THE country is aiming to maintain a self-sufficiency ratio of baby formula above 60 percent to better meet the growing demand, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Monday.

China will also improve the quality of baby formula to boost consumer confidence and satisfaction, according to a plan jointly issued by NDRC and six other government departments.

A quality and safety traceability platform of baby formula will be built to cover more than 60 percent of baby formula enterprises in three years, and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system will also be established to identify and assess potential threats in the manufacturing process, the plan said.

The country will finish a new round of comprehensive inspections on baby formula manufacturing companies in three years, in an effort to crack down on illegal adding of non-edible materials, overuse of food additives and tampering with food labels.

Meanwhile, a registration-based management on overseas baby formula manufacturing enterprises will be strengthened to ensure the safety of imported baby formula, according to the plan.

Public faith in domestic dairy brands slumped in 2008, after a major domestic producer of baby formula was found to have adulterated milk with melamine, an industrial plastic, which made the products appear to have more protein. It led to the deaths of several babies, and tens of thousands of others became sick.

Following the incident, the government intensified supervision over the sector, including inspecting every batch of baby formula before it could be sold. About 99.8 percent of baby formula available on the domestic market meets national standards, according to a survey conducted last year by the State Administration for Market Regulation. (SD-Agencies)