China unveils 50 new national food safety standards to enhance consumer protection

The National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation have jointly unveiled 50 new national food safety standards to further improve food safety and consumer protection.

Among the new standards are two comprehensive food labeling rules, including the "General Standard for Prepackaged Food Labels," and three standards dedicated to special dietary foods, such as "Infant Cereal Complementary Foods."

A key highlight of the new regulations is the "General Standard for Prepackaged Food Labels," which introduces innovative requirements for digital labels. These advancements enable food label information to be "audible," "broadcastable," and "enlargeable," significantly enhancing consumer experience while reading labels and improving the effectiveness of information dissemination by companies.

Another important regulation is the "General Standard for Prepackaged Food Nutrition Labels," which aims to promote nutritional health. Essential information that must be disclosed for prepackaged food includes the food name, ingredient list, net content and specifications, and shelf life. To further ensure consumer safety and minimize the risk of food allergies, the new standards mandate the labeling of allergenic substances on food labels.

For prepackaged foods that include ingredients from eight major allergenic categories — gluten-containing cereals, crustaceans, fish, eggs, peanuts, soybeans, milk, and tree nuts — this information must be prominently emphasized in the ingredient list using bold or underlined text, or indicated below the ingredient list with a warning statement regarding the presence of allergens.

The "General Standard for Special Medical Purpose Infant Formula" has also been refined, introducing new nutritional component requirements and six product categories, including formulas that address abnormal fat metabolism, thus providing tailored nutritional support for infants with specific medical conditions. Standards for "Infant Cereal Complementary Foods" and "Infant Canned Complementary Foods" have been expanded to accommodate a broader range of products and adjust nutritional indicators and energy ratios of added sugars to better cater to the nutritional health needs of infants.

Additionally, four food product standards, including those for "Fermented Milk," and various operational specifications have been introduced, including three for the hygienic production of processed meat products. Moreover, one standard pertains to food-related disinfectants, while four quality specifications focus on nutrient fortification agents, including "Sodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) Iron." There are also four standards for food additives, including "Lutein," and 29 inspection method standards, such as those for "Determination of Antimony in Food." The rule concerning "Sterilized Milk" clarifies that reconstituted milk will no longer be permitted in the production of sterilized milk.