China registers over 5.62 lakh food adulteration cases in 2014

BEIJING: Food adulteration has become a major issue in China with the number cases doubling last year to touch over 5.62 lakh.

A total of 562,402 complaints and tip-offs about food, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, cosmetics and medical equipment were received last year, double the figure of 2013, an official with the State Food and Drug Administration ( SFDA) said today.

Most complaints were about online sales of fake products, false advertising, unlicensed production and adverse reactions, said Liu Pei, director of the complaint center of the SFDA.

About 74 per cent of the complaints were about food, and 12.9 per cent were related with pharmaceuticals and some 6.3 per cent on dietary supplements.

Nearly 78 per cent complaints were collected via hotline 12331, while the rest were through websites, letters and personal visits,Liu was quoted by state-run Xinhua news agency as saying.

Liu said the complaints and tip-offs have become important sources for the food and drug watchdog to deal with the crime.