BEIJING — China's top market regulator has urged local authorities to conduct thorough investigations into potential food safety violations after such breaches were found in some popular food brands.

Spot checks by local market regulators over the past few months have exposed food safety issues in the chain stores of popular hotpot, milk tea, and fast food brands. The stores involved received fines, had their licenses revoked, or were ordered to rectify their operations, said the State Administration for Market Regulation at a press conference on Aug 23.

The administration has ordered food safety checks at all stores under the same brand and investigations into the related enterprises of those involved.

Local market regulators should deal with food safety violations with "zero tolerance" and resolutely eliminate potential food safety risks, the administration said.