On March 12, 2024, China's National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly published 47 new national food safety standards and 6 amendment sheets to existing ones. These new standards include 1 for dairy products, 1 for food contact materials, 7 for food testing methods, 16 for microbial testing methods and 22 for food additives and nutritional fortifiers. For the six amendment sheets, they are all related to specific food additives.
The release of these standards brings the total number of national food safety standards enacted in China to 1,610. To access the full text of any of these standards, please search the standard title in ChemLinked Regulatory Database. If an English version is required, please feel free to contact us via food@chemlinked.com.
1 standard for dairy products
No. | Standard Name | Implementation Date |
1 | February 8, 2025 |
The update standard applies to milk powder and modified milk powder products from a wider range of dairy sources, stipulating corresponding technical requirements for raw materials, sensory attributes, physicochemical indicators, limits of contaminants, mycotoxins and microorganisms, as well as the usage of food additives and nutrient fortifiers. Additionally, it includes noticeable labeling requirements. Overall, the revision contributes to further standardizing China's milk powder industry, particularly nurturing the growth of niche milk powder segments. For more details, please refer to ChemLinked News.
1 standard for food contact materials
No. | Standard Name | Implementation Date |
1 | GB 4806.15-2024 Adhesives for Food Contact Materials and Articles | February 8, 2025 |
As per the standard, adhesives for food contact are classified into two types based on whether they are in direct contact with food or not. Raw materials used in adhesives that directly contact food are subject to more restrictions. The standard also stipulates the physiochemical indicators and labeling requirements for adhesives. For more information, please refer to ChemLinked News.
22 standards for food additives
As the primary and most important legal framework for the regulation and proper use of food additives in China, the new GB 2760 introduces several key changes. As per the new standard, the search mechanism of Appendix A for food additives is optimized. New combined usage limits are set for sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame in the same food categories. Furthermore, flavorings that possess additional functions as food additives or other applications in food should be prepared as flavor essences for food aromatization. For more details, please refer to ChemLinked News.
7 standards for food testing methods
No. | Standard Name | Implementation Date |
1 | August 8, 2024 | |
2 | GB 5009.11-2024 Determination of Total Arsenic and Abio-Arsenic in Food | August 8, 2024 |
3 | August 8, 2024 | |
4 | August 8, 2024 | |
5 | GB 5009.205-2024 Determination of Toxic Equivalent for Dioxin and Its Analogue in Food | August 8, 2024 |
6 | August 8, 2024 | |
7 | GB 31604.60-2024 Determination of Residual Solvent Volume in Food Contact Materials and Articles | August 8, 2024 |
16 standards for microbial testing methods
No. | Standard Name | Implementation Date |
1 | GB 4789.4-2024 Food Microbiological Examination for Salmonella | August 8, 2024 |
2 | August 8, 2024 | |
3 | August 8, 2024 | |
4 | August 8, 2024 | |
5 | August 8, 2024 | |
6 | GB 4789.22-2024 Food Microbiological Examination Sampling and Sample Processing of Condiments | August 8, 2024 |
7 | GB 4789.23-2024 Food Microbiological Examination Sampling and Sample Processing of Bean Products | August 8, 2024 |
8 | August 8, 2024 | |
9 | August 8, 2024 | |
10 | GB 4789.28-2024 Food Microbiological Examination Quality Requirements of Culture Medium and Reagent | August 8, 2024 |
11 | GB 4789.33-2024 Food Microbiological Examination Sampling and Sample Processing of Grain Products | August 8, 2024 |
12 | GB 4789.40-2024 Food Microbiological Examination for Cronobacter | August 8, 2024 |
13 | ||
14 | August 8, 2024 | |
15 | GB 4789.48-2024 Food Microbiological Examination Sampling and Sample Processing of Bee Products | August 8, 2024 |
16 | GB 4789.49-2024 Food Microbiological Examination for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli | August 8, 2024 |
6 amendment sheets
No. | Standard Name | Implementation Date |
1 | GB 25531-2010 Food Additive Sucralose (No.1 Amendment Sheet) | February 8, 2024 |
2 | February 8, 2024 | |
3 | GB 29209-2012 Food Additive Sodium Sulfate (No.1 Amendment Sheet) | February 8, 2024 |
4 | GB 1886.43-2015 Food Additive Calcium Ascorbate (No.1 Amendment Sheet) | February 8, 2024 |
5 | GB 1886.100-2015 Food Additive Disodium Edetate (No.1 Amendment Sheet) | February 8, 2024 |
6 | GB 1886.191-2016 Food Additive Citral (No.1 Amendment Sheet) | February 8, 2024 |