Premier-in-waiting Li Keqiang believes ensuring food safety will be a crucial test of the government's drive to be an effective regulator.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial National Food Safety Committee meeting, Li said the government should pay more attention to balancing economic growth and people's livelihood.
"The public knows if the government is working hard to ensure food safety," Li told officials at the meeting in remarks reported by state media yesterday.
"If we cannot not balance economic growth and livelihood improvement, prosperity will be mere numbers that people cannot enjoy."
The mainland has been plagued by a series of food safety scandals in recent years, including melamine-tainted baby formula and widespread use of "gutter oil" in restaurants and food products.
Li was appointed the Communist Party's No 2 at November's party congress and will succeed Wen Jiabao as premier in March.