Wednesday, August 8, 2007

China, U. S. work together on food safety


How's that apple?

From the Asia Times:

China and the United States have agreed on measures to improve the safety of Chinese exports of food and drugs after a wave of scandals involving tainted products.

The move could reduce tensions between the world's biggest consumer and exporter. Beijing has cited its own safety concerns in blocking imports of US food, but officials and commentators here have seen the action as retaliation for US rejection of Chinese goods....

Food scares and scandals have served to highlight problems in the US regulatory system. Last week, the FDA said it had suspended plans to close seven laboratories around the country after critics in Congress and advocacy groups said the closures would cripple a system already struggling to weed out unsafe products before they reach consumers. Further changes will await the recommendations of a high-level panel charged with finding ways to strengthen safeguards.


Read the rest here.

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