December 27, 2010

China to strengthen dairy supervision before major festivals

In a bid to ensure food safety before the major Chinese festivals, China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) on December 24 moved to revamp the supervision over the country's dairy products.

Local food and drug administrations have been ordered to increase supervision over the trade and consumption of dairy products and ensure that dairy products are not mixed with non-edible substances or food additives, stated SFDA.

The SFDA asked restaurants to keep dairy product suppliers' contact information as well as valid documents which could help authorities identify the quality, specifications and expiration date of dairy products.

Year-end is always a peak season for the Chinese to dine out, either with families or colleagues. The Spring Festival or the Chinese lunar New Year falls on February 3.

China's dairy industry was marred by a scandal in 2008, in which at least six infants died and almost 300,000 became ill across the country after consuming dairy products tainted with melamine.

To restore consumer confidence, the Chinese government launched a nationwide safety overhaul of dairy products in November 2008.