The regulation of novel food has been raised in the European Union in reaction to safety concerns regarding foods that are either made using newly developed technology or imported from a foreign country and does not have a history of consumption in a given place. Similarly, China has established a comparable system to regulate novel foods, which takes into account the specific situation in China where novel food material and health food are closely linked, given that certain traditional materials can be used for both food and medicine. In light of this, this article presents the general evolution of novel foods regulation in China while focusing on specific aspects related to the development of the food industry and the longstanding food culture.