Global Food Regulation Highlights | April 2023

To help food business stakeholders to navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape in the global food industry, ChemLinked presented Global Food Regulation Highlights, a monthly report which delivers major and general regulation dynamics all around the world. Find out what's new on food regulation worldwide in April of 2023 below:

China 

On April 19, 2023, CFSA released the draft of the new version of GB 4806.1-2016 General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and Articles, which is the most fundamental and general standard for food contact materials (FCM) in China, applying to all kinds of FCM. The draft proposes changes to the definitions, basic requirements, compliance principles, and product information. This is the first time that a new version has been proposed since its implementation in 2016. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in China:

• NHC Newly Proposes Four Food Ingredients Including Probiotics

• NHC Newly Proposes Three New Food Additives

• NHC Newly Proposes Three Food Contact Material Additives and Two Resins

• CFAA Proposes Amendment to GB Standard for Food Additive Gellan Gum

• SAMR Unveils the List of Key Legislation Works in 2023

• China Issues Guidelines for the Construction of Carbon Neutrality Standard System

• China Publishes Catalogue of Applicable Standards for Green Food Products

• China Unveils Detailed Rules for Review of Gene Editing Plants for Agriculture (Trial)

• Taiwan Establishes Testing Methods for Food Utensils, Containers and Packages – Metal Alloy

South Korea 

As revealed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) on April 11, 2023, the Food Code is updated. The modifications mainly cover the optimizing pesticides MRL lists and revising veterinary drugs requirements. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Consults on the Health Functional Food Code

• South Korea Issues the List of Imported Food Safety Audit Institutions

• South Korea Modifies Imported Foods Subject to Inspection Order

• South Korea Consults on the Enforcement Rule of the Imported Food Act

• South Korea Consults on the Guidelines on Human Application Test for the Substantiation for Claiming and Advertising Hangover Cure Claims

• South Korea Modifies Food Additive Code

• South Korea Introduces Differential Registration Scheme for Foreign Food Facility

Japan 

On April 12, 2023, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan issued No. 495230017 amendment to revise and add new limits for the use of some additives in some foods. The feedback period ends on May 12, 2023. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• Japan Publicly Solicits Opinions on the Evaluation of Three Food Safety-related Substances

• Japan Revises Multiple Food Testing Method Standards

Southeast Asia 

On April 18, 2023, the Singapore Food Authority issued the 2023 Food Safety Regulation Amendment. The main amendments are as follows: (1) It is stipulated that foods containing IV preservatives are not allowed to be imported, produced, and sold, except liquid eggs and their products, cheese, canned food, etc.; (2) revising the definition of fungicides; (3) amending the scope and definition of some products in the veterinary drug residue limit standards, including crustaceans, ruminants, etc.; (4) formulating the maximum residue limits for 6α-methylprednisolone and other veterinary drugs in some foods. This amendment has come into force on April 28, 2023. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Southeast Asia:

• Thailand to Remove Citronella Oil from Hazardous Substances List

• Thailand Unveils Quality Requirements for Chocolate and Coco Products

• Vietnam Proposes National Standards for Frozen Tuna

• Malaysia to Amend Food Regulations 1985

India 

On April 22, 2023, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released a press statement regarding its efforts to act against food business operators involved in false or misleading advertisement and claims. FSSAI said it has become aware of various media reports, including those on social media, in which food business operators in India have made health claims that are not permissible. In response to these reports, FSSAI has set up a dedicated Advertisement Monitoring Committee. This committee is responsible for regularly scrutinizing the advertisements and claims made by the food business operators on various channels, including social media and e-commerce platforms. The committee has identified 138 cases of false or misleading claims made by many prominent brands. (Read More)

On April 29, 2023, FSSAI issued a press release on its action against misleading claims and advertisements, indicating that its Advertisement Monitoring Committee has reported 32 fresh cases (Read More).

