Food and drug safety in China is ‘grim’, regulator admits after string of scandals
Stronger oversight required if China's Food and Drug administration is to improve the safety, with more on-site inspections, random tests and unannounced visits
Food and drug safety in China is “grim” and will get stronger oversight, the food and drug regulator said on Wednesday, after a series of scares last year hit the reputations of global firms such as McDonald’s and Wal-Mart.
The China Food and Drug Administration has struggled to control a string of high-profile scandals over the years, from donkey meat products tainted with fox, heavy metals in baby food and allegations of expired meat sold to fast-food chains.
The current foundations of China’s food and drug safety are still weak
“We must soberly recognise the current foundations of China’s food and drug safety are still weak, with new and old risks together creating a grim situation,” the regulator said in a statement on its website after a meeting in Beijing this week.
Safety scares have affected the reputations and China sales of global companies from US fast-food chains McDonald’s and Yum Brands to retailers such as Wal-Mart and France’s Carrefour.
China will increase “active” regulation to prevent food and drug safety scares, with more on-site inspections, random tests and unannounced visits, the regulator said. The quality of personnel, legal structures, management methods and technological aspects were all currently insufficient, it said.