China prohibits the import of over 200 specific food product categories and items under the GACC Negative List system, the PRC Food Safety Law, and international treaty obligations as of 2026. Prohibitions range from broad categories (certain animal products from BSE-affected regions) to specific items (certain traditional Chinese medicine ingredients from endangered species). This article provides a comprehensive, category-by-category guide to what food imports are blocked, with the legal basis for each prohibition and practical guidance for compliance.
Category 1: Animal Products from Disease-Affected Regions
The most frequently encountered import prohibition relates to animal products from regions affected by specific animal diseases. GACC maintains a dynamic list of country-commodity bans that are updated in real-time based on disease outbreak notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). As of mid-2026, the following broad prohibitions are in effect:
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) restrictions: China maintains a risk-based BSE import ban. Countries classified as BSE-controlled or BSE-undetermined (as classified by WOAH) face restrictions on the import of: beef and beef products, bovine offal, bone meal, meat-and-bone meal, and certain bovine-derived gelatin. Countries with negligible BSE risk — including Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and most EU member states — are cleared for beef imports subject to normal certification. The prohibition was most recently updated in GACC Order No. 158 (2024), which relaxed restrictions for certain countries following improved BSE surveillance.
African swine fever (ASF) restrictions: ASF outbreaks in wild boar and domestic pig populations trigger temporary import bans on pork and pork products from affected countries. As of July 2026, partial bans are in effect for multiple countries with regional ASF outbreaks. The ban applies to fresh, chilled, and frozen pork, as well as pork-based products containing non-heat-treated pork. Thermally processed pork products (sterilized at core temperature ≥70°C for at least 30 minutes) may be exempt, subject to GACC certification requirements.
Avian influenza restrictions: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in poultry trigger country-specific bans on poultry meat, eggs, and untreated feathers. The ban applies to the entire country, not just the affected region, and remains in effect until GACC confirms the country’s HPAI-free status. As of 2026, several countries in Europe, Asia, and North America face partial or full poultry bans due to ongoing HPAI outbreaks.
| Disease | Products Affected | Ban Scope | Duration | Exemption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSE | Beef, offal, bone meal, gelatin | Country risk-based | Indefinite (permanent classification) | Negligible BSE risk countries |
| African Swine Fever | Pork, pork products | Country-wide | Lifted per country (typically 6–24 months post-outbreak) | Heat-treated pork (core ≥70°C, 30 min) |
| Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza | Poultry, eggs, untreated feathers | Country-wide | Lifted per country (typically 6–12 months post-outbreak) | Heat-treated poultry products |
| Foot and Mouth Disease | Cattle, sheep, goat, pig products | Country-wide | Lifted per country (typically 3–12 months post-outbreak) | Canned/sterilized products with certified heat treatment |
| Classical Swine Fever | Pork, pork products | Country-wide | Lifted per country | Heat-treated and processed products |
Category 2: Products Containing Prohibited Substances
China’s Food Safety Law explicitly prohibits the import of any food containing substances not approved for food use in China. This includes a broad range of substances that may be legal in other jurisdictions but are prohibited in China. The most common prohibitions in this category include:
Ractopamine and beta-agonists: China has a zero-tolerance policy for ractopamine — a growth promoter used in pork production in the United States, Canada, and several other countries. Any imported pork product testing positive for ractopamine is rejected at customs, the exporting facility is placed on a GACC audit list, and two consecutive violations result in a 12-month import suspension for the entire country. As of 2026, pork imports from the US are subject to mandatory ractopamine testing at a rate of 50% of all shipments, significantly higher than the 5–10% sampling rate for countries that do not use ractopamine.
TBHQ and certain antioxidants: Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is permitted in China but with stricter use limits than in some other jurisdictions. Certain other synthetic antioxidants — including butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) in certain products — face restrictions. Imported products must comply with GB 2760-2024 (National Food Safety Standard for Food Additive Use), which was most recently updated in December 2024.
Pesticide residues exceeding MRLs: China maintains Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for over 10,000 pesticide-commodity combinations under GB 2763. Imported food products must comply with these MRLs, which in many cases are stricter than Codex Alimentarius or US EPA standards. Specific pesticides that are legal abroad but have very low or zero MRLs in China include: chlorpyrifos (zero MRL on most commodities as of 2025), carbofuran, and methamidophos. Foreign food exporters should maintain a current GB 2763 compliance matrix for their target commodities.
- Prohibited food additives under GB 2760: Potassium bromate (flour treatment), Sudan Red dyes (colorant), and certain artificial sweeteners not listed in GB 2760 are strictly prohibited in imported foods.
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Import of GM food products requires NHC safety assessment and approval under Regulations on the Administration of Genetically Modified Organisms in Food (2002, updated 2024). Unapproved GM varieties are prohibited for import, regardless of their approval status in the exporting country.
- Melamine and cyanuric acid: Zero-tolerance for melamine in milk and milk protein products. All imported dairy products are subject to mandatory melamine testing at customs.
- Trans fats exceeding limits: As of 2026, China limits industrially produced trans fatty acids to 2g per 100g total fat in prepackaged foods. Products exceeding this limit are prohibited for import.