More regulation highlights in India:

• India May Increase Its Dairy Product Imports, Such as Butter and Ghee

• India to Amend Requirements for Infant and Follow-up Formula

• Streamlining of Halal Certification Process for Meat and Meat Products

• India Drafts Notification of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2023

EU 

The Commission proposed revisions to existing marketing standards for several agri-food products, including fruit and vegetables, fruit juices and jams, honey, poultry, and eggs. As part of these revisions, fruit juice labels will be allowed to bear the mention "with no added sugars" to clarify that fruit juices cannot contain added sugars (unlike fruit nectars), which is a feature that is often unknown to consumers. Additionally, reformulated fruit juices will be allowed to indicate "reduced-sugar fruit juice" on their labels and "coconut water" may now be used alongside "coconut juice". (Read More)

More regulation highlights in EU:

• Amending the Specifications of the Novel Food 2'-Fucosyllactose (Microbial Source)

• Draft Commission Regulation Amending Specifications for Mono-and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids (E 471)

• Amending Specific Hygiene Requirements for Certain Fresh Meat, Fishery Products, Dairy Products and Egg

• Maximum Residue Levels for Bromopropylate, Chloridazon, Fenpropimorph, Imazaquin and Tralkoxydim in Certain Products

• Initiative to Lay down Common Rules for Calculating, Verifying and Reporting on Recycled Plastic Content in Single-use Plastic Beverage Bottles

• Initiative for Intellectual property to Set a New Framework for Standard-essential Patents

• Initiative to Revise the Public Health Import Conditions for Food

• National Summary Reports on Pesticide Residue Analysis Performed in 2021

UK 

To establish UK's own border control measures after the Brexit, UK government released a guidance named "The Border Target Operating Model" on April 5, 2023. Two key elements are introduced, namely, a new safety and security model, and a new sanitary and phytosanitary goods model. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in UK:

• FSA Releases a List of Commodity Codes and Categories

• Updates related to organic foods: Approved UK Control Bodies, Labelling and Advertising Rules, and Guidance for Importing Organic Food to the UK

• New or Raised GB MRLs for Triclopyr Amending the GB MRL Statutory Register

America 

On April 12, 2023, the U.S. FDA announced to seek comments associated with statutory and regulatory food labeling requirements. Label revisions involved in the announcement, including but not limited to product characteristic labels, ingredient labeling requirements, nutritional information disclosure, nutrition labels for dietary supplements, and exempt labels etc. Any comments shall be submitted by June 12, 2023. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in America:

• U.S. Revises the Residue Limits for Three Substances in a Variety of Food Products

• U.S. Recommends Salt Substitutes to Reduce the Sodium Content in Standardized Foods

• U.S. Modifies the Yogurt Standard of Identity Final Rule

Canada 

On April 17, 2023, Canada issued a notice, aiming to enable the use of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine as a source of supplemental choline by modifying the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Canada:

• Canada Proposes the MRLs for Pydiflumetofen, Mandestrobin and Clopyralid

• Canada Updates Policy on Listeria Monocytogenes in RTE Foods

Australia and New Zealand 

On April 26, 2023, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) opened P1028 - Infant Formula for consultation. Major revisions include category definitions, composition, labelling and representation of infant formula products. Any comments can be sent back before 6pm (Canberra time) 7 July 2023. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Australia and New Zealand:

• FSANZ Consults on Food Derived from Drought-tolerant and Herbicide-tolerant Soybean Line IND-00410-5

• FSANZ Calls for Comments on Food Derived from Insect-protected Corn Line MON95275

• New Zealand Proposed to Amend the New Zealand (Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds) Food Notice

• Australia Revises Schedule 20 of the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code

To ensure the timely responding to the regulation changes and updates, also to avoid the negative impact on food market access and business operation, it is highly recommended to contact us for customized risk alert & monitoring report service, which allows you to track the regulation dynamics for the certain food categories and certain markets. You may click the sample of regulatory monitoring report for more details.

More Editions of Global Food Regulation Highlights in 2023：

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | March 2023
  

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | February 2023

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | January 2023