Set to soon enter effect are new measures aiming to curb the use of so called “fresh food lamps”, also known as “beauty lamps” at vegetable markets nationwide, while the public are also being called upon to do their bit in reporting violations thereof.
This 1 December shall see enacted the “Measures for the Supervision & Administration of the Quality & Safety of Edible Agricultural Products Market Sales”, as issued and revised by the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Fresh food lamps are commonplace at many vegetable or wet markets in China, where they are widely used by merchants to improve the appearance of their merchandise; think apples that are particularly rosy, tomatoes temptingly juicy.
They may look fresh, but outside the market, away from the glare of the beauty lamps, it’s a completely different story. That’s where the soon to be enacted Measures come in.
To specify, Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of the Measures stipulates that when selling fresh-edible agricultural products, any lighting or other facilities that significantly change the sensory properties thereof, such as their true colour or lustre, shall not be used to mislead consumers.
In Nanjing, some areas are already making preparations. Yuhuatai District’s Market Supervision & Administration Bureau has been actively carrying out transitional guidance before the implementation of the new regulations, in order to maintain market order.
The Banqiao Subdistrict branch of the Bureau has so far inspected more than 40 stalls selling vegetables and meat, together with 20 supermarkets, fresh-food stores and braised-vegetable shops.
So too have they distributed 100 promotional posters, during which time the Bureau found 11 merchants using food beauty lamps. All have been rectified, as the Yangtze Evening News reported on 15 November.
But the reality of course is there is nothing to stop these merchants putting up new beauty lamps after they have been inspected. Hence the call being put out to the public.
Consumers are therefore reminded that should they come across violations of the new Measures after the 1 December deadline for market vendors to comply, they are encouraged to report the matter by telephone, by calling 12315.
