April 28 - Foreign food manufacturers wishing to sell their products in China could be forced to register with the country's quarantine and inspection department every four years, the Government has announced, adding a further layer of bureaucracy to an already cumbersome system.
The food safety law, which comes into effect on June 1, will oblige all foreign food exporters to register with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). A draft implementation of the rule states the registration will be valid for four years.
Chinese authorities will be able to revoke any registration “if products cause any major food safety incidents, or companies are found offering fake materials”, said state media.
Currently, only foreign meat products manufacturers need to register, without requiring renewals, with China's quarantine authorities.
Present rules dictate that foreign food producers must have at least five types of documents, including evaluation reports from their domestic government and detailed data on the production process.
From June 1, importers of foreign food products will also need to obtain a safety certificate from the Chinese Ministry of Health before their goods can enter the country.