A special "recommended menu" with an emphasis on Chinese cuisine is being prepared for the athletes competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a commerce official said on Tuesday.

Deng Tingfu of the Ministry of Commerce told Xinhua that to highlight the Chinese characteristics of the Olympics most of the 100 courses on the menu would be Chinese. The menu will be arranged by the China Cuisine Association in line with the requests of the Preparation Committee of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Deng said that an expert panel would be responsible for evaluating the nutrition of each course before they are exhibited at the Second China Catering Exposition in Xi'an of northwest China's Shaanxi Province on October 18 to 20.

"We will present the dishes to get advice from visitors, experts from the catering and sports industries and athletes representatives for the 2008 Olympic Games," Deng said at a press conference for the exposition.

He said the dishes would be served in simulated dining rooms for sportsmen.

Modification based on the advice of experts and general visitors would be made before the recommended menu was formally submitted to the preparation committee of the 2008 Beijing Olympics who had the final say on the issue, he noted.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2006)