China Regulates Imported Tequila

China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) announced, on 20 Jun 2013, that administrative measures would be implemented towards imported tequila which falls in the scope of imported foods which are not regulated by any existing governing national food safety standards.

According to the GB 2757-2012 National Food Safety Standard Distilled Liquor and Formulated Liquor already enforced in China, alcoholic beverages are limited to those made of traditional Chinese raw materials such as grains, tuber crops, fruits and dairy, leaving management gap for tequila which is made from agave plant primarily originated in South America.

The term, imported foods unregulated under any existing governing National Food Safety Standards, refers in particular to those overseas-manufactured foods which have yet been imported and are not regulated under any existing related national safety standards published in China. In light of the Food Safety Law of People’s Republic of China and the Provisions on the Administration of Permits for Imported Foods which are unregulated by any existing governing National Food Safety Standards, to import any food as defined above, an application from the importer alongside with relevant safety assessment materials need to be submitted to the Health Administration under the State Council, which is responsible for issuing the permission on importation, and formulate relevant national standards on food safety.

NHFPC has finalized the approval to introduce tequila into the category of foods unregulated under any existing governing National Food Safety Standards, of which the application was filed by some tequila importers during Apr. 2012. The announcement also specifies the maximum limit of methanol in the distilled beverage as much as 3.0g/L. The employment of other safety index, testing items and testing methods could be referred to the GB 2757-2012 National Food Safety Standard Distilled Liquor and Formulated Liquor.