Food poisoning killed 146 Chinese people last year, while 15,569 others survived food poisoning accidents, the Ministry of Health announced Wednesday.
The ministry said a total of 185 major food poisoning cases were reported last year.
A spokesman for the ministry said there has been a rise in the number of bacteria and chemical-related food poisoning incidents.
More people suffered food poisoning from eating in workplace canteens, but more people died of food poisoning after eating at home.
The ministry called on public health departments at all levels to take steps to prevent food poisoning, and improve supervision of food security among the groups of people and sectors that are more likely to be hit by food poisoning.
More efforts are needed to crack down on the illegal production of rat poison, and to teach farmers to use rat poison and farm chemicals safely, the spokesman said.
(People's Daily January 24, 2002)
