Straining to catch up: China's food safety regime in disequilibrium

Abstract

The rapid pace of both economic growth and transition from a command to market economy has required a major restructuring of food safety institutions in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The institutional transformation has consistently lagged behind the changes demanded by economic transformation. The declining ability to control both information and integration into the global food economy has brought scrutiny of institutional deficiencies and spurred reforms. Incentives to invest in food safety in the private sector and food safety training of workers all along food supply chains and in the inspection service remain the major public health challenges.