Sting ops, detailed menus: China doubles down on food safety

Effort comes as central govt promotes F&B sector amid overall soft domestic demand

- Aw Cheng Wei

Eateries in southwestern Chongqing will soon have to let their customers know how their dishes are prepared, including the ingredients used, right down to the exact parts of the livestock.

They will also have to disclose whether their dishes contain pre-cooked items, and describe flavour profiles and portion sizes. Pre-cooked items include ready-to-eat meals that need only quick reheating before consumption.

The new industry standards, the first of their kind in China, are aimed at improving food safety standards and protecting consumers' rights, according to an official statement on the Chongqing municipality government website on Oct 19.

The city's authorities are working to ensure that the industry will keep to the fresh guidelines by contacting restaurants and eateries to help them compile the information. New information will be included in physical menus and online delivery platforms in time, the statement added. No date has yet been given for the implementation of the new guidelines.

The Chongqing authorities said the guidelines will stop cooks from using prohibited ingredients, such as lymphatic meat in place of pork belly.

Lymphatic meat, which contains fatty tumours, thyroid glands and lymph nodes, is considered in China to be a cheap, low-quality meat. Restaurants in the country have reportedly replaced pork belly, which is more expensive, with lymphatic meat.

Diners are "increasingly focused on the 'wok taste' of dishes, and are particularly concerned about whether the food is cooked onsite", the authorities said in the statement.

"Clearly indicating key information such as food preparation methods and whether pre-prepared dishes are used helps ensure consumer rights," they added.