China Food Safety Standards: 32 Mandatory Food Standards Changed to Recommended Standards

Takehome:

• 32 mandatory food standards have been changed to recommended standards, covering the food categories of wine, beer, oil products, food contact materials, etc.

On Mar. 23, 2017, Standardization Administration of China and AQSIQ co-announced that 32 national food safety standards for mandatory implementation will be changed to recommended standards. The food categories involved include wine, beer, oil products, jelly, soybean sauce, vinegar, as well as certain types of food contact materials.

Major food standards involved include:

• GB 15037-2006 Wines
• GB 4927-2008 Beer
• GB 19883-2005 Jelly
• GB 1534-2003 Peanut Oil
• GB 1535-2003 Soya Bean Oil
• GB 10457-2009 Plastic Cling Wrap Film for Keeping Fresh of Food
• GB 19741-2005 Plastic Laminated Films and Bags Using for Packaging of Liquid Food

Impact on food enterprises:

The enterprises of the corresponding food categories are required to change the product label within the grace period of two years. Enterprises who have already prepared a large number of labels on products in stock will be greatly influenced.

Differences between mandatory standards and recommended standards:

Mandatory standards in China are referred to as “GB standards”, all the requirements a GB standard should be executed completely.

Recommended standards in China are referred to as “GB/T standards”. Enterprises may refer to the information in it voluntarily or formulate an enterprise standard with requirements stricter than those specified in the recommended standard. However, a product standard is required mandatorily during the whole process of product manufacturing and trading, which could be a national standard, local standard, industrial standard, or enterprise standard.

For both GB or GB/T standards, once it is indicated on the product label, it should be fully implemented.

Reference links

• China SAC No. 7 Announcement
• China SAC No. 43 Announcement