On September 30, 2026, Chinese media outlet Caixin reported that authorities and experts discussed how to ensure food safety in China, the world's largest food consumption market.

Recently in China, concerns about food safety have resurfaced due to illegal activities discovered across the country during the distribution stage of agricultural products, such as the unauthorized use of carcinogenic formaldehyde solution to preserve the freshness of napa cabbage in production areas of Hebei Province, the unauthorized use of preservatives in Fuzhou bayberry from Fujian Province, the dyeing of stem lettuce in Yuzhong County, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, and the sulfur gas treatment of bamboo shoots in Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province.

The article reported that Liu Jun, Deputy Director of the Office of the Food Safety Commission of the State Council of China and Deputy Director-General of the State Administration for Market Regulation, stated at a symposium held on the 29th that approximately 2 million tons of food are consumed daily in China, and ensuring the safety of food and drink for 1.4 billion people is a significant undertaking that addresses public welfare and sentiment, constituting a major element of public safety.

According to the article, Liu pointed out that while the emergence of new business models and products such as online transactions, chain operations, and special foods broadens choices, it also brings new challenges to food safety management. He expressed the view that regulatory authorities need to strengthen the entire industrial chain, eliminate blind spots, and maintain fundamental postures such as prevention at the source, strict process management, and severe penalties for illegal activities.

At the symposium, Nan Jun, Director of the Food Coordination Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation, also stated that food safety work is diverse, complex, and involves many stakeholders, thus any deficiency at any stage of the industrial chain, from cultivation and aquaculture to storage, transportation, processing, distribution, sales, and consumption, could lead to risks. He called for the establishment of a clear responsibility system for agricultural product storage and transportation risks and responses to new business models, and also stated that producers and business operators should fulfill their responsibilities as primary responsible parties.

Furthermore, Zhang Feng, Director of the National Food Inspection Center, reportedly introduced that the establishment of the center has advanced the centralization of inspection resources, and advanced technologies such as mass spectrometry imaging have reduced on-site inspection times from hours to seconds.

The article conveyed that during the symposium, experts expressed opinions on the necessity of positioning food safety as a social issue and promoting constructive and orderly collaboration among governments, businesses, platforms, media, consumer organizations, and consumers, as well as improving legal systems and ensuring thorough vetting by platforms. (Edited and translated by Kawajiri)