Stronger agency tackles food safety challenges
Source: Xinhua |
March 23, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE China Food and Drug Administration started operation yesterday, marking a more powerful watchdog to address the country's accumulating food safety concerns.
The CFDA, headed by Zhang Yong, director of the food safety commission under the State Council, China's Cabinet, integrated the monitoring functions of other government organs and became a ministerial-level agency to improve food and drug safety.
The move came out of efforts to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency via a cabinet restructuring approved by the top legislature in China's just-concluded parliamentary session.
Chinese consumers have encountered a series of food safety scandals in recent years, including recycled cooking oil, tainted liquor, substandard yoghurt and harmful milk powder.
Prior to the restructuring, the previous State Food and Drug Administration was in charge of food safety in the catering industry, whereas the responsibilities of food safety supervision in manufacturing and the market were assumed by the country's consumer quality watchdog and the industry and commerce administration, respectively.
Overlapping of supervision from different departments and some "blind spots" proved weak links in the food safety supervision system. The new regulator will be responsible for supervising the full process of food's production, circulation and consumption.
The burden for lawful business operators also is expected to be reduced.
The CFDA, headed by Zhang Yong, director of the food safety commission under the State Council, China's Cabinet, integrated the monitoring functions of other government organs and became a ministerial-level agency to improve food and drug safety.
The move came out of efforts to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency via a cabinet restructuring approved by the top legislature in China's just-concluded parliamentary session.
Chinese consumers have encountered a series of food safety scandals in recent years, including recycled cooking oil, tainted liquor, substandard yoghurt and harmful milk powder.
Prior to the restructuring, the previous State Food and Drug Administration was in charge of food safety in the catering industry, whereas the responsibilities of food safety supervision in manufacturing and the market were assumed by the country's consumer quality watchdog and the industry and commerce administration, respectively.
Overlapping of supervision from different departments and some "blind spots" proved weak links in the food safety supervision system. The new regulator will be responsible for supervising the full process of food's production, circulation and consumption.
The burden for lawful business operators also is expected to be reduced.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
