Global Food Regulation Highlights | August 2022

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 August of 2022 below:

China 

On August 20, 2022, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) opened 13 new food additives for public comments, including 11 new food nutrition fortifiers and 2 food additives with expanded application scope. Among them, 10 new food nutrition fortifiers are planned to be used in infant and follow-up formula. Any comments can be sent to zqyj@cfsa.net.cn before September 16, 2022. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in China:

• China Drafts Regulations on Technical Evaluation of New Functions for Health Food

• China Customs Rejected 233 Batches of Imported Foods in July 2022 Including Dairy & Baby Food

• China Publishes the 14th Five-Year Plan for Food Safety Standard, Monitoring and Evaluation

• China Consults on 10 New Food-related Products

• China Amends Lists of Bacterial Cultures that can be Used in Foods and Baby Foods

• China Solicits Public Comments for the Revision on the GB standard of Canned Food and General Rules for Flavorings

• China Consults on the Draft of Administrative Measures for Random Inspection of Import and Export Commodities

• Taiwan Revises Food Additives Regulations

• Taiwan Revises Food Advertising Regulations

• Taiwan Unveils the Second Draft of Regulations Governing the Labeling of Infant and Follow-up Formula

South Korea 

On August 10, 2022, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued the latest version of Food Additive Code, in which the food additives for manufacturing health supplements, amino acids applicable for "milk formulas, etc.", and components of Steviol Glycoside are modified. The regulation came into effect along with its issuance. Imported food shipped after August 10, 2022, shall comply with the new regulation. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Accepts Electronic Certificate of Livestock Products Imported from Thailand After August 1

• South Korea Modifies Food Code: MFDS Notification No. 2022-56

• South Korea Updates the Health Functional Food Labeling Standard

• Food Policy: Korean Government Plans to Expand Food Material Scope by Recognizing Innovative Materials Produced by Cell Culture Techniques, etc.

• South Korea Consults on Health Functional Food Code

• MFDS Solicits Public Opinions on The Safety Reports of Two Food Additives Derived from Genetically Modified Microorganisms: Promozyme D2 And Lipozyme RM

• South Korea Consults on the Regulation on Permitted Import Countries (Regions) and Sanitation Requirements of Livestock Products

• South Korea Issues the Guideline on Labeling the Use-by Date

• South Korea Issued New Regulation on Risk Assessment of Human Applied Products

Japan 

On August 9, 2022, Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of Japan unveiled proposition 235070040, a draft version of Points to Attention Regarding Health Foods Under the Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations and the Health Promotion Act (hereinafter referred to as the draft). According to the draft, the product in the form of tablets and capsules are clearly included in the scope of health food; a batch of permitted health claims are newly added; the requirements for advertising and labeling claims of health food are further explained. Any comments can be sent to i.kinousei@caa.go.jp before September 7, 2022. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• Japan Revises Seven Pesticide Residue Standards and Exempted Substances List

• Japan Propose to Revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act

• Japan Publicly Solicits Opinions on the Evaluation of Two Substances

• Japan Proposes to delete Three substances Used as Alcohol Raw Materials

• Japan Issues Notice on Import Inspection of Food Filled with Hard Capsules for Health Food

• CAA Approves Two Food Safety Review

• Japan Proposes to Revise the Specifications and Standards for Food Additives (10th Edition)

• Japan Proposes to Revise Nine Pesticide Residue Standards

• Japan Revises the Inspection Methods for Food, Beverages and Fats & oils

• Japan Releases Imported Food Surveillance Statistics 2021

• Japan Revises Food Labeling Standards

Southeast Asia 

Earlier in June this year, Thailand Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) unveiled the notification No. 431 and No. 432, which specified the quality standards, safety evaluation as well as labeling requirements of genetically modified food (hereinafter GMF). On August 5, 2022, MOPH released two clarifications for those notifications on the documents required for safety evaluation of new GMF, offering more detailed explanation to enterprises. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Southeast Asia:

• India Issues the Order Related to Requirement of Health Certificate Accompanied with Imported Food Consignment of Milk and Milk Products, Pork and Pork Products & Fish and Fish Product

• Philippines Drafts the Labeling Standard for Prepackaged Fresh Chilled and Fresh Frozen Fish

• Philippines Proposes MRLs of Veterinary Drugs in Livestock and Poultry Including Their Products

