Tougher standards aim to improve food safety

China will accelerate the creation of agricultural standards to improve safety and quality, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Thursday.

For example, the ministry will create or revise 1,000 standards for maximum allowable pesticide residue in agricultural products, and 100 standards limiting the residue of drugs used in animal husbandry, Guang Defu, chief for agricultural product quality and safety supervision at the ministry, said at a news conference.

The ministry will continue to create new standards and revise existing ones to improve the quality and safety of agricultural products in China, he said, adding it will abolish national regulations that go against developing environmentally friendly agriculture.