Category 3: Products Requiring Special Permits or Registrations
Several food categories require pre-import permits or registrations beyond standard GACC registration. Import of these products without the required permit is prohibited, even if they meet all other safety standards:
Health food (保健食品, bǎojiàn shípǐn): Functional foods making health claims require SAMR registration or filing before import. Importing health food without a valid SAMR certificate is a violation of the Food Safety Law and carries penalties including product seizure, fines of RMB 50,000–200,000, and potential criminal liability for repeat offenses. The SAMR health food registration process takes 12–18 months, as discussed in our timeline FAQ.
Infant formula: Infant formula products require full SAMR formula registration. Unregistered infant formula is automatically prohibited for import, regardless of the exporting country’s approval status. This includes infant formula Stage 1 (0–6 months), for which China has particularly strict nutritional composition requirements under GB 10765-2021 that differ materially from Codex Alimentarius Standard 72-1981.
Foods for special medical purposes (FSMP): FSMP products (特殊医学用途配方食品, tèshū yīxué yòngtú pèifāng shípǐn) require SAMR registration before import. As of 2026, only approximately 150 FSMP products have received SAMR registration, of which fewer than 30 are from foreign manufacturers. The registration process is among the most stringent in China’s food regulatory system.
Genetically modified foods: Import of GM food products — including GM soybeans, GM corn, GM rapeseed, and processed foods containing GM ingredients — requires an NHC safety certificate. China has approved approximately 30 GM crop varieties for import (as of 2026), primarily for processing and animal feed. Any GM variety not on the approved list is prohibited for import.
Category 4: Products from Non-Approved Manufacturing Facilities
Under GACC Decree No. 248, all foreign food manufacturers exporting to China must be registered in the GACC Imported Food Registration System. Products manufactured in unregistered facilities are prohibited for import, regardless of the product’s safety or the manufacturer’s compliance with its home country regulations. The registration requirement applies to all 18 food categories specified in Decree No. 248, including: meat and meat products, aquatic products, dairy products, egg products, edible oils and fats, processed grains and flours, seasonings, confectionery, beverages, alcoholic beverages, and more.
High-risk categories (meat, aquatic products, dairy, and infant formula) require GACC on-site inspection before registration is granted. Medium-risk categories (processed foods, beverages, oils) may be registered through a documentary review process. Low-risk categories (packaged foods without animal-derived ingredients) can be registered through the simplified online process. For a complete breakdown of category-specific registration requirements and timelines, see our food product registration timeline FAQ.
Additionally, certain countries face facility-specific bans. As of 2026, GACC maintains a list of facilities whose products are prohibited due to food safety violations. The list is updated quarterly and includes approximately 50–80 foreign facilities at any given time. Companies should verify that both the exporting country and the specific manufacturing facility are cleared for export before initiating any commercial shipment.
Category 5: Endangered Species and CITES-Protected Products
China is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Import of food products containing or derived from CITES-listed species requires both CITES permits from the exporting country’s CITES Management Authority and Chinese import permits from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林业和草原局, guójiā línyè hé cǎoyuán jú). Products without valid CITES documentation are prohibited for import and subject to seizure under China’s Criminal Law Article 341, which carries penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for commercial-scale violations.
Common food products affected by CITES restrictions include: shark fin (from CITES-listed shark species), abalone (certain wild-harvested species), sturgeon caviar (from CITES-listed sturgeon species), bear bile and bear-derived products, certain medicinal fungi (particularly Cordyceps sinensis from restricted collection areas), and reptile meat (from CITES-listed python and crocodile species).
In addition to CITES, China’s own List of Wild Animals under State Priority Protection (国家重点保护野生动物名录, guójiā zhòngdiǎn bǎohù yěshēng dòngwù mínglù) and Wild Plant Protection Regulations impose additional prohibitions on domestic collection and import of certain native species, including many traditional Chinese medicine ingredients that are also used in food products. Importers should verify that any ingredient derived from a wild plant or animal species is not listed under China’s protected species regulations before initiating import.
Practical Steps to Verify Import Eligibility
- Check the GACC Negative List: Review the current CBEC Negative List and the general import prohibition list maintained by GACC (accessible through GACC’s online portal at customs.gov.cn). These lists are updated quarterly.
- Verify manufacturing facility registration: Confirm that the specific foreign manufacturing facility is registered in the GACC system with a valid registration number. Unregistered facilities’ products are automatically prohibited for import.
- Check country-commodity disease bans: Review GACC’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Notices for any current disease-related bans affecting your product’s country of origin. These bans change frequently — sometimes weekly — as disease outbreaks evolve.
- Substance compliance check: Cross-reference all ingredients against GB 2760 (food additives), GB 2763 (pesticide MRLs), and the NHC approved novel food ingredients list, as well as the prohibited substances list under the Food Safety Law.
- Verify GM status: Confirm that any GM ingredients in your product are on NHC’s approved GM food import list. Unapproved GM varieties make the entire product prohibited for import.
- Documentation review: Ensure all required permits (health food registration, infant formula registration, FSMP registration, CITES permits) are in place before shipment. Products arriving at Chinese ports without required permits are immediately prohibited from entry.
Where to Go From Here
Based on what you just read:
- Ready to act? Read [guide: CG360-FOOD-GUID-008]
- Still comparing? See [comparison: CG360-FOOD-CMP-004]
- Need numbers? Try [tool: CG360-FOOD-TOOL-004]
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