Counterfeit food flooding rural markets, food safety demands urgent attention

Recently, some netizens posted photos of "counterfeit food" they bought at rural markets, such as "Hongsheng," "Haochidian" and "Telun Jingdian," pointing out that these familiar-looking names in the pictures are "passing off fakes as genuine."

Food safety has always been a topic of public concern, but as far as the rural market is concerned, reporters have found that this is an issue demanding urgent attention.

If it were merely a matter of differences in taste or similar names, "counterfeit food" would not be enough to provoke "public outrage." As experts have said, the greatest harm of "counterfeit food" lies in poor production environments, substandard sanitary conditions, and even additives exceeding the doses permitted by the state.

In recent years, as the government has steadily intensified food safety supervision, some "counterfeit food" has retreated to the urban-rural fringe and rural areas, so that farmers have become the most direct victims.

One netizen said that "Telun Jingdian," whose packaging is extremely similar to that of a certain well-known milk product, is often used by some villagers as a "nutritional supplement" when visiting pregnant women or patients.

Relatively speaking, food supervision in rural markets is rather weak. Some rural children eat counterfeit food - with "high additives, poor sanitary conditions and imitation of famous brands" - as snacks, and over time their health and even their lives may be seriously threatened.

To curb "counterfeit food" in rural areas and safeguard farmers' "safety at the tip of the tongue" requires the joint efforts of many parties. In some places, the industry and commerce, food and drug administration, and quality inspection departments have been integrated, and establishing a market supervision bureau to strengthen law enforcement is an important measure.

At the same time, food safety publicity in rural areas should also be strengthened, so that villagers have some understanding of the characteristics and harms of "counterfeit food," enhance their awareness of safeguarding their rights, and encourage them to actively participate in the fight against "counterfeit food."