"It should come as no surprise if China emerges as a leader in food safety reform," United Natural Products Alliance Executive Director Loren Israelsen said.

"China appears to be earnest in its efforts to address food safety problems, and its government is well aware of the importance of such improvements," he explained in an interview with "The Tan Sheet."

On May 24, China's State Food and Drug Administration announced the "2007 National Plan of Special Rectification of Food Safety" to improve the safety of food eaten within China as well as food exported from the country.

Shortly thereafter, on May 29, a Beijing court sentenced the former head of SFDA to death for taking bribes from pharmaceutical companies, China's official Xinhua news service reported. Additionally, China reportedly is establishing a national food recall system.

"Is this a waking giant story?" Israelsen reflected. "China has become a global hub of food production and distribution. Food safety is quickly emerging as a global concern with global trade implications, and China risks forfeiting this important export unless it addresses these issues internally," he said.

China has "many high quality vitamin and botanical manufacturing facilities, and many that do not pass muster," Israelsen noted. "China is selling what we ask them for, thus the problem is to specify the level of quality that is both expected and necessary - and be prepared to pay prices that reflect that level of quality," he stressed.

Larry Kolb, president of U.S. operations at TSI Health Sciences, told "The Tan Sheet," "I think this is going to gradually change some of the questionable activities and actions that certain ingredient manufacturers have been taking over the past several years for profit." He added, "I do see that cost will be impacted as ingredient companies are targeted with more regulatory scrutiny."

Kolb said his long experience with China also indicates the country will "come down very strong with new measures to build back global confidence in this important ingredient industry."

Israelsen and Dr. Andrew Mertha, a professor of political science at Washington University and a specialist in Chinese government, both noted embarrassment is likely to motivate China.

"There's a deep level of embarrassment over the melamine issue," Israelsen said. "With the summer Olympic games just over a year away, the urgency to address food safety concerns will no doubt be a driving force so as to avoid further embarrassment or distractions to the Olympics," he added.

"It is highly embarrassing," Mertha agreed. "It happens to poor, third world countries, not China - or not the image of China that its leaders wish to project."

"It would be inaccurate to say that [the execution of the former SFDA head] alone will not have some sort of immediate effect, at least in securing some degree of compliance with the new regulations; however, it is not likely to do much over the long run," he added.

"I think much of what happens beyond this has to do with the degree to which Beijing is willing to expend its resources and political capital in order to bring its local governments into line."

Mertha explained the decentralized status of the majority of Chinese bureaucracies at a United Natural Products Alliance seminar last year. Local authorities are not always in agreement with Beijing, Mertha said. However, if Beijing sets its mind on accomplishing something, it is likely to do so, he added (¹ Also see "Success In China Requires Command Of Bureau Power Relations – Panel" - Pink Sheet, 15 May, 2006., p. 6).

"There is a chance here, in that Beijing absolutely does not want to be saddled with the international image that it is irresponsible and an untrustworthy global trading partner," Mertha said.

Additionally, "By virtue of China's style of governance, issues deemed important in Beijing can be translated into action in ways seldom seen elsewhere in the world," Israelsen said.

In the U.S. several bills were introduced in Congress following the pet food recalls. However, the bill insiders say has the most traction - S.A. 1022, an amendment to the "Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act" - does not include mandatory recall authority, which many consider a key power the agency lacks (² Also see "Flurry Of Food Safety Bills Hit Senate, House In Wake Of Pet Food Recall" - Pink Sheet, 7 May, 2007., p. 6).

- Katia Fowler (k.fowler@elsevier.com)

A “Waking Giant” In Food Safety? Experts Discuss China’s Future Of Reform

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