As revealed by the list of non-compliant food products in May released on June 17, 2021 by the General Administration of Customs of China (GAC), a total of 170 batches of imported food from 34 countries/regions were rejected.
The largest proportion of non-compliant imported food in May came from Taiwan, China (13%, mostly snacks), followed by South Korea (11%, mostly fish and meat products) and Vietnam (10%, mostly aquatic products). The major reasons for the import failure were:
Excessive use of food additives/nutritional fortification substances
Unqualified food label
Lack of inspection & quarantine permit
Lack of required documents or evidential materials
Microorganism contamination
Noteworthy Products
1. Dairy
Two batches of whey powder from America and France failed customs clearance for unqualified labeling and the mold contamination respectively. Besides, five batches of cheese from Italy and two batches from Poland were also rejected owing to the excessive yeast and the mold contamination. Check ChemLinked database to make sure your products in compliance with the latest GB standard on cheese.
2. Aquatic Product
32 batches (19% of the total rejected batches) of aquatic products from various countries with Vietnam and Malaysia occupied the most, failed customs clearance mainly due to the lack of inspection and quarantine permit and required documents or evidential materials. According to relevant regulation, imported aquatic products must apply for inspection and quarantine permit and be carried with required materials. Please check “Administrative Measures on Safety of Import and Export Food of the People‘s Republic of China” and ”Administrative Provisions on Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Foods” for the import requirements of aquatic products.
Recommended webinar: Prospect of Exporting Aquatic Products to China and Regulatory Compliance
3. Health Supplement
Eight batches of health supplements from America, Japan and New Zealand were rejected in May. Among them, five batches were failed for the lack of required documents or evidential materials, three batches for unqualified labeling, excessive caffeine and non-compliant sensory items.