Xinhua Commentary: Promoting the standardization and development of the pre-packaged food industry

The Xinhua News Agency published a commentary article, and recently, the topic of pre-packaged meals has attracted much attention. Behind the discussions are consumers' demands for improved product and service quality, concerns about the right to know, and urgent requirements for the standardized development of the pre-packaged meal industry. What the public cares about is what the government should respond to in a timely manner. On February 6, the State Council Food Safety Office and other departments publicly solicited opinions on national standards for pre-packaged meals and other documents, focusing on key issues such as raw material risk control, food additive use, and nutritional quality. This release signals active interaction among all parties and the positive development of the pre-packaged meal industry. Standardization, transparency, and innovation are the only way to establish brand trust and win consumer favor. This opinion solicitation, carried out after months of extensive industry research, aims to eliminate differences, build consensus, promote compliance and transparency in the pre-packaged meal industry, guide high-quality industry development, better safeguard consumers' fundamental rights, and make consumers eat more confidently. Pre-packaged meals are not a "monster" and should not be simply labeled as "good" or "bad." The emergence and development of pre-packaged meals have to some extent met people's diverse dietary demands, with their convenience and efficiency becoming popular on dining tables as a response to the new changes in China's large population and industrialized food system. The reasonable demands of consumers are also the direction of industry development and change. As long as these types of dishes meet the requirements of safety, quality, and health, there is no need to panic about them being pre-packaged. The pre-packaged meal industry in China is at a critical moment towards standardized development, with the establishment of unified national standards to set boundaries for companies, ensuring development follows guidelines and regulations, providing strong support for the industry's healthy and long-term growth.