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China legislature approves new food safety law in wake of tainted milk scandal

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] China's top legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (SCNPC), approved a new food safety law Saturday which will setup a commission to supervise the country's food monitoring system, according to state media reports. The law passed by a vote of 158-7 and is to take effect June 1. It is intended to improve the monitoring system by implementing new national safety standards, recalling unsafe or inferior products, and provides strict punishment for those who violate the law. The law also includes provisions reducing the number of government agencies involved in food safety supervision, as this was a major point of criticism of the current system. The new law follows a series of food scandals in China over the last few years. News of milk powder contamination by the chemical melamine first broke in September, which lead to massive recalls of both liquid milk products and milk powders. The contaminated milk is believed to have caused the deaths of at least six infants along with sickening about 300,000 others. In 2007 China came under fire after chemicals were found in toothpaste, toys and seafood, and was generally blamed for toxins found in pet food that killed hundreds of dogs and cats in the US.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 28, 2009 (boomark / email).