China drafts food safety mandate

Shanghai - In response to a series of scandals involving food and drug safety, China wants to improve production and inspection standards to better control quality of consumer products, local media reported Thursday. A draft regulation requiring improved supervision over food safety and bigger fines for companies caught breaking the law was passed Wednesday by the State Council, or government cabinet, the Shanghai Daily reported. Product quality and food safety are closely linked with the nation's image, said Premier Wen Jiabao. The government is trying to counter damage done to the 'Made in China' label after toothpaste made using an industrial solvent caused more than 100 deaths in Panama and the US has found impurities and toxins in pet food and has increased scrutiny on imports of some farm-raised seafood because of possible contamination. The European Union called for more consumer protection from dangerous exports. Half of the goods that the EU receives complaints about originate from China. Beijing executed its top official food and drug regulator, Zheng Xiaoyu, for taking bribes to approve untested medicine, including an antibiotic that killed at least 10 people, on July 10. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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