Inspectors posted to dairy factories for 24-hour supervision

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-05 22:00

Dairy producers unable to carry out laboratory tests in their factories were required to go to public inspection and quarantine institutions.

Only 12 food quality inspection institutions, all in Beijing, had been verified as qualified to test for melamine, the chemical used to cheat on protein tests of diluted raw milk.

Wang said the verification of other institutions was continuing and a longer list was expected to be released by the Certification and Accreditation Administration.

Enterprises producing or using melamine would be purged while inspection of exports would be tightened in line with the quality standards of import nations, he said.

Wang also planned to put in place a set of systems securing scientific analysis, encouraging both public and private investigation and rewarding whistle-blowers.

He said fundamental work, such as establishing measurements and standards, accreditation and certification, quality inspection and quarantine as well as the utilization of data would be taken as priorities.

"Without the concerted efforts of local governments and enterprises, the safety of the general public could not be guaranteed," Wang said.

Under State Council regulations, food safety has been listed in the management targets of local government leaders above county level, which means incompetent officials face dismissal or disciplinary penalties.

A GAQSIQ statement released on Sunday said the latest sample tests, the seventh since mid-September, showed all of the 128 batches of baby formula under 38 brands in 10 provinces were found free of melamine.

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