CFDA Releases Plan to Control Food Fraud and False Claims

On November 13, China Food and Drug Administration released the “Implementation plan for the control of fraud and false claims in food and health food products”. Starting in early July this year, it is the third time that this institution publishes this kind of documents.

This provision addresses the following issues:

-Unlicensed production and management of food and health food products;
-False claims on food and health food labels;
-Internet, conference, television, telephone and direct marketing, illegal advertisement and fraud;
-Advertisement of unregistered health food and publication of false or illegal health food advertising;
-other violations involving food and health food frauds.

The “Plan” aims at tackling these problems through the following means:

As for sampling inspections, it is noteworthy to mention that the quantity to be inspected is 1400 batches with a proportion of food and health food of 1:1. Among the sampled Chinese and foreign food products, the most common issues to be addressed are false claims for 7 functions (Improving sleep, Aiding blood sugar reduction, Aiding blood lipids reduction, Aiding weight loss, Aiding blood pressure reduction, Relieving body fatigue and Enhancing immune function) in maca Products, integrated alcoholic beverages, donkey-hide gelatin, tablet candy, health foods and others.

Focusing on large-scale wholesale markets, online sales and conference sales, sampling inspections intend to solve problems with inedible substances, pesticide residues, microbial contamination, heavy metal pollution, active ingredients percentage and labeling in health food products.

All sampling and inspection work should be completed by December 20, 2017 and all provincial-level bureaus should report the work summary to the head office by December 30, 2017.