US FDA will send more inspectors to China office

The top US food safety authority will dispatch more inspectors to China to help ensure the quality of exports, making its China office the largest one overseas, according to a senior US official.

As early as next year, staff at the China office will be boosted to 21 from the current four, and nine of them will be responsible for food safety, said Christopher J. Hickey, FDA China director. Currently there are only two in food safety, while the rest are in charge of drugs and medical devices.

China is the fourth-largest exporter of food to the US.