Shanghai mulls blacklist mechanism for food safety

SHANGHAI - The municipal government of Shanghai is considering rolling out a mechanism that would blacklist enterprises involved in illegal conduct regarding food safety and impose harsh punishments on them, a senior official said Wednesday.

Vice mayor Shen Xiaoming said the mechanism would cover 11 types of misconduct, as well as include company executives in the blacklist.

Food companies that use banned drugs or other substances that might be harmful to people during the planting of farm produce or its processing and transportation would be blacklisted, according to a proposed regulation on food safety.

Other banned activities include producing food using inedible substance or materials, illegally making, selling or using banned food additives and recycling food as a raw material.

Once blacklisted, the enterprises will face strict market access and harsh punishment from multiple authorities, Shen said.

Enterprises that are blacklisted will receive administrative punishment at the highest level and their executives will be banned from operating food businesses in the city, said Gu Zhenhua, deputy director of the municipal food safety committee's office.

Such enterprises will also be disqualified from applying for government subsidies or enjoying preferential policies, Gu said.

The regulation is expected to take effect in 2013.

China has long been plagued by food safety problems. In early November, products made by liquor company Jiugui were found to contain toxic plasticizer, arousing public concern and anger about food safety.