Food, drug producers to be graded, some blacklisted

China's top food and drug regulator pledged stronger oversight on Tuesday on food and drug companies with low credibility, a move to address the serious food safety problems of recent years.

Food and drug companies that "seriously lose credibility" will see intensified inspections, more sampling of products and bans on owners running businesses related to food and drugs.

The administration will cooperate with other government departments to make sure shoddy companies are restricted in registration, financing and foreign trade, so that such companies stand to pay a heavy price for their loss of good standing, said Mao Zhenbin, head of the supervision department of the China Food and Drug Administration.