Milk modifications: China looks to improve dairy governance with specific standards

China’s dairy industry has been growing by leaps and bounds since receiving endorsement from the government​ as an important part of regular diet, with major brands such as Yili and Mengniu leading the way. Alongside this industry growth has been closer government scrutiny on dairy products and relevant initiatives, with national projects such as the ‘Excellent Milk’ initiative closely monitoring quality and safety improvements. Most recently, the local National Health Commission (NHC) has started inviting comments from the public to update specific standards and policies governing three types of milk available in local supermarkets: High temperature pasteurized milk, pasteurized milk and sterilised milk. “In accordance with the local Food Safety Law, we will be revising the local standards for 21 food and beverage items, [including the] updating of standards for pasteurized milk and sterilised milk,”​ the NHC stated via a formal statement. “In addition, we will be formulating new ...