Food and Drug Administration Bureaus of各省, Autonomous Regions, and Directly-Administered Municipalities; Food and Drug Administration Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

　　The "Notice" instructs food safety regulatory authorities at all levels to urge catering service providers—especially those serving dishes that require large amounts of cooking oil, such as hot pot, boiled fish, and fried items—to strictly fulfill their primary responsibilities for food safety. It also emphasizes the need to rigorously enforce regulatory duties, strengthen risk management and hazard identification, and prioritize the edible oils used by catering establishments in routine monitoring and sampling inspections. Additionally, the notice encourages fully leveraging various media channels—including radio, television, online platforms, and newspapers—to intensify outreach efforts on food safety laws and regulations, as well as promote knowledge about healthy oil usage, thereby enhancing both operators' commitment to lawful practices and consumers' awareness of food safety.

　　The Notice also emphasizes that "zero tolerance" will be applied to waste cooking oil—every instance discovered will be investigated, exposed, and promptly reported to public security authorities for criminal prosecution. Additionally, a reward-based reporting system will be implemented to encourage food-service professionals to report industry "unwritten rules," as well as to motivate consumers to come forward, fostering a robust environment of public oversight and collaborative governance.

　　The full text of the "Notice" is as follows:

　　Food and Drug Administration Bureaus of各省, Autonomous Regions, and Directly-Administered Municipalities; Food and Drug Administration Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

　　To implement the "Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Further Strengthening the Management of 'Gutter Oil'" (Guobanfa [2017] No. 30), we will further urge catering service providers to fulfill their primary responsibilities, identify potential food safety risks associated with the procurement, storage, and use of edible oils in these establishments, and rigorously crack down on illegal activities involving the illicit recovery and reuse of waste oils—thereby effectively safeguarding the dietary safety of the public. The relevant requirements are hereby notified as follows:

　　1. Urge catering service providers to fulfill their principal responsibilities.

　　Food safety regulatory authorities at all levels must urge catering establishments—especially those serving high-volume dishes like hot pot, boiled fish, and fried items—to strictly fulfill their primary responsibilities for food safety. First, they must rigorously control the procurement process by purchasing edible oils only from qualified suppliers, ensuring strict implementation of goods inspection and procurement record-keeping systems. Gradually, these establishments should transition to sourcing pre-packaged edible oils and hot pot bases exclusively from designated suppliers. Second, proper storage practices must be enforced: edible oils should be stored according to specified guidelines to prevent spoilage caused by improper handling, and any expired oils must be disposed of promptly. Third, careful oversight is required during oil usage—ensuring that oils are applied in accordance with standardized cooking procedures, while maintaining accurate material balances between purchased and used oils. Catering establishments are strictly prohibited from reusing oils or base ingredients from dishes such as hot pot and boiled fish to produce new food products. Additionally, they are forbidden from buying, collecting, or repurposing kitchen waste oils and food scraps as raw materials for processing edible oils or food items.

　　II. Strengthen Daily Supervision and Case Investigations

　　Food safety regulatory authorities at all levels must rigorously fulfill their oversight responsibilities, strengthening risk prevention and hazard identification efforts. First, prioritize inspections of various catering service providers, focusing on the verification of certificates and invoices for edible oil purchases, as well as the proper disposal of kitchen waste oils. Second, conduct thorough investigations and crack down decisively on illegal activities involving the procurement, recycling, and use of "gutter oil," ensuring that such harmful products never make it into catering establishments. Third, promptly investigate and address any violations uncovered during targeted campaigns, routine inspections, and public reports—handling each case with strict adherence to the law and adopting a "zero-tolerance" approach: identifying one instance, investigating it thoroughly, and publicly exposing it immediately. Finally, enhance coordination and collaboration with local public security agencies and other relevant departments. If cases are detected involving the purchase or use of "gutter oil," "swill oil," or "specialized cooking oils" lacking clear origins or valid certification, swiftly trace the source and promptly report any suspected criminal leads to law enforcement authorities for criminal prosecution.

　　3. Strengthen supervision, spot checks, and information dissemination

　　Food safety regulatory authorities at all levels should prioritize the edible oils used by catering establishments as key targets for routine sampling and testing. Additionally, restaurants—such as hot pot eateries—that have attracted public complaints, reports, or significant media attention should be designated as high-priority subjects for inspection. In the sampling plans, edible oils and their quality and safety indicators will be included as regular testing items and parameters, enabling targeted oversight and risk monitoring of these products. Any problematic products or non-compliant establishments will be rigorously investigated and strictly penalized according to the law, with inspection results and enforcement actions promptly disclosed to the public.

　　4. Strengthen public opinion guidance and social oversight

　　Food safety regulatory authorities at all levels should fully leverage various media channels—such as radio, television, the internet, and newspapers—to intensify publicity efforts on food safety laws and regulations, as well as on the proper use of cooking oils, thereby enhancing both business operators' awareness of lawful operations and consumers' food safety consciousness. Additionally, promptly expose high-profile cases involving the illegal procurement and use of substandard edible oils to serve as a strong deterrent. At the same time, ensure smooth complaint and reporting channels are in place, implement reward-based reporting systems, encourage food-service professionals to report industry “unwritten rules,” and empower consumers to voice their concerns, fostering a robust environment of public oversight and collaborative governance across society.

　　Please submit the status of your special supervision efforts to the Second Division of Food Safety Supervision at the General Administration by October 30, 2017, at the latest.

　　Contact: Zhai Qiangwei (010-88331191)