China tightens food safety law

Following a string of food safety scandals that have rocked the nation in recent years, China has implemented stringent food safety regulations, that will levy heavy penalties on offenders.

The country’s top legislative body has voted in favour of the amendments to the food safety law, that will impose tougher punishments on violations, and tighter regulations of infant milk formula and online shopping, reported China’s official news agency, Xinhua.

The new law will comprise 154 articles, compared to the 104 included in the previous law.

Recent food adulteration scandals to hit the country include injection of clenbuterol into pork, recycling of cooking oil, selling pork from sick pigs, medicines made with toxic gelatin and passing off rat and fox meat as fit for human consumption.

As per the amended rule, anybody found to be adding inedible substances to food could be sent to jail for up to 15 days.

Offenders could face administrative detention, without court proceedings.

This move has been considered tough, as other punishments generally involve fines, and revocation of certificates.

The amended law will also give greater power to buyers, as consumers will get the right to demand reparation of three times any loss they suffer from substandard food.

Offenders will also be fined up to 30 times the value of their products, which is an increase from the current 10 times. In the case that the products are worth less than CNY10,000 ($1,630), the fine can be up to CNY150,000, three times the previous amount, reported Xinhua.

Officials with food and drug regulators who fail to protect the public or participate in covering up scandals will be given demotion or dismissal.

The revenue of landlords who are found to ignore illegal activities on their premises will be seized with a fine of up to CNY200,000.