22 October 2008, Beijing — The United Nations system today launched a paper on food safety in China. The paper sets out recommendations for where China can focus energy in making improvements in the food safety system. This paper was released a day before the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) was to review the draft law on food safety.

"Food safety systems are always a work in progress, no matter what country you are talking about," said Jorgen Schlundt, Director of the Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases, WHO Headquarters. "But there are certainly key areas where China can focus for improvement."

The UN System is particularly well placed to offer China advice on this issue. The paper drew on the experience and expertise of various UN Agencies. It set out in-depth analysis of the food safety situation in China and put forward proposals for improving the system as China moves forward in the fields of food safety legislation, management, inspection and enforcement, trade dimensions, monitoring and surveillance, communication and international cooperation

“As in other countries, food safety involves a broad range of stakeholders both at home and abroad. Improving the system requires a truly multi-sectoral and multilateral response,” said Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator in China. "The UN has broad experience working with China on this topic, and we will continue to offer our support and expertise."

The paper outlines key challenges as the need for a more modern food safety law; ambiguities over management and supervisory responsibilities within the system; the need for improved monitoring, inspection and enforcement; the need for education and training of a wide variety of stakeholders which include households, food industry and enforcing agencies; and continuing to improve standards to bring the country in line with international norms.

"The most recent food safety incident is an example of what can go wrong, even within a system that has started to work on improvement," said Dr Schlundt. "Our recommendations would address many of the problems China has already acknowledged."

Please visit UN China website to download the Report.
http://www.un.org.cn/local/en/cms/p/resources/30/841/content.html

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