Abstract: Objective To evaluate current situation of laboratory test for food hygiene inspection of grassroots centers for disease control and prevention(CDCs)in Jiangsu province and to provide evidences for the improvement of inspection work of CDCs.Methods With a sampling survey,laboratory test capability and human resource for food hygiene inspection were evaluated based on the requirements of relevant domestic criteria among 18 grassroots CDCs in southern and northern area of Jiangsu province.Results The numbers of laboratory test items undertaken by the CDCs in the northern and southern area were 32-172 and 25-141,accounting for 43.7%-90.6%and 44.3%-82.3%of the items required by relevant criteria,respectively.Of all the staff engaged in laboratory test for food hygiene inspection in the 18 CDCs of the two areas,48%(93/195)and 45%(81/178)had medium professional title,and 50%(91/183)and 48%(85/178)had undergraduate education background.The qualification rate of test results for A category items of 2 484 samples was 32.5%.Conclusion The capability construction of laboratory test for food hygiene is under balanced development in grassroots CDCs in northern and southern areas of Jiangsu province.