Economically motivated food fraud and adulteration in China: An analysis based on 1553 media reports

•A systematic review was conducted based on 1553 media reports regarding China's food safety problem.•The result of the paper indicates that economically motivated food fraud and adulteration was emerging in China.•Many adulterants, contaminants and abnormal conditions have been identified in foods.

Based on 1553 media reports on food safety scandals and concerns, we conducted an aggregated analysis on economically motivated food frauds and adulterations in China. A systematic approach is used to analyze the country's food safety concern in terms of fraud type, implicated foods, adulterants, contaminants and abnormal conditions, and concerned food sources. This study indicate that economically motivated food fraud and adulteration was an emerging and serious food safety problem in China. The results of the study can be used not only to analyze food safety risks but also to prioritize target areas for food policy-making and enforcement of food safety regulation.