Local food safety watchdogs in the country will soon be empowered by Chinese provincial governments. The watchdogs will be empowered according to the requirements of the country’s central government in order to prevent food scandals.
The China Food and Drug Administration was established during the cabinet restructuring in March 2013, to supervise the complete process which includes food production, circulation and consumption. In China, provincial governments have been attempting to restructure their food safety monitoring mechanism. In the process of reshuffle, functions of the departments of quality inspection are increased, as they receive food safety jurisdiction, which was earlier held by health and industry and commerce departments.
The China Food and Drug Administration has been sending out work teams to different provinces in order to make sure the reshuffle goes smoothly. During the inspection of the work in Central China?s Hunan province in January 2014, the vice minister of the administration, Liu?Peizhi?urged provincial governments to finish the reshuffle as soon as possible.
However, the administration has not yet announced the progress of the nationwide restructuring. Li Hongyuan, the director of the food and drug administration in East China?s Fujian province stated that over two-thirds of 31 provincial regions in the country’s mainland have managed to finish their relevant restructuring.
Photo Credits: Food navigator
