New policy to ensure food quality and safety

Guideline urges stricter oversight from licensing to production and distribution

China has announced a new comprehensive guideline aimed at strengthening oversight across the entire food supply chain, from farms to consumer tables.

The policy, jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet, outlines stricter controls and enforcement measures to enhance public health protection and ensure food quality.

The new guideline emphasizes greater coordination between regulatory bodies and a focus on improving food safety at every stage of production, distribution and sale. A key component of the reforms includes the establishment of a traceability system for agricultural products, enabling better monitoring from farms to markets. This is intended to prevent unsafe products from entering the food supply while allowing authorities to respond quickly to any safety issues that might arise.