The China melamine milk scandal and its implications for food safety regulation

This article examines the development of the Chinese dairy sector since 2000 and investigates how this has affected food safety. The ongoing problems caused by melamine contamination are linked to the rapid and unregulated development of this sector. Currently, China is faced with demands - both from home and abroad - to improve its food safety record. This will necessitate it upgrades its regulatory framework to meet the standards of Codex Alimentarius and the EU. A serious restructuring of the dairy sector as well as of the public food safety control agencies is called for. The costs and benefits to be accrued by these reforms are the subject of this article.

► Article looks into the development of the Chinese dairy sector since 2000 in relation to food safety. ► Problems caused by melamine contamination are linked to unregulated development of dairy sector. ► China faced with demands to upgrade its regulatory framework to meet international standards. ► A reform of the dairy sector as well as public food safety control agencies is called for. ► Official controls will have to increase in number from the currently very low levels. ► Costs and benefits outlined by benchmarking, i.e. by comparing the situation in China with that in EU.