Manufacturers of food packaging must pass quality tests and get official certification if they want to continue operating. National Authorities have issued new regulations, which took effect on the first day of 2008.

This manufacturer of various food packaging, was the first to receive the industry approval.

Workers at the company must pass many procedures in cleaning, and wear special uniforms in order to enter production lines. All materials must be completely safe. These are basic requirements, and form just part of the new regulation.

A company manager said, "Our own standards are stricter than the national level, like those applied to ink and glue for printing."

Packaging is the first food-related product to be adopted into the new regulation.

Over one thousand manufacturers have now obtained certification. They are required to mark all products with the "Quality Safe" sign.

However, in some supermarkets, it's not easy to find products displaying this symbol of confidence. And in Beijing's restaurants, where 2-million disposable packages are used every day, the situation is still not satisfactory.

Wang Hong, deputy director of Food Monitoring, AQSIQ, said, "We suggest that consumers only select products that bear the "Quality Safe" sign on the packaging to protect their own health."

The new regulation allows qualified products made before 2008 to circulate in the market.

There are about 4,000 manufacturers of food packaging across the country. 1/3 of those are small workshops with less than 10 workers, proving that full implementation of the new quality control measures is vital.