Market in Beijing, ca. 2006 (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)

China's determination to allay concerns about food and drug safety was sharply underlined with a death sentence for a former top ranking official in the country's watchdog agency for food safety.

It was the second time an ex-official of China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) was sentenced to death on corruption charges in less than 3 months. Recently, four other senior food and drug agency officials were sentenced to long prison terms.

The most severe sentences may or may not result in executions, but they seem intended to send the strongest signal possible that the Chinese government intends to ensure food and drug safety. A short time ago it was reported that China’s SFDA will establish regulations requiring companies to track and recall foods that pose health risks.

To read a New York Times report on China’s prosecutions for corruption go to: China Sentences Official to Death for Corruption

To read a report from Decision News Media SAS on moves to improve safety by China’s SFDA go to: China to introduce food recall framework

To visit the official web site of China's SFDA go to: State Food and Drug Administration, P.R. China