Currently, natural preservatives are rapidly advancing in various industries such as food and medicine due to their exceptional benefits. Although they cannot completely replace chemical preservatives due to factors like bacteriostatic effect, stability, and price, there is ongoing development in composite preservatives that incorporate natural components. Natural preservatives offer unparalleled advantages such as strong antibacterial properties, safety, non-toxicity, good thermal stability, and a wide range of effectiveness. As a result, it is highly likely that natural and composite preservatives will become the dominant direction for preservatives in the future, eventually replacing chemical counterparts in our daily lives. Chinese scientists should focus their efforts on researching natural preservatives derived from traditional Chinese herbal medicines. Leveraging China's abundant herbal resources will enable the scientific exploration and utilization of the valuable properties found in Chinese herbal medicines.