Food supply and food safety issues in China
Open accessAbstract
Food supply and food safety are major global public health issues, and are particularly important in heavily populated countries such as China. Rapid industrialisation and modernisation in China are having profound effects on food supply and food safety. In this Review, we identified important factors limiting agricultural production in China, including conversion of agricultural land to other uses, freshwater deficits, and soil quality issues. Additionally, increased demand for some agricultural products is examined, particularly those needed to satisfy the increased consumption of animal products in the Chinese diet, which threatens to drive production towards crops used as animal feed. Major sources of food poisoning in China include pathogenic microorganisms, toxic animals and plants entering the food supply, and chemical contamination. Meanwhile, two growing food safety issues are illegal additives and contamination of the food supply by toxic industrial waste. China's connections to global agricultural markets are also having important effects on food supply and food safety within the country. Although the Chinese Government has shown determination to reform laws, establish monitoring systems, and strengthen food safety regulation, weak links in implementation remain.
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Food safety significantly affects public health worldwide.
“Food safety significantly affects public health worldwide [1].”
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- Authors
- Lam, H.-M., Remais, J., Fung, M.-C., Xu, L., & Sun, S. S.-M.
- Affiliations
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sun, Samuel Sai-Ming
- Venue
- The Lancet
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-06
- Volume
- 381
- Issue
- 9882
- Pages
- 2044-2053
- ISSN
- 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
- 0140-6736
- PMC
- PMC3888022
- OpenAlex
- W2143255722
- Cited by
- 419
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 2.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- The Lancet (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- University Grants Committee
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (K01AI091864)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Safety and Hygiene
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Agricultural and Food Production Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Agricultural safety and regulations
- Keywords
- food supply, food safety, China, agricultural land conversion, soil quality, animal feed production, food poisoning, pathogenic microorganisms, poisonous plants, chemical pollution, illegal food additives, industrial waste contamination, international agricultural markets, food safety regulation, food safety monitoring
- MeSH terms
- Agriculture, China, Cultural Characteristics, Diet, Environmental Pollution, Foodborne Diseases, Food Supply, Humans, Meat Products, Water Supply, Nutrition Policy, Economic Development, Food Safety, Geography, Medical
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