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On February 13, 2023, National Health Commission unveiled the exposure draft of GB 10769 Cereal-Based Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children and GB 10770 Canned Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children. Any comments can be sent back prior to March 20, 2023 via online system.
Key amendments of these two GB standards are listed as below:
GB 10769 Cereal-Based Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children
Scope and definition
The draft clarifies that the consumption group elder infants and young children are aged between 6 and 36 months old. In terms of product definition, cereal-based complementary baby food is still classified into four types but with some slight adjustments. In the definition of both cereal-based and high protein cereal-based complementary baby food, their corresponding instant products are mentioned, that is, instant cereal-based complementary baby food and instant high protein cereal-based complementary baby food. In addition, teethers belong to other cereal-based complementary food.
Ingredients
Referring to international standards, the minimum proportion of dry cereal substances will increase from 25% to 50% of all dry substances. Moreover, honey shall not be used in cereal-based complementary food considering its potential risks to infants and young children.
The maximum levels of sugar (including sucrose, fructose, glucose, and glucose syrup) are decreased to 0.6 g/100kJ (2.5 g/100kcal), which aims to minimize the risk of saprodontia and better conform to infants’ feeding patterns.
Nutrients
As for primary nutrients, the upper limits of protein are removed for high-protein cereal-based complementary baby food and other complementary baby food. According to the draft, the proportion of lauric acid and myristic acid are deleted.
When it comes to optional nutrients, Iodine is removed from the list while Magnesium is newly included, whose content should be ranged between 2.08-9.56 mg/100kJ.
Additionally, the testing method for both primary and optional nutrients are updated.
Package
In cereal-based complementary food, Carbon dioxide and/or Nitrogen that conform to the national food safety standards can be used as the package medium.
GB 10770 Canned Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children
Scope & definition
Same with GB 10769, the draft of GB 10770 also clarifies the age group of elder infants and young children. In terms of product definition, “granular canned food” is changed to “granular, flake (lumpy) canned complementary food”. If this kind of product are to be consumed by elder infants of 6 to 12 months old, then the granule, flake (lump) should be less than 5 mm.
Ingredients
The draft newly specifies that sucrose, fructose, glucose or glucose syrup cannot be added into canned complementary baby food. If the canned complementary food is mainly made from fruit and/or vegetables, the addition of sodium chloride is prohibited.
Chemical indicators
For products containing fish, the content of histamine should be no more than 10 mg/100g.
The Sodium content should be no more than 200 mg/100g if the product is in instant form.
Labeling
Granular, flake (lumpy) canned complementary baby food should be attached with “This product contain granule, flake (lump). Please be cautious to swallowing while consuming".
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