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Food Safety in China: A Mapping of Problems, Governance and Research



Food safety has become an issue of great concern in China over the last few years. Media reporting has tended to focus on extreme cases of poisoning from food additives or contamination by heavy metals, but food safety encompasses a wide range of problems that occur at different points in the chain from the production to the consumption of food. The risks involved vary widely from product to product and present very different kinds and levels of threat to human health from sources including bacteria, viruses and parasites, chemicals, growth hormones and veterinary drugs.

This report examines what we know from research in the natural, medical and social sciences about the nature and causes of these problems, and about the current state of policy and societal responses. It aims to inform the more effective use of existing knowledge and the development of a more integrated and problem-oriented research agenda. 


FORHEAD Working Group on Food Safety:


CHEN Nengchang, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environment and Soil Sciences
HOLDAWAY, Jennifer, Social Science Research Council (SSRC)
FANG Jing, Kunming Medical University
HU Dinghuan, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
HUANG Jikun, Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences
HUSAIN, Lewis, University of Duisburg-Essen (formerly SSRC)
JIA Xiangping, Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences
JIN Shuqin, Research Center for Rural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture
LIU Peng, School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University
LU Jixia, College of Humanities and Development, China Agricultural University
MA Ji, College of Economic & Management, China Agricultural University
MEI Xurong, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture Chinese Academy of
Agricultural Sciences
PENG Chao, Research Center for Rural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture
WANG Wuyi, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
ZHANG Lei, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China

The full report can be downloaded here:

FOOD SAFETY IN CHINA: A MAPPING OF PROBLEMS, GOVERNANCE AND RESEARCH