title: Food supply and food safety issues in China.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Hon-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Remais
authors.forename: Ming-Chiu
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Liqing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Samuel Sai-Ming
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D002681:China; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology; D057217:Economic Development; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059022:Food Safety; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008461:Meat Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D014881:Water Supply