Crackdown on illicit additives improves food safety

China has uncovered about 78,000 food safety violations since June in a crackdown on the illicit use of food additives and the sale of counterfeit or substandard food products, the State Administration for Market Regulation said on Friday.

The crackdown has resulted in fines totaling 910 million yuan ($130 million) and suspensions of more than 2,400 manufacturers, said Yang Hongcan, head of the administration's law enforcement bureau.

"We have targeted pressing issues that the public has complained about most in the food safety sector, including food containing excessive amounts of additives or inedible substances, and meat products that have failed inspection tests," he said.