While a single television documentary, A Bite of China, lifted hearts warmed by thoughts of mother's cooking, several issues brought the Chinese diners back to earth in a year pockmarked by various food safety scares.

In March, there were reports of pesticide residue in tea leaves, while in April, there were again concerns about milk and worries about cooking oil recycled from the gutters.

Later in the year, it was discovered that some factories had used industrial gelatin in yogurt and "oily fish" was discovered to be masquerading as cod.