The government will launch a nationwide campaign later this month to improve food safety and to better protect children and teenagers from health hazards, spokesman for the campaign's leading group Cheng Zhigang said yesterday.

Initiated by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation in August, the campaign was launched jointly by 11 government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the ministries of Education, Agriculture, Commerce and Health, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

"Its goal is to spread (the message of) food safety and nutrition knowledge among children and their parents, help youngsters acquire healthy dietary habits and regulate the domestic food market", Cheng said.