Implementation of the “General Rules for Mooncake Quality”: What Changes Does It Bring from Fillings to Packaging?

 As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the topic of mooncakes has once again attracted widespread attention and heated discussions. Recently, Ma Yong, deputy secretary-general of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation, accepted a media interview on the various changes and existing problems brought about by the implementation of the "General Principles of Mooncake Quality" for several months. The content of the interview is now organized and shared as follows：

 

The standards for mooncakes previously implemented included some quality and some packaging regulations. However, with the joint release of the "Notice on Further Standardizing Mooncake Packaging to Save Resources and Protect the Environment" by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Commerce, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, strict requirements have been put forward for the simplification of mooncake packaging, as well as the social concern about the quality and packaging of mooncakes. The introduction and implementation of relevant standards have also made the best response and constraint to this issue.

 

CBCGDF has been promoting the simplification of mooncake packaging before, and has filed an environmental public interest lawsuit against the problem of excessive mooncake packaging. Therefore, from these aspects, everyone is very concerned about the quality of mooncakes and excessive packaging.

 

The "General Rules for Mooncake Quality" is a national standard and a basic standard. In the future, other targeted standards may be introduced for some aspects that need to be strengthened. There are two points in the "General Rules for Mooncake Quality" that we need to pay special attention to. One is about wildlife protection. In terms of mooncakes, there is still little attention to the level of wildlife protection. Whether in terms of laws and regulations or some policies, the consumption of wild animals is expressly prohibited, but there is still a lack of advocacy for this in relevant standards and systems. In this "General Rules for Mooncake Quality", the requirements for "cake skin and fillings" are added on the basis of the original standard "raw materials and auxiliary materials", and it is clear that wild protected animal ingredients such as shark fins should not be used in mooncake fillings, and precious and rare ingredients such as bird's nests should not be used. It can be said that the general rules have made clear prohibitive provisions, that is, they should not be used. This is a very important change and progress, which is highly consistent with the current conservation and simplicity we advocate.

 

From a national strategic perspective, we are now promoting comprehensive green transformation and the construction of a beautiful China, and advocating a green production and lifestyle. One of the green production and lifestyles is to advocate simplicity and economy. In this process, we must abandon the use of some precious and rare ingredients, eliminate everyone's curiosity and desire to show off, let moon cakes truly return to their own edible attributes, and create a warm and reunion festival atmosphere for everyone.

 

Original Chinese Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fC1KwpcQR4XM3lYswHezXg

Translator: Maggie

Editor: Maggie

Checked by: Richard      

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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