China has launched a long-term campaign to crack down on making, selling and using illegal food additives and vowed to name violators.

The campaign will last from this month until the end of 2010, according to the Ministry of Health.

Statistics from the ministry show that, during the first campaign that ran from the end of 2008 to early 2009, 7,626 illegal cases were unearthed, involving goods valued at 67.08 million yuan (about 9.8 million U.S. dollars).

Also in the campaign, 252 kinds of food additives were found to have not met the state standards.

During the current crackdown, the ministry will cooperate with quality control and other departments to check illegal inedible materials and additives in food products.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress said Tuesday it would send five work groups to 10 municipalities and provinces from September to December to ensure the new food safety law is properly enforced.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2009)