BEIJING - China will enhance its public education efforts in the next five years to promote scientific food safety knowledge, according to the country's food safety authority on Sunday.

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Workers in food production industry must be trained before taking the job, said the executive office of the food safety commission under the State Council, the Cabinet, in a five-year program (2011-2015) for the country's food safety education work.

Employers and main employees are asked to receive concentrated training, no less than 40 hours a year, on laws, regulations, scientific knowledge and professional ethics concerning food safety, said the program.

Every regulator in charge of food safety monitoring work is also required to receive professional training for no less than 40 hours a year.

The program calls for establishing a long-term mechanism to strengthen public education efforts, with joint participation by government, enterprises, institutes, experts, consumers and the media.

By 2015, more than 80 percent of the public should be aware of basic food safety knowledge, and the rate for the primary and high school students should be up to 85 percent or more, said the program.

To achieve the above goal, concerned authorities should carry out more educational activities in communities, villages and schools, and improve information release system, said the program.

"Efforts will be made to reinforce management work of food producers, promote food safety awareness of the public, and strengthen law enforcement capability of the food safety regulators," the program said.

"A good atmosphere with every people devoted for safeguarding food safety will be set up," according to the program.