Harsh penalties proposed for bulk liquid food transport violations

Chinese lawmakers reviewed a draft amendment to the Food Safety Law early this week and proposed harsh penalties for violations concerning transport of bulk liquid food.

The draft was submitted to the ongoing session — which kicked off on Monday — of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature, for its second reading.

According to the draft, those who forge or use falsified transport records or cleaning certificates for bulk liquid food transport containers, as well as those who fail to perform inspection and certification duties during road transport of key liquid food products, will be ordered to make corrections and given a warning by food safety supervision and management departments at or above the county level.

Violators who fail to make rectifications will face fines ranging from 10,000 yuan ($1,370) to 100,000 yuan.

In addition, road transport operators that fail to meet requirements for bulk transportation of key liquid food products and that are deemed to have committed serious violations may also be fined between 50,000 yuan and 500,000 yuan.