Updated on December 21:
According to the updated list of non-compliant food products in November by GACC, a total of 230 batches of imported food from 36 countries/regions were rejected. Compared with the previous list published on December 18, eight batches of imported foods were removed from the list and one batch was newly added. The following contents were adjusted as per the updated list.
On December 18, 2022, General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) published the list of non-compliant food products in November of 2022. A total of 230 batches of imported food from 36 countries/regions were rejected.
Most non-compliant imported food in November came from Indonesia (20.4%, mostly aquatic products), followed by Japan (10.9%, mostly snacks and health supplements) and Malaysia (10.9%, mostly aquatic products). The major reasons for import rejection were:
Lack of inspection & quarantine permit (25.7%)
Lack of required documents or evidential materials (20.4%)
Discrepancy between cargo and certificate (12.6%)
Unqualified labeling (11.7%)
Exceeding the use of food additives/nutritional fortification substances (6.5%)
Noteworthy Products
1. Dairy products
Three batches of dairy products were rejected in November. The details are as follows:
Product | Country/region of origin | Reason for rejection | Notes/suggestions |
SWISSMOOH Cheese Sticks | Switzerland | Mildewed products | Strictly controlling risks during production, processing, packaging and transportation process |
Skimmed goat milk powder-690 | Canada | Substandard remade milk acidity | Subject to GB 19644-2010 Milk Powder |
Whey powder | Belarus | Food spoilage | Learning the import procedure to ensure a smooth customs clearance, or using better storage approach |
2. Health supplements
A total of 20 health supplement products were rejected. Among them, 10 were imported from Finland, 8 from Japan and 2 from the U.S. Most of them were rejected owing to unqualified labeling or improper use of food additives. For labeling and the use of food additives in health supplements, please check China Health Food Regulation for more information.
3. Sports nutrition
Three batches of protein powder from the U.S. and four batches of sports beverage from Taiwan, China failed to pass customs clearance. The former was due to the absence of required documents or evidential materials. The latter was imputed to the improper use of a food additive named Sodium L-aspartate.
More analysis on customs clearance in 2022 can be found below:
202 Batches of Imported Foods Rejected by China Customs in September 2022
China Customs Rejected 260 Batches of Imported Foods in August 2022
China Customs Rejected 233 Batches of Imported Foods in July 2022 Including Dairy & Baby Food
China Customs Rejected 185 Batches of Imported Foods in May 2022
China Customs Rejected 339 Batches of Imported Foods in April of 2022
278 Batches of Imported Products Rejected by China Customs in January 2022, Involving Dairy and Honey