Seventeen agricultural and food experts received appointment letters in Shanghai Monday, becoming members of the newly-founded food safety think tank in east China's industrial and commercial center Shanghai.

 

The experts come from the China Disease Prevention and Control Center, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Institute of Nutrition of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

 

All the experts of the think tank have rich experiences in agricultural products and food production, processing and testing, said Professor Pan Yingjie from Shanghai Fisheries University, who is a member of the think tank.

 

Pan said the chief responsibilities of the think tank are to provide advice and professional technical supports for the government's policy, appraisal, early warnings and investigation concerning food safety.

 

The tenure of the membership is two years, said Pan.

 

"Food safety has already become a focus of the society as a whole and the early warning mechanism is catching more attention in this field," Pan said, adding that the think tank will be able to provide comprehensive and effective supports for the mechanism.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2006)