Guangdong releases food and drug quality figures

About 93.1 percent of food and 99.2 percent of pharmaceuticals passed quality sampling tests in Guangdong province last year, signifying a stable and orderly situation, according to the province’s top food and drug official.

Duan Yufei, director of the Guangdong Food and Drug Administration, announced the figures at the body’s annual meeting on Wednesday.

In addition to the main categories of food and pharmaceuticals, quality pass rates were released for three additional categories: 90.3 percent for medical devices; 95 percent for health-related food supplements; and 97.3 percent for cosmetics.

In its campaign against malpractice last year, the authority inspected 177,000 companies and referred 399 cases to the police, according to the body’s own figures.

The stated aim of the authority is to ensure the safety of all food and medical products in Guangdong, and during 2014 it will equip rural and mountainous counties with equipment to conduct quick food and drug tests.