CFDA to Strengthen Quality and Safety Supervision of Liquor

China Food and Drug Administration ("CFDA") recently issued the Circular on Further Strengthening the Quality and Safety Supervision of Liquor (the "Circular"), which requires local food and drug regulators to strengthen the supervision of the quality and safety of liquor.

The Circular requires enterprises to ensure spirits are free from contaminants such as plasticizer, and strictly prohibits the use of non-food raw materials such as methanol, industrial alcohol, etc. in the production and processing of spirits. Potable alcohol must conform to the standard of Potable Alcohol (GB 10343-2008).

Food additives must be utilized within the scope and limits of their applications, especially for sodium cyclamate, acesulfame, saccharin sodium, etc. For solid fermentation liquor, flavors and fragrances should not be used to blend with the spirits.

Enterprises are required to label liquor according to the stipulations and standards laid down in the: Administrative Provisions on Food Labeling, The National Food Safety Standards of General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food (GB 7718-2011), General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverage (GB 10344-2005), and The National Food Safety Standards of Distilled Spirits and Its Formulated Liquor (GB 2757-2012). Liquid fermentation liquor and solid-liquid fermentation liquor should not be marked as solid fermentation liquor. Mandatory labeling information must be declared faithfully and include product executive standard and the list of ingredients. Production of liquor without a label or with incomplete or misleading labeling information is prohibited. It is forbidden to produce liquor by labeling them as “specially supplied”, “exclusive use”, “specially made” or “specially required”, etc.

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