China is taking a stand against food safety concerns by offering up to 300,000 yuan ($48,200) as a cash reward to people who report on others who violate food safety laws, state media said on Tuesday.
"Actions taken to report violations of food and drug safety laws will be rewarded," state news agency Xinhua said. "The reward for each case, in principle, will not exceed 300,000 yuan."
Last week, fast-food chain KFC's parent Yum Brands Inc apologized to customers in China over its handling of a recent food scare that has hit the company's sales in its biggest market.
The scandal erupted when the official China Central Television reported in late December that some of the chicken supplied to KFC and McDonald's Corp contained excess amounts of antiviral drugs and hormones used to accelerate growth.
There have been frequent media reports which say that cooking oil is being recycled from drains, carcinogens in milk, and fake eggs. Back in 2008, milk laced with the industrial chemical melamine killed at least six children and sickened nearly 300,000.
