Industrial and commercial authorities across China investigated about 76,500 fake food cases in 2008, which involved 274 million yuan (about US$40.3 million) in value, according to a high-level meeting on consumption held on Saturday.

Ma Yong, a senior official with the National Food Industry Association, said the major cause of China's food safety problem was the use of illicit substances.

With the theme of "integrity, consumption and development", the meeting was joined by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and China Consumers' Association.

To better deal with the food problem, China adopted the Food Safety Law on February 28, which will go into effect on June 1.

The law has been widely seen as a new push to improve food safety in the country through stricter monitoring and supervision, tougher safety standards, recall of substandard products and severe punishment on offenders.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2009)