.

The amended law stipulates a licensing system for operating bulk road transport of key liquid foods, and lays out the responsibilities of consignors, consignees and road transport operators.

It places infant formula liquid milk under the same registration management as that for infant formula powder, requiring manufacturers to follow registered formulas and processes.

Food safety has improved in China in recent years following a series of scandals but an incident in July drew widespread attention.

More than 200 children were found to have abnormally high levels of lead in their blood in the northwestern province of Gansu, after consuming kindergarten food which was found to have lead inside.

Other scandals have included the 2008 discovery of toxic infant milk, which undermined public trust and consumer confidence.

China’s food safety law was first initiated in 2009 before an overhaul in 2015. It has since been amended in 2018 and 2021.

Tags: China, food