CFDA Released 8 Testing Agencies for Production Licensing of Baby Formula

The production of baby formula is being overhauled as CFDA upgraded production licensing criteria for baby formula manufacturers in China in last Dec (CL news on 27 Dec 2013). As is required, existing manufacturers in China will receive re-examination of production conditions conducted by expert panel designated by CFDA. On 28 Jan, CFDA published the Notice No. 19-2014 containg a list of experts who have undergone CFDA’s training and evaluation and are responsible for production licensing examination of baby formula producers.

Meanwhile, CFDA released the Announcement No. 6 to approved 8 testing agencies to undertake testing of baby formula samples needed for manufacturers to get the production license, including

No.	Agency	Location	Tel/Fax
1	国家食品质量安全监督检验中心 China National Food & Safety Supervision and Inspection Center	Beijing	010-82479281, 62348045
2	国家乳制品质量监督检验中心 Nation Dairy Quality Supervision and Inspection Center	Harbin	0451-86087477, 86661773
3	山东省食品药品检验所 Shangdong Institute for Food and Drug Control	Shangdong	0531-89701892, 89701893
4	国家食品质量监督检验中心（上海） National Food Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Shanghai)	Shanghai	021-54263283, 64852831
5	国家加工食品质量监督检验中心（广州） National Quality Supervision and Testing Center for Processed Food (Guangzhou)	Guangzhou	020-83194838, 83194838
6	安徽省食品药品检验研究院（安徽国家农副加工食品质量监督检验中心） Hanhui Institute for Food and Drug Control	Hefei	0551-63356502, 63356505
7	黑龙江省质量监督检测研究院 The Academe of Quality Inspection and Research for Heilongjiang Province	Harbin	0451-86087477, 86087366
8	武汉食品化妆品检验所 Wuhan Institute for Food and Cosmetics Testing	Wuhan	027-82350078, 82353165

In production licensing examination, officials from provincial food and drug administrations come to the companies and randomly collect baby formula samples for testing, which should be sent to at least 2 of the approved testing centers.

The production re-examination campaign will be closed on 31 May 2014, according to CFDA. It is predicted that half of the existing 128 baby formula producers in China would fail new requirements and be driven out of the market.