Muslim food industry in China vows to ensure food safety

  XINING, Oct.11 (Xinhua) — Muslim food business
leaders in China are pledging product safety and vowing to follow their
religious teachings in food production.

    200 Muslim food business leaders made that
declaration while attending an ongoing international trade fair in the
northwest Chinese city of Xining.

    This is the latest move by the country’s food industry to self-regulate after a series of safety scandals.

    “The recent Sanlu baby milk powder
safety incident severely endangered consumer’s health and damaged the
international image of Chinese food businesses,” Wang Zhanhe, general
manager of the restaurant chain, Little Sheep Group Ltd., said while
reading out the Chinese Muslim Food Industry Declaration on Quality and
Credibility on behalf of manufacturers at the fair.

    “We will strictly abide by the laws
and regulations of China and other countries in the world, implement
the halal standard, and create a safe and reliable halal food market,”
the declaration said.

    “The declaration reiterated the
social morality that an enterprise must have,” said Chawalit Na
Muangtoun, representative of Thailand’s Chia Tai Group and president of
the company’s subsidiary in north China’s Hebei Province.

    “At Chia Tai Group, we believe in the concept of using morality to direct production and sales,” he said.

    Chawalit said food enterprises should lose money rather than make it immorally.

    Members of foreign business delegations voiced appreciation for the food safety declaration.

    “We hope these goals can be done by
all the halal companies and all the dairy companies in China,” said
Kamarul Arifin Ab. Gani, agriculture counselor of Malaysia Embassy.
“Every company should follow the declaration.”

    Shahzad Hussain Rana, commercial
counselor of the Pakistan Consulate General, said products made in
China can be found almostevery where in his country.

    “Mistakes might happen, but I think
China is a very responsible country and the control of quality is good
for protecting the people,” Rana said.

    The China (Qinghai) International
Halal Food and Product Fair is one the most important halal fairs in
the world. More than 400 international business people, experts and
officials from 26 countries and regions attended the fair this year.