BEIJING — Chinese regulators announced stepped up food safety inspections Monday ahead of the country's biggest holiday, Lunar New Year, in continuing efforts to crack down on the poorly regulated manufacturing industry.
Inspectors will target supermarkets, restaurants and food additive producing factories in seven provinces, including Hebei, the heart of last year's melamine-tainted milk scandal, Health Ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an said.
"We'll seriously check for illegal substances and additives in food and will severely punish companies or individuals who violate the law," Mao said at a news conference.
The weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, starts on Jan. 26 and is usually celebrated with family gatherings and sumptuous feasts.
The campaign is the latest step by China's authorities to improve the country's shoddy food safety record. The manufacturing industry has been shaken by recurring scandals, including one last year where hundreds of thousands of children were sickened by milk contaminated by the industrial chemical melamine.
Source: The Associated Press
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