ZMUni Compliance Centre

On September 20, 2026, China's General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released information on food products denied entry at Chinese ports in August 2026.

According to the data, 755 batches of food products that failed to meet safety, hygiene, or other relevant requirements and were therefore denied entry, representing an approximately 55% month-on-month increase from 487 batches in July 2026, an increase of 268 batches. The figure also increased by approximately 22% year-on-year, compared with 617 batches during the same period last year.

The 755 batches covered a wide range of product categories, including beverages, alcoholic beverages, edible oils, frozen meat, poultry and aquatic products, seasonings, special foods, confectionery, and chocolate products, among others.

• By country/region of origin: Ecuador continued to rank first, with a total of 270 batches, mainly frozen South American white shrimp. The major reasons included the detection of animal diseases and non-compliant sodium metabisulfite levels. India and the United States ranked second and third, with 91 and 69 batches, respectively.

• By total weight of rejected products: Ecuador, India, and the United States ranked among the top three, accounting for 39%, 25%, and 9% of the total weight, respectively.

• By port of entry: Tianjin Port remained in first place, accounting for 25% of the total. Shanghai and Zhanjiang ranked second and third, accounting for 18% and 10%, respectively.

Key Reasons for Denial

The leading reason for denial in August remained sodium metabisulfite levels failing to comply with China's national food safety standards, accounting for 219 batches. This was an increase of 63 batches from 156 in July, with most cases involving frozen South American white shrimp.

The second most common reason was the detection of animal diseases, which increased sharply from the previous month. A total of 91 batches were denied entry for this reason in August, mainly involving frozen South American white shrimp and frozen, heat-treated chicken feet.

Non-compliant labeling ranked third, involving 89 batches.

Compared with the previous month, two new typical compliance risks emerged in August: the use of unauthorized novel food ingredients and non-compliant levels of functional ingredients. The products involved mainly included fruit jams, gummies, and special foods. Companies should therefore pay particular attention to the compliance of ingredients used in their products, as well as relevant functional claims, before importing products into China, to ensure that they meet the applicable requirements and minimize compliance risks.

Other recurring issues included products not meeting entry requirements, discrepancies between goods and accompanying certificates/documents, and registration issues involving overseas food manufacturers.

Changes in Major Reasons for Denial

The month-on-month changes in the most common reasons for imported food products being denied entry are summarized below:

💡 ZMUni Compliance Insights

 

Many global food exporters face costly border rejections due to insufficient preliminary compliance screening or misunderstandings of China’s evolving regulatory requirements. To prevent irreversible financial losses, enterprises are strongly encouraged to conduct comprehensive, proactive compliance assessments prior to shipment.

 

For more information on China food compliance, including including services for new food ingredient applications, please visit our food services pages or contact us at info@zmuni.com.