China's legislation office Thursday issued a draft law on the regulation of the implementation of the Food Safety Law in the country, soliciting public opinions at the same time.

The draft, released by Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, has 57 items in nine chapters.

It reiterates that food-production enterprises shoulder the primary responsibility for food safety problems, and that they should have rigorous controls on the entire production process.

These enterprises should establish effective monitoring systems as for raw materials acceptance, product-storage management and production-equipment management.

Related departments and administrations should be aware of their own responsibilities and should demonstrate smoother cooperation with the enterprises.

The draft law also specifies some comprehensive items in the Food Safety Law, making them more practical and operational.

It further stresses hospitals and clinics should report serious or suspected food-poisoning cases or food-borne disease such as cholera, salmonella and hepatitis A, to the local health bureau. The health bureau then should inform the upper bureaus or central health administrations if the situation grows serious.

The regulation will be brought into effect on June 1. Citizens can leave their opinions at the Web page of www.chinalaw.gov.cn before May 4.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2009)