• Indonesia Unveils the Guidelines for Claiming Health Supplements

• Singapore Amends the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act

• Thailand Proposed to Revise the Quality Standards for Edible Oil and Fats

• Singapore Revises Veterinary Conditions for Importing Chilled Poultry and Poultry Products

EU 

EU has found the presence of ethylene oxide in a number of foodstuffs and particular in many food additives, via its Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Hence, EU decides on maximum residue level for ethylene oxide of 0.1 mg/kg in food additives. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in EU:

• EU Specifies Methods of Sampling and Analysis for the Control of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Certain Foodstuffs

• EU to Perform Monitoring of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Food and Mercury in Fish, Crustaceans and Molluscs

• EU Amends Conditions of Use of the Novel Food Schizochytrium sp. Oil Rich in DHA and EPA and Galacto-oligosaccharide

• EU Sets the Maximum Limits for Residues of Ethylene Oxide for Food Additives

• EU Amends Maximum Levels of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), Hydrocyanic Acid and Ochratoxin A in Certain Foods

• EU Drafts Maximum Levels of Dioxins and Dioxin-Like PCBs in Meat and Meat Products from Caprine Animals, Milk and Milk Products, etc.

• EU Amends Maximum Residue Levels for 38 Substances in Certain Products, including Fluoride Ion, Oxyfluorfen, etc. (Document 32022R1343, Document 32022R1346, Document 32022R1363, Document 32022R1363, Document 32022R1406, G/SPS/N/EU/525/Add.1; Document 32022R1435)

• EFSA Releases Scientific Opinions on the Conversion of Calcium-l-methylfolate and (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic Acid Glucosamine Salt into Dietary Folate Equivalents and Safety Evaluation on Other Major Substances (Substances A, B, C, D and E Used in Milk Processing for Cheese Production, etc.; a Substance for Wine Production and a substance for Coffee Processing, etc.)

America 

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is in the progress of amending its labeling regulations to remove provisions that require packages of meat or poultry products that contain at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon, to express the net weight or net contents in two different units of measurement on the product label. It is concluded that no meat or poultry product label needs to use more than one unit of measurement to double declare weight or content. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Amercia:

• The U.S. Revises the Residue Limits for Two Substances in a Variety of Products

• The U.S. Proposes to Approval for Use of Fumonisin Esterase in Animal Feed and Drinking Water

• The U.S. Approves Some Substances to be Added as Yest Nutrients During Wine Production

Canada 

On August 17, 2022, Health Canada issued NOM/ADM C-2022-2 and NOM/ADM C-2022-3 to regulate the maximum level for total arsenic in several foods. For rise-based foods intended specifically for infant and young children, the maximum level for total arsenic was added to be 0.1 p.p.m. For fruit juice and fruit nectar, the updated restrictions are as follows:

More regulation highlights in Canada:

• Canada Modifies the List of Permitted Firming Agents to More Clearly Identify Certain Canned Vegetables

• Canada Proposes to Enable the Use of Grape Seed Extract (oligomeric proanthocyanidins) as a Supplemental Ingredient in Foods

• Canada Modifies the List of Permitted Preservatives to Extend the Use of Potassium Sorbate to Oyster-Flavoured Sauces

• Canada Proposes the Maximum Residue Limit for Fenazaquin in Multiple Fruits and Vegetables

Australia and New Zealand 

As revealed by Notification Circular 212-22, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) announced the approval of using serine endopeptidase enzyme from GM Trichoderma reesei as processing aid in the manufacture/processing of meat, vegetables and seafood products. Its usage should be consistent with Good Manufacturing Practices. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Australia and New Zealand:

• FSANZ Proposes to Approve the Use of Beta-Amylase from GM Bacillus Licheniformis in Maltose Syrup

• FSANZ Proposes to Approve the Use of Phospholipase A1 from GM Aspergillus Niger in Vegetable Oils

• FSANZ Proposes to Approve the Use of Glucose Oxidase from Penicillium Rubens in Cooked Products Made from A Dough (Such as Bread), Pasta, Noodles and Dried Egg Powder

• New Zealand Proposes to Revise the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) of Agricultural Compounds in Food

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 2022：

•  Global Food Regulation Highlights | July 2022 [Report]

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | June 2022 [Report]