State cracking down on organic food fraud

Authorities will step up measures to shut down substandard organic food businesses, cracking down on illegal activities such as certification misuse and counterfeiting of organic food products.

Businesses with organic food licenses will be more closely supervised by inspectors, who will suspend or revoke their licenses if irregularities are found, according to notice issued jointly by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the main organic food watchdog, and the State Administration for Industry & Commerce, and Certification and Accreditation Administration.

Repackaging of organic food and illegal use of licenses for producing and selling unqualified foods will be the main target.

Consumers who come across the illegal use of organic foods licenses or counterfeiting can alert authorities by calling 12365, the hot line, or visiting 12315ts.org online.

Organic foods are foods produced without use of synthetic substances such as pesticides, fertilizers and food additives. Though they are more costly, they are popular because they are considered safer.

About 11,090 organic food licenses had been issued to 7,728 companies by the first quarter in 2012. Two million hectares are devoted to organically grown foods in China.