To understand the rhodamine B's content in chilli(dry) and ground chilli peppers in China, analyze the possibility of the illegal use of rhodamine B, and provide the data support to judge the economically motivated food adulteration of rhodamine B.Methods Chilli(dry) and ground chilli peppers were collected from small restaurants, supermarkets and farmer's markets using random sampling method. All samples were detected on an liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results 72 samples were positive in 2 107 samples, including 21 chilli(dry) and 51 ground chilli peppers samples. The content range was between 0.2×10-3 and 11.9 mg/kg, and the contents in chilli(dry) were all less than 0.1 mg/kg. In chilli peppers, the contents of 23 samples were less than 0.1 mg/kg, 12 samples were ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg, 13 samples were ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mg/kg, and only 3 samples were greater than 5.0 mg/kg. The highest detection rate was from farmer's markets and in bulk.Conclusion Rhodamine B was detected in chilli(dry) and ground chilli peppers in China. Considering the background values of rhodamine B caused by plant enrichment, the content of above 0.1 mg/kg was recommended to judge adulteration.