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Although a setback, the February milk recall and the July melamine disclosures indicate that China’s regulatory system is taking hold. The 2008 scandal resulted in executions and jail time after protracted reviews and mounting domestic and international pressure. This time around, it looks like the regulators acted swiftly and decisively. On July 14, 2010, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture of China released the 2010 National Food Safety Standards Checkup Plan, which will serve to define limits for specific contaminants, additives, causative organisms and pesticide residue. In addition to this, the Standards Checkup Plan will integrate the food safety standards to specific products and sectors through centralized clean-up and rectification. Another measure taken by the Ministry of Health is that it will release “Management Methods of National and Regional Food Safety Standards.” Chen Rui, a senior official of the Ministry of Health revealed that China is close to releasing 66 new national safety standards that are completely consistent with international standards.
Chinese regulators continuously express the urgent need to introduce industry enforcement into the regulatory mix. A Chinese health minister stated that the nation has to improve its monitoring and enforcement, as well as do more to track down “hidden caches of dairy laced with toxic chemicals.” Still not an isolated incident, the melamine disclosure only points up the role GFSF can play in reinforcing the Chinese government’s enforcement strategy by targeting small and medium size enterprises and offering rapid response teams sent to plant sites.
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