The local government has set aside 5 million yuan ($791,178) to reward residents whose tips lead authorities to uncover food safety problems, local media reported Tuesday.

Residents will receive 5 percent of the assets seized during an investigation if their information helps food safety authorities in their investigation, according to a report in the Xinmin Evening News.

The city's food safety hotline, 12331, which was set up early this year by the local food safety watchdog, has received more than 21,000 reports from residents.

According to food safety authorities, the system offers residents rewards ranging from 500 yuan to 200,000 yuan depending on the value of the assets in the case.

However, few residents have received rewards that have exceeded 10,000 yuan, said Yang Quan, the hotline's director.

"Most of the residents who have helped us discover food safety problems receive a relatively small sum as a reward. Their information is forwarded to the Shanghai Municipal Food Safety Commission Office for investigation," Yang told the Global Times.

The hotline has become a major means for residents to complain about food safety issues. About 78 percent of food safety cases this year were first reported to authorities via the hotline.

The authorities are also working to shrink the length of time it takes to reward the whistle blowers who call in with tips. About 90 percent of reported cases are solved within the same month, according to authorities.