On Dec. 31, 2019, China NHC opened 13 national food safety standards [1] for public feedback, including GB 7718 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (view the revision at ChemLinked [2]), GB 2761 Maximum Residue Limit of Mycotoxin in Food, GB 2762 Maximum Residue Limit of Contaminant in Food, GB 29921 Maximum Residue Limit of Pathogens in Prepackaged Food, etc.
Any feedback shall be sent back before Feb. 28, 2020. Here’re the main revisions to GB 2761, 2762, and 29921.
Revision to GB 2761 Maximum Residue Limit of Mycotoxin in Food
Newly added the maximum limit of aflatoxin B1 and M1 in liquid infant formula—“the limitation in liquid infant formula shall be calculated with the ratio of 8:1”—which means the maximum level in liquid infant formula shall be one-eighth of the limits in powdered infant formula
Decreased permitted aflatoxin M1 residue in liquid dairy products
| Before | |
| Category | Maximum level (μg/kg) |
| Dairy and dairy products | 0.5 |
| After | |
| Category | Maximum level (μg/kg) |
| Dairy and dairy products (except for raw milk, pasteurized dairy, sterilized dairy, modified dairy, and fermented dairy) | 0.5 |
| Raw milk, pasteurized dairy, sterilized dairy, modified dairy, and fermented dairy | 0.2 |
Newly added the limit of fumonisin FB among cereal, cereal products, and infant cereal-based auxiliary food
| Category | Maximum level (μg/kg) |
| Cereal-based auxiliary food for infants, whose raw material is corn or cornflour (grits) | 200 |
Other revisions to the annex, e.g., fruit wine were added in the wine category. Cream was moved from the “Oil & Fat category” to “Dairy and Dairy products," etc.
Revision to GB 2762 Maximum Residue Limit of Contaminant in Food
The draft standard adjusts lead residue requirements in food categories and lowers the limit in dairy and dairy products to align with international standards as well as the maximum limits in infant food. Furthermore, the matching testing method GB 5009.12 Determination of Lead in Foods is expected to be revised accordingly.
| Category | Before | After |
| Limits (calculated as Pb) mg/kg | Limits (calculated as Pb) mg/kg | |
| Dairy and dairy products (except for raw milk, pasteurized dairy, sterilized dairy, modified dairy, and fermented dairy) | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Raw milk, pasteurized dairy, sterilized dairy | 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Modified dairy and fermented dairy | 0.05 | 0.04 |
| Powdered infant formula | 0.15 | 0.08 |
| Liquid infant formula | 0.02 | One-eighth of the powdered infant formula (0.01) |
| Infant auxiliary food | 0.2/0.25/0.3 (vary with different forms and raw material) | 0.2 |
| … | … | … |
Newly added the maximum level of cadmium in cereal-based auxiliary food for infants, 0.06 mg/kg (calculated as Cd)
Newly added the maximum limit of nitrite, nitrate in liquid infant formula
| Limited amount in (mg/kg) | ||
| Nitrite (calculated as NaNO2) | Nitrate (calculated as NaNO3) | |
| Liquid infant formula | 0.25 | 12.5 |
*The maximum level in liquid infant formula shall be one-eighth of the limits in powdered infant formula
Newly added the testing method of beverage products for determining the content of lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, nitrite, and nitrate.
Other revisions to the annex, e.g., fruit wine, were added in the wine category, cream was moved from the "Oil & Fat category" to "Dairy and Dairy products," etc.
Revision to GB 29921 Maximum Residue Limit of Pathogens in Prepackaged Food
Revision of the standard name, from Maximum Residue Limit of Pathogens in Food to Maximum Residue Limit of Pathogens in Prepackaged Food
Added the maximum level of pathogens in dairy products and special dietary food
| Category | Pathogen indicator | Sampling program and limits (if no specified, indicated by /25g or/25ml) | Testing method | Note | |||
| n | c | m | M | ||||
| Dairy products | Salmonella | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | GB 4789.4 | - |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | GB 4789.10 | Only applicable to pasteurized dairy and modified dairy | |
| 5 | 1 | 100 CFU/g | 1000 CFU/g | Only applicable to cheese and processed cheese | |||
| Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | GB 4789.30 | Only applicable to cheese and processed cheese | |
| Special dietary food | Salmonella | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | GB 4789.4 | — |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 5 | 2 | 10 CFU/g | 100 CFU/g | GB 4789.10 | ||
| Enterobacter sakazakii (Cronobacter spp.) | 3 | 0 | 0/100g | — | GB 4789.40 | Only applicable to infant formula food (from 0-6 months) and infant FSMP products | |
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