Barley is the largest cereal import in China. Nearly half a century, there has been a growing tendency of barley production and requirement, resulting in increasing activity of global trade of barley. This paper reviewed the nutrient content of barley and the development condition of barley industry in China. The reasons for the quality safety problems of barley and its products were introduced, and then some suggestions were made to safeguard the barley products quality safety, thus to provide some useful considerations and references for the healthy and rapid development of barley industry.