China's Health Ministry will launch an inspection on five kinds of food in 2005, an approach to reduce food risks and accidents.
In Thursday's announcement to ministry branches in 36 major cities, the ministry asked local health authorities to check the health license of producers of health-care products, milk products, cooked meat, seasoning and beverages. The inspection is expected to cover at least 95 percent of all targeted companies.
The inspection on health-care products mostly covers unauthorized production and processing, dishonest and exaggerated instructions and usage of unauthorized materials or drugs.
The ministry also urged localities to specially check milk powers and assistant food for infants. The country has uncovered several fake and substandard baby milk powder accidents in recent months, which have killed at least 12 babies and malnourished 190 babies.
(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2005)
