National Food Safety Week focuses on whole-chain supervision: where food businesses can start

China’s 2026 National Food Safety Week opened on 22 September under the theme “Uphold integrity and the law, share food safety — deepen whole-chain supervision”. For food producers and traders it is both a round of legal education and a chance to test whether their routines carry through from purchasing and storage to processing, sales and customer feedback. Risk management only stays consistent when checks, screening and follow-up become records that can be verified.

Whole-chain supervision: responsibility must not break at hand-overs

The campaign notice issued by the State Council Food Safety Office and 27 other departments centres on deepening whole-chain supervision. Source and document checks on delivery, key storage conditions, process controls, information shown at the point of sale and follow-up on consumer feedback should all connect. Businesses can draw up a responsibility list for their own operation: who checks, what is checked, and who takes over when a problem is found.

Records should support verification, not just storage

Records of incoming inspection, supplier documents, cleaning and disinfection, additive use, retained samples and self-testing should map to specific batches, times, roles and outcomes. Frequently used forms must stay practical for front-line staff: check supplier details and sensory condition on arrival, record key storage conditions, link screening results to batches, and note follow-up actions such as isolation, review, return or reporting. Digital ledgers can connect the information but cannot replace on-site checks and real action.

Rapid tests are for screening; abnormal results go back to formal procedure

Farmers’ markets, supermarkets and food service operators can plan on-site screening for pesticide residues, veterinary drugs or illegal additives based on the products they handle and their risk history. Rapid tests are good at revealing suspicious signals and helping adjust inspection priorities. When abnormal or suspected abnormal results appear, retest, retain samples, isolate goods and follow up as required, and send samples to an accredited laboratory where needed. A single negative screen is not a guarantee against all risks — representative sampling and method scope matter just as much.

Risk communication should be timely, truthful and easy to understand

Food safety management means controlling problems and explaining them clearly. For staff, turn role requirements into practical checkpoints. For suppliers, define delivery standards and how problems are reported. For consumers, display the legally required information accurately and respond to enquiries properly. For batches that have been dealt with, keep the full supporting evidence and avoid gaps caused by verbal hand-overs.

Turn the campaign week into a small, concrete self-check

Settings differ, so ledgers and screening items should not be copied wholesale. Pick one priority food or one critical step, and check that purchase documents, site conditions, test records and abnormal-result handling are consistent. Where weak points appear, assign an owner and a deadline. Statutory testing, risk handling and reporting should always follow the competent authorities and the conclusions of accredited laboratories.