China Releases New National Standards for Special Dietary Use Foods

On Dec. 30, 2015, China National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) released 47 new national food safety standards, which include food additive standards, nutrition enhancer standards, as well as important product standards.

Two new foods for special dietary purposes national standards were also released including a new national standard for sports nutrition foods, and national standard for nutrient supplementary food for pregnant and lactating women which will come into effect from Nov. 13, 2016.

The new national standard for nutrient supplementary food for pregnant and lactating women is without precedent and in the past these kinds of products have not been allowed to be marketed in China prior to the formal implementation of this standard. The potential market size of the foods for pregnant women industry is huge so the implementation of this standard is likely to see rapid growth in this new niche sector. This kind of product is categorized as a food for special dietary use and as such product labels shall conform to GB 13432-2013.

Important new national standards are selected as below:

For food additives

For nutritional Fortification Substances

For product standards