UrBC, Moscow, September 26, 2018. The Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor is planning to fine those who make and sell adulterated foods, Interfax refers to the agency’s head Anna Popova as stating.

‘The first thing we are going to propose to the government is making amendments in the food adulteration regulations. There’s no notion of adulteration as such in either the Administrative or the Criminal Code, so there’s no punishment, either,’ Popova said at the Federation Council’s recent meeting on social policy issues.

According to Popova, ‘the chemical industry has advanced greatly, so a food item might smell and taste ‘right’ yet still not be the authentic product.’

Popova also asked the Council to help Rospotrebnadzor lobby the legislative changes that would allow the latter to inspect cafes and restaurants unannounced: the official says ‘outbreaks usually occur in locations we do not check.’ Head of the Federation Council Valeriy Ryazansky supported the initiative, saying inspections that a restaurant knows about a month in advance are simply useless.