How China's food factories feed 1.4 billion people

• Sarah Jacobs
 

China Stringer Network/ReutersThe production line at a meat factory in China.

China's population has swelled to nearly 1.4 billion people. That's a lot of mouths to feed — China's food-processing industry had an estimated $2 trillion in revenues for 2014, and more than 35,000 processing and manufacturing plants churned out food products for the country's residents. 

The food industry has been riddled with scandal, and many factories have been found to be breaking quality standards. More recently, Chinese civilians have become more "food savvy" and are looking for healthier options, taking cooking classes, and switching to white meat over red.

However, food-manufacturing plants continue to operate, and with an estimated 13.22 million Chinese people living in urban areas, the demand for packaged food has skyrocketed.

Ahead, 20 images that show just how massive some of these Chinese food plants are.

China's first computer-controlled greenhouse is located on the outskirts of Beijing and opened in 2010. Here, artificial lights are used to grow lettuce.

David Gray/Reuters

The quality of China's shrimp has been reportedly inconsistent due to the use of chemicals when breeding. Here, workers peel shrimp inside a seafood factory in Rizhao, Shandong.

Stringer Shanghai/Reuters

In 2011, 1.35 million tonnes of edible oils, such as corn and soybean, were imported to China.

Sheng Li/Reuters

Fish dry on poles at a processing facility outside of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Lang Lang/Reuters

Shark fin is a gourmet meal in China. Here, more than 10,000 fins lay out to dry on the rooftop of a factory building in Hong Kong.

Bobby Yip/Reuters

A factory line of employees process meat at a factory in Luohe, Henan province.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

This image was taken days before the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration shut down this meat-processing factory in 2014.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

The factory was processing meat beyond its expiration date.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

In 2013 there were 5,529 liquor, beverage, and tea manufacturing plants in China.

Stringer China/Reuters

In 2014, China produced 26.5 million tons of dairy products.

Jianan Yu/Reuters

Here's a look inside a beer factory in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

Sheng Li/Reuters

These workers are helping package instant noodles in the village of Nanjie.

Jason Lee/Reuters

Here, ginseng is being dried — just one of the many steps of processing it must go through.

Sheng Li/Reuters

The Kraft Foods' factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu province makes freshly baked Oreo cookies.

Aly Song/Reuters

Chili oil is commonly found in many different Chinese cuisines. Here, newly harvested red chili is spread out to dry in the sun.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

There are almost a billion egg-laying hens in China.

Kim Kyung Hoon/Reuters

Chinese moon cakes, which are being processed here, are usually eaten around Zhongqiujie, or, the Mid-Autumn Festival. They're considered a delicacy.

Aly Song/Reuters

Workers navigate a huge vinegar and soy sauce mill in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province.

China Daily China Daily Information Corp - CDIC/Reuters

A worker makes stuffed steamed buns at a food factory in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

These workers are using their feet to spread coffee beans out to dry in a plantation in Chengmai county.

Sheng Li/Reuters