China plans to withdraw 38 food additives from the market
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched a consultation since 1 January on the safety and process necessity about 55 food additives in accordance with the Food Safety Law (Order of the President No.9) and Administrative Measures for New Food Additives (Order No.73 of MOH). According to the collected information and the approval from experts, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and the other 37 food additives are to be withdraw from the market. The draft proposal was posted on the MOH website on 6 April, 2012 for public comments until April 20.
Table1. The proposed list of 38 targeted food additives
No. | Name of food additive |
1. | 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid |
2. | 4-hydroxy-3-nitrodiphenyl |
3. | 4-hexylresorcinol |
4. | unsaturatedfatty acid ofmonoglycerides |
5. | karaya gum |
6. | glycyrrhizae |
7. | bottle gourd pakistan rubber |
8. | ablmoschus manihot gums |
9. | diphenyl oxide |
10. | metatartaric acid |
11. | octylphenol polyoxyethylene |
12. | mesona chinensis benth extract |
13. | 2-naphthol |
14. | sec-butylamine |
15. | sodium o-phenylphenolate |
16. | ice structuring protein |
17. | theaflavin |
18. | tea green pigment |
19. | tanoak brown |
20. | orange yellow |
21. | transglutaminase (use as a stabilizer and coagulant) |
22. | black currant red |
23. | rose laevigae micchx brown |
24. | basella rubra red |
25. | buddleia yellow |
26. | mulberry red |
27. | hippophae rhamnoides yellow |
28. | jujube pigment |
29. | acorn shell browm |
30. | chlorophyllin copper complex potassium salts |
31. | maize yellow |
32. | spirulina blue (fresh water, sea water) |
33. | sodium phytate |
34. | peanut-skin red |
35. | chitin |
36. | methyl cellulose |
37. | sweetberry honeysuckie red |
38. | Sodium aluminum phosphate |
The targeted additives are mainly used for preserving freshness, and improving taste and appearance. Almost half the 38 additives listed above are pigments, but there would be little change in the appearance of food products without them and most of them can be replaced by similar additives at lower prices.
We provide full-scale global food market entry services (including product registration, ingredient review, regulatory consultation, customized training, market research, branding strategy). Please contact us to discuss how we can help you by 
