Food Compliance
Intelligence & Solutions
China Dairy Regulations
May 21, 2015
Yilia Ye
Pedia Details Our Service Read More
CONTENTS

1. Competent authority


Competent authorityResponsibility
State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR)

Market supervision

Administration on special food, including infant formula registration

National Health Commission (NHC)

National standard drafting

New food ingredient registration

General Administration of Customs of   China (GACC)

Customs inspection, quarantine, and declaration

Overseas food manufacturers registration

2. Market access approval


2.1 Import permit at state level

Only dairy products that passed the national assessment can be exported to China. Please refer to Catalogues of Foods Exported to China from Countries or Regions That Meet the Assessment and Examination Requirements and Conduct Traditional Trade with China for the permitted dairy species and their exporting countries/regions.

2.2  Overseas manufacturer registration

According to the Administrative Provisions on Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Foods, overseas manufacturer registration is mandatory for all imported food products and the registration of dairy manufacturers should be recommended by the local competent authorities.

Recommended resources:

2.3  Inspection and quarantine

The following four types of dairy products are subject to inspection and quarantine while exporting to China:

Dairy productsHS code
Raw milk0401200000
Raw milk products0403100000, 0406100000, 0406200000, 0406300000,   0406400000, 0406900000
Pasteurized milk0401100000, 0401200000
Modified milk produced by Pasteurization/

Recommended resources:

News: GACC Clarifies Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Imported Dairy Products After the Implementation of Decree 248 & 249

2.4  Exporter and importer filing

Regardless of food categories, the overseas exporters or agents and importers in China shall log into this system and get themselves filed with GACC.

To have a better understanding of China’s food import procedure and supervision mechanism, please check ChemLinked online course: Regulatory Compliance and Import Procedure of Prepackaged Food in China

3. Product compliance


3.1  Product requirements

The national food safety standards specify the definition and technical requirements (ingredients, sensory requirements, physicochemical indicators, microorganism level, etc.) of dairy products. Please refer to the corresponding GB standards for more details:

Recommended resources:

Online course: China Dairy Industry: Regulation Dynamics and Business Opportunities

3.2  Label

The labeling of dairy products should follow the general rules such as GB 7718-2011 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods, GB 28050-2011 General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods and other relevant regulations. Moreover, the additional requirement for imported dairy products is the mandatory labeling of registration No. of overseas manufacturers.

It is noteworthy that dairy products are subject to some additional labeling requirements specified in their GB standards. Take pasteurized milk for example, one of the additionally labeling items is that Chinese characters of “fresh milk (cow) milk” (鲜牛(羊)奶) shall be indicated close to the product name on the principle display panel. You can check the GB standards listed in 3.1 for more labeling requirements.

* Global Food Compliance Service

We provide various market entry services to help stakeholders better understand exporting requirements, establish business and secure a competitive place to facilitate trade development.

 Covered Countries

China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, United States, European Union, Australia, New Zealand etc.

Our Services

  • Food Ingredient Review

  • Label Review

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  • Regulatory Consultation

  • Monitoring, Training and customized report

Please feel free to contact us via food@chemlinked.com if you need any help.