Two seafood processors are facing fines for alleged role-breaking in the first test for violating China’s revised food safety law.
The fine amounts, however, seem to be nominal – CNY 50,000 to CNY 100,000 (USD 7,500 to USD 15,000), fueling criticism over the teeth of the new law, which came into force in October.
China revised its food law last year as part of an effort to restore confidence in local food companies. This week, two squid processors were handed fines by a court in the southern city of Xiamen after they were found to be using excessive amounts of preservatives – specifically, sorbic acid – on shredded squid and squid fillets for sale in the domestic market.
Both firms remained unnamed but are located in the city’s Huli district, according to court records.
Confusion remains over who’s enforcing the food safety law, which also stipulates lengthy prison sentences will be handed out in particularly egregious cases that damage public health.
The Xiamen cases were handled by the city’s Market Supervision Authority, but cases involving export-oriented processors appear to be under the purview of the AQSIQ, China’s quarantine and export quality watchdog. However, the State Food and Drug Administration is listed as the enforcing body in the wording of the official legislation.
