Eateries in southwestern Chongqing will soon have to let their customers know how their dishes are prepared, including the ingredients used, right down to the exact parts of the livestock.
They will also have to disclose whether their dishes contain pre-cooked items, and describe flavour profiles and portion sizes. Pre-cooked items include ready-to-eat meals that need only quick reheating before consumption.
The new industry standards, the first of their kind in China, are aimed at improving food safety standards and protecting consumers' rights, according to an official statement on the Chongqing municipality government website on Oct 19.
The city's authorities are working to ensure that the industry will keep to the fresh guidelines by contacting restaurants and eateries to help them compile the information. New information will be included in physical menus and online delivery platforms in time, the statement added. No date has yet been given for the implementation of the new guidelines.
The Chongqing authorities said the guidelines will stop cooks from using prohibited ingredients, such as lymphatic meat in place of pork belly.
Lymphatic meat, which contains fatty tumours, thyroid glands and lymph nodes, is considered in China to be a cheap, low-quality meat. Restaurants in the country have reportedly replaced pork belly, which is more expensive, with lymphatic meat.
Diners are "increasingly focused on the 'wok taste' of dishes, and are particularly concerned about whether the food is cooked onsite", the authorities said in the statement.
"Clearly indicating key information such as food preparation methods and whether pre-prepared dishes are used helps ensure consumer rights," they added.
Denne historien er fra November 11, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 11, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT IN STICKY NOTES
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND? @SUBWAYTHERAPY
Use of escalators ● Benefits to encouraging standing on both sides
The recent initiative by Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) to encourage standing on both sides of escalators is a sensible move that Singapore could consider adopting.
Replies Rentals ● HDB reviewing how data accuracy can be improved
We thank Mr Foo Sing Kheng for his feedback (Rental rates ensure accuracy of data on HDB website, Oct 23).
Singer Karol G apologises for song said to sexualise minors
Colombian reggaeton star Karol G apologised on Nov 11 after her latest song, +57, was criticised for sexualising minors.
Mattel mistakenly lists porn site on packaging for Wicked dolls
All may be good in the Land of Oz, but the same cannot be said for the world of Mattel.
Singer G.E.M. to perform at National Stadium in March
Hong Kong singer G.E.M. is slated to hold a concert at the National Stadium on March 1, 2025.
Actress Megan Fox pregnant again after miscarriage
After a previous miscarriage, American actress Megan Fox is pregnant again. American rapper Machine Gun Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker, is reportedly the father, according to US media.
Singer Yu Tian's son-in-law receives suspended jail sentence for scam involvement
Gary Chen, the son-in-law of famed Taiwanese singers Yu Tian and Li Ya-ping, has been given a suspended jail sentence for his involvement with a scam syndicate.
Irish pop band The Corrs to hold February concert
Irish pop quartet The Corrs will be back in Singapore for a concert at The Star Theatre on Feb 13, 2025.
A French veterinary psychiatrist puts cats on the couch in new book
Even dog people must admit that cats are having a moment.