Food safety remains a top priority for Chinese authorities and the public. Two significant scandals in China this year have again raised concerns about the quality and safety of locally produced food.
In July, Beijing News reported that Hopefull Grain and Oil Group and China Grain Reserves Oil and Fat (a subsidiary of state-owned Sinograin) had used fuel trucks to transport edible oils without undergoing mandatory cleaning. This cost-saving practice, which had been ongoing for years, was enabled by lax oversight from cooking oil manufacturers and inadequate government monitoring and regulation.
Low public confidence in domestically produced food is reflected in opinion polls.
The controversy sparked widespread outrage on social media, highlighting public anger over the lack of accountability, and prompting consumers to seek safer cooking oils. In response, authorities quickly announced a high-level investigation, promising heavy penalties for violators. The WeChat account “Food Safety China” announced new standards for transporting cooking oil, including designated containers, prohibition of non-edible oil cans, and mandating transport records and periodic cleaning, but without penalties for non-compliance.
The second scandal, involving goji berries from northwest China, was revealed in September. Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported that farm workers and merchants in Jingyuan county, Gansu province and Golmud, Qinghai province, had soaked goji berries in sodium metabisulfite – a banned substance – and sprayed them with illegal additives to enhance colour. CCTV also aired footage of farm workers preparing vats of metabisulfite before washing the goji berries in the mixture.
In response, authorities in both Jingyuan county and Golmud set up task forces to investigate and penalise those involved. China’s National Market Supervision Administration and Ministry of Finance also introduced a whistleblower reward system, offering financial incentives and protections against retaliation for reporting violations.
Unfortunately, food safety cases like these are far from being isolated in China, highlighting persistent challenges. At times, national interests have been put above public health. Notably, in 2008, infant formula produced by local food manufacturer Sanlu Group was tainted with melamine, killing six infants and sickening 300,000 others. Authorities are alleged to have suppressed the incident to protect China’s image on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Low public confidence in domestically produced food is reflected in opinion polls. A 2023 survey cited by The Economist showed only 25 per cent of Chinese respondents were satisfied with food safety standards. This is despite Chinese authorities taking steps to address the issue, including national food safety and hygiene laws, and a national food safety strategy. Such strong concerns about locally produced food casts doubt on the country’s continued domestic food security push, which includes a greater focus on self-reliance and domestic agricultural production.
Tied to social and political stability, food security has been a top priority for Chinese leaders for thousands of years. In June this year, President Xi Jinping publicly emphasised safeguarding domestic food security through policy measures, targets, and national laws and documents. As Xi famously declared, the rice bowls of China’s 1.4 billion people “will always be firmly held in their own hands”.
Changing dietary preferences, loss of viable farmland, and competing land uses have made these issues more acute.
Since taking office more than a decade ago, Xi has consistently pledged to tackle food safety issues, warning that the Communist Party’s legitimacy could be at stake if it fails. However, certain party behaviours exacerbate popular concerns. Elite Communist Party leaders have their own food supply chain, a practice that dates back to the Mao era. As the special supply chain comprises organic produce, how much confidence can Chinese citizens have in food safety when their own officials avoid consuming regular produce?
Issues such as limited arable land and water resources, industrialisation, rising contamination levels, skyrocketing food demand, and severe soil pollution have also added to the deterioration in China’s food security in recent decades. In 2004, the country became a net food importer. Changing dietary preferences, loss of viable farmland, and competing land uses have made these issues more acute.
Despite improvements, significant loopholes and challenges remain. In food distribution networks for example, while regulations require clean containers and prohibit transporting food with toxic items, there is only one non-mandatory national standard for bulk transport of edible oils. Although these standards are not legally binding, companies are expected to follow them.
Moreover, penalties for delivering unsafe food are relatively low. The Food Hygiene Law allows for confiscation of illegal gains and fines of up to five times those gains, with a maximum fine of 50,000 yuan (US$6,894) if no gains are found. As others point out, until enforcement is strengthened and penalties become more severe, consumers will unfortunately continue to face risks from unsafe food.
To improve food safety, Chinese authorities must address regulatory loopholes and strengthen oversight of farms and food production. Enhancing monitoring and imposing stricter penalties for violations will deter malpractice and promote accountability throughout the food supply chain. A comprehensive, proactive approach is essential to safeguard public health and restore confidence in domestically produced food.
