There are always so many issues on the table that people do not trust.

From the second half of 2010, something called "a drop of incense" began to enter public view. It is said that only one drop of this kind of thing can turn clear water into broth, and it also has different tastes such as chicken, duck, beef, and lamb.

What are the ingredients of "a drop of incense"? Why is it so magical? However, no department issued a definitive medical certificate.

"Fragrance" has entered the public's field of vision, as well as food additives such as fragrances, hot pot flavoring agents and hot pot reds. Compared to those soups that have been consumed for a long time using natural ingredients, these substances need only a small amount to have the same or even superior taste.

Food experts also don't understand the ingredients of additives. "I don't know what these are." Chen Junshi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chairman of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Experts Committee, told reporters. It is because of the unclear specific composition of these food additives that it is impossible to judge whether they are safe or not.

Statistics show that in China, food additives have become an important pillar of the food industry. At present, the annual output of various types of food additives in China has exceeded 2 million tons, and the output of products such as ethyl maltol in monosodium glutamate, citric acid, xylose, xylitol, and flavors has been ranked first in the world for many years. However, are these food additives safe for the human body?

With these issues, the China Youth Daily reporter wrote to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and other relevant departments. However, as of press time, there is still no department to reply. Many experts engaged in food safety research also expressed a lack of understanding of this issue.

According to the definition of “Hygienic Standard for the Use of Food Additives”, food additives are chemical synthetic or natural substances added to foods to improve food quality and color, aroma and taste, as well as for preservation and processing processes.

Xiao Guisen, senior vice president of Beijing Xinlandao Restaurant Management Co., Ltd., has more than 30 years of experience in the catering industry. According to him, China has been reviewing food additives since 1952. At present, there are about 2,000 kinds of food additives approved by the country, and more than 70% of them are spices. Nationally approved food additives are divided into three categories. One is physical substances extracted from natural foods, the other is chemical substances extracted from natural foods, and the other is synthetic chemical additives.

“In theory, as long as it is a nationally approved food additive, it is harmless to the human body.” Xiao Guisen said, but it is worth noting that the state has limited the use of these food additives if they are not used as required. , it will cause harm to human health.

Xiao Guisen believes that synthetic chemical food additives deserve more attention. Although there is no health ** in accordance with national standards, if the long-term use, the accumulated amount of it will cause harm to the human body, there is no scientific conclusion.

Xiao Guisen told reporters that the food additives in developed countries such as the United States and Japan are all more than our country. The more developed the economy and the more developed the science and technology, the more kinds of foods are available and the types of food additives are also numerous.

"Before I heard about "one drop of incense," I still don't know what kind of thing it is." Xiao Guisen said, "The use of food additives depends on whether it belongs to the category of food additives recognized by the state. On the other hand, it depends on the specific use."

He said that some restaurants use additives other than those provided by the state for food additives, and some restaurants use state-approved food additives, but there are cases of excessive use in use.

** A mother-in-law is not in charge of a table of meals The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Deputy Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Yan Wei told reporters that in our country, what types of food additives and how to use them are clearly stipulated. A complete standard system for food additives has been established.

From June 1, 2010, China's first “Regulations on the Administration of the Production of Food Additives” was implemented. According to the new regulations, all food additive ingredients must be marked on the outer packaging and a recall system should be introduced. The Hygiene Standard for the Use of Food Additives also introduced a newly revised version in 2010.

However, it is not enough to have standards alone. Who will supervise the implementation of standards? "What department is the food additive?"

In this regard, even Xiao Guisen, who has had more than 30 years of experience in the catering industry, can not tell. In his view, China's regulation of food is multi-faceted, but there is no department that speaks for consumers.

Food supervision is a piecemeal management. A food, from the field to the table, must be supervised by various departments such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Food and Drug Administration. Such a regulatory system does not reduce food safety problems. In the community, there are criticisms that in our country, it is not a good meal for a mother-in-law.

On June 1, 2009, China's Food Safety Law was formally implemented. In February 2010, the State Council Food Safety Committee was established.

According to the food safety supervision system determined by the Food Safety Law, at the central level, the health department assumes the function of comprehensive supervision, the production link is the responsibility of the quality inspection department, the circulation area is the responsibility of the industrial and commercial department, and the catering service industry is supervised by the State Food and Drug Administration. The bureau is responsible for the consumption of agricultural products by the Ministry of Agriculture. At the local level, local governments determine the supervisory responsibilities of various regulatory authorities in accordance with the Food Safety Law and related regulations.

However, problems such as the use of tainted milk powder, fake tofu, and illegal use of food additives have occurred frequently since 2009.

Zhu Lijia, a professor of the Department of Public Administration of the National School of Administration, said: "Since 2000, China's food safety issue has become the focus of domestic and international attention. Both domestic and foreign countries have a lot of food safety in China."

"In the regulatory system, the regulatory departments are too many and too complex. It seems that various regulatory departments are in charge of management. In fact, no one has carefully monitored them." Zhu Lijia said that the treatment of past food safety incidents cannot be seen in the end. Which department is the real main responsibility, there is no standard, which department caught even if which department.

Zhu Lijia believes that China's current emphasis on food safety supervision has been very high. Not only are various regulatory authorities in charge, but there is also a food safety committee at the State Council level. But it is precisely the lack of a department that is ultimately responsible for food safety.

“Now the responsibility of some government departments to serve the public and be responsible to the country is declining. The desire of these departments to serve themselves is greater than the desire to serve the public.” Zhu Lijia said that the existing organizational structure and organizational mechanism allow us to The government departments have used some leading cadres who should not use them. If the responsibility of the government departments to serve the public cannot be strengthened, what kind of supervision will be difficult to do well.