Stricter measures are now in force to ensure imported food is safe to eat as the city's toughest-ever food safety regulation takes effect today, according to Shanghai Food and Drug Administration.
Attention on the safety of imported food was heightened after China's national broadcaster CCTV reported last week that Muji stores were selling food items imported from radiation areas in Japan.
However, the city's Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau subsequently cleared the Japanese retailer of sending any items from such areas to Shanghai.
Yan Zuqiang, director of the Food and Drug Administration, said that the administration would this year be working on a platform with the entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau to bridge information of importers and market inspection results.
"Inspection and testing reports will be required from importers who shall also register themselves with the market inspection administrations," he said.
Chen Yin, vice mayor of Shanghai, said new challenges in food safety inspection were posed by an increasing number of Internet food sellers.
As to imported food from Japan, Yan said that "none of the samples failed the tests according to our national standards."
Yan added that the administration had noticed some local stores removed Japanese food products from the shelves, and said they had not been ordered to do so by the government.
"We applaud their effort to proactively shoulder social responsibility."
