China's food industry is known for its scale and efficiency. Although the overall food safety situation is improving, ensuring that the food the fast-developing industry provides is safe has proved a challenge. A meal can now be ordered with a few taps, prepared in an invisible kitchen and delivered by a stranger. When something goes wrong, however, responsibility has an unfortunate habit of disappearing somewhere along the supply chain.

On Saturday, the State Administration for Market Regulation unveiled a draft revision of the Food Safety Law for public consultation. More than two-thirds of its provisions would be amended or newly introduced. The overhaul, the most extensive since 2015, reflects a basic regulatory principle: as the food business becomes more complicated, accountability must become harder to evade.

The Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee has also issued instructions demanding tougher investigation and punishment of food-safety offenses. Recent incidents involving chemically treated vegetables and other dangerous practices have exposed some weaknesses.