China Issues Food Safety Alert Ahead of Spring Festival

China's Ministry of Health said Monday morning that the government would strengthen law enforcement on illegal substance and addictive abuse in food as the Chinese lunar new year, the country's biggest festivity, draws near.

Mao Qun'an, the ministry spokesman, said that an interagency mechanism had been set up to enforce laws and regulations on food safety, particularly in the two weeks preceding the Chinese lunar new year (Jan. 26, 2009), in seven provinces, including Hebei, where the melamine-tainted milk formula scandal occurred.