Food preservatives are widely recognized as essential food additives that play a critical role in ensuring food safety, and China enforces stringent regulations regarding their use. Consequently, the identification of various types and concentrations of food preservatives is pivotal for safeguarding public health. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the standard detection methods for food preservatives currently employed in China, with a specific focus on the application and analytical characteristics of advanced techniques such as liquid chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Furthermore, it aims to discuss emerging trends and future directions in the development of detection technologies for food preservatives..