Biocides are currently governed by multiple regulations in China, including pesticides, veterinary drug, disinfection-product and water related products. The article introduces the regulations, use scope and technical regulations of food-use disinfectants in China and offers a comparative analysis with EU and US regulatory requirements. 

China's food and catering market has grown rapidly and with this growth we have also seen an increase in usage of food use disinfectant products which has led to concerns revolving around food safety. China’s disinfection legal framework is seriously underdeveloped compared with EU and the US who have established complete assessment, registration and authorization system of biocides and food contact substances/materials. In this analysis, we will explore the scope and limitation of Chinese food use disinfectants regulations, as well as the pitfalls to look out for when accessing China’s emerging market.