China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), the competent authority of production of infant formula, released on 29 May the list of 82 domestic infant formula manufacturers who have successfully passed the national factory audit (CL Food News 9 May) and obtained new food production licenses. Addtionally all baby formula brands produced by these manufacturers has been made public.
Last Dec, CFDA implemented the new Detailed Rules for Examination on Production Licensing for Baby Formula Manufacturers (2013), which introduces much tougher licensing criteria for domestic infant formula makers (CL Food News 27 Dec 2013). The issuance of the new regulation began a national scheme to re-examine the 128 manufacturers (CL Food News 8 August 2013) which ended on the May 31st 2014. 46 companies failed to pass the national audit. Some of these manufacturers have the hope of upgrading their standards and facilities in line with the new regulation but there will likely be many that will end business operations due to cost of complying with the new requirements.