Under the program, an insurance company will pay up to 5 million yuan ($644,000) in compensation if more than three people fall ill because of drug or chemical residue in the pork sold at the market.

In the event of a poisoning accident, victims will receive compensation within a week.

Zhu Wenzhao, the market's spokesman, said the market's 80 pork dealers had signed up for the insurance scheme.

The market has also set up a tracking system under which every piece of pork sold there will include a tag with information about the meat's origins. Customers can go to the market's website to find out where their pork came from.

The city's food and drug administration hopes to introduce this system in other wholesale markets in Shanghai.

"The traditional spot-check can't ensure the 100 percent safety of all meat," said a spokesman for the administration.

"With this tracking system, each piece is identified. The insurance system also demonstrates the management's confidence in the quality of service."

Source: People's Daily Online