WHAT HAPPENED IN CHINA AFTER THE MELAMIN CRISIS?

Recently, many changes have been introduced in the food safety control organization of the People’s Republic of China, pushed by important international events to be held within the Country and some big scandals, such as the “melamine milk crisis”. The old “law on food hygiene” of 1995 has been replaced by the “law for food safety” in 2009, to reorganize in particular, the arrangement and responsibilities of the Institutions that operate in this field. In particular, the National Council for Food Safety has been created. It represents the highest authority in the matter, for legislation and investigation on food concerns and coordination of the aforesaid Institutions. However, notwithstanding the many steps ahead, many efforts remain to be performed especially in terms of formation of the food business operators and to solve complex problems, such as the big fragmentation of the primary production, which, at present, would need a huge extent of human and financial resources for the control system.