Global Food Regulation Highlights | December 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 December of 2022 below:

China 

On December 23, 2022, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) announced to solicit public opinions on GB 13432 Labeling of Prepackaged Foods for Special Dietary Uses. As per the proposed updated GB 13432, nutritional components of infant formula (0-6 months), foods for special medical purposes (FSMP) for infants (0-12 months), and other FSMP products shall not bear content claims or function claims. For prepackaged foods for special dietary uses, excluding baby formula and nutritionally complete formula FSMP, it is newly required to remark saturated fat (or saturated fatty acid) and sugar with the contents on the label. (Read More) 

More regulation highlights in China:

• China Consults on an Enforcement Guidance on the Use of Absolute Terms in Advertising

• China CFSA Proposes Six New Food Additives

• China to Revise GB 29922 General Rules for Foods for Special Medical Purposes

• 230 Batches of Imported Food Rejected by China Customs in November 2022

• China to Cancel the COVID-19 Testing on Imported Cold-Chain Foods and Non-Cold-Chain Goods

• SAMR Unveiled the Guidelines for the Label of Foods for Special Medical Purposes

• China Adds 121 Products to the Catalogue of Organic Product Certification, Including Avocado and Two Dairy Products

• SAMR Unveiled the Supervision and Inspection Plan for Product Quality in 2023

• China State Council Announces Tariff Adjustment Plan for 2023

• GACC Releases Announcement on the Implementation of New GB Standards for the Import of Infant Formula Food, Processed Cheese and Other Products

• Taiwan Drafts Guidelines on the Application for Additions and Amendments to the Scope of Use, Limits and Specifications of Food Additives

South Korea 

On December 14, 2022, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) published the amendments to Food Labeling Standard. The regulation is implemented along with its issuance. Nevertheless, the modifications for reference daily intake will be effective on January 1, 2024. As per the amendments, liquor can be separately labelled with the information of calories. The labeling standard of "no salt/sodium added" was modified. The permissible tolerances for nutrients in small amount were amended. Besides, the reference daily intake values were optimized. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Revises Food Code: Focusing on Contaminants Control

• South Korea Requires Product Photo for Import Declaration

• South Korea Modifies the Enforcement Rule of Imported Food Act

• South Korea Details the Requirements for Recycled Food Package Materials

• South Korea Consults on Food Code: Introducing the Standards of Meat Alternative and FSMP

• Imported Foods Subject to Inspection Order in South Korea: Data Updates

• South Korea Publishes the Guidelines for Recommended Use-by Date for Foods：First Report for 80 food items under 23 food categories and Second Report for 100 food items under 29 food categories

• South Korea Consults on Method and Standard of On-site Inspection of Foreign Food Facilities and Foreign Establishments

• South Korea Consults on Regulation on Exceptions of Prohibited Labels and Advertisements of Food Function Claims

• South Korea Modifies Registration and Management Standard of Good Importer

Japan 

On December 19, 2022, Japan released an amendment to the Directory Distinguishing Food and Drug Ingredients. According to the amendment, MHLW further enriched the contents of the drug list (ingredients exclusively used as drugs). The changes came into effect on the date of promulgation. However, there is a one-year grace period for revisions to "Taxus cuspidata". (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• Japan Publicly Solicits Opinions on the Evaluation of Four Substances

• Japan Plans to Revise Rules on Beef Imports

• Japan Revises the Drug/Non-drug List for Food Ingredients

• Japan Strengthens the Quarantine of Plants Imported from Thailand

• Japan Updates the List of Food for Specified Health Uses Approval Items

• Japan Removes Additive 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylfuran Officially

Southeast Asia 

On December 1, 2022, Indonesia Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) issued Requirements for Ethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol in Food Additives for Sorbitol, Glycerol and Propylene Glycol in the Registration and/or Import Process, which has been enforced since November 21, 2022. It specifies that the limit levels of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in three food additives, namely, sorbitol, glycerin, and propylene glycol, shall not exceed 0.10% respectively. Besides, for imported food contains sorbitol, glycerin and/or propylene glycol as food additives, an analysis report from an approved lab or a government lab will be required. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Southeast Asia:

• Singapore Updates the List of New Farms and Establishments Approved to Export to Singapore

• Singapore Accredits Brunei as New Source for Hen Shell Eggs

• Singapore Recalls of Xiang Piao Piao Milk Tea from China due to Presence of Dehydroacetic Acid

• Vietnam Publishes the New Lists of Permitted/Banned Pesticides for Use

• Philippines Unveils Guidelines on the Microbiological Requirements and Assessment of Certain Prepackaged Processed Food Products

• Malaysia to Amend Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act

• Indonesia Unveils New Regulations on Health Supplement Advertising and Registration

India 

On December 14, 2022, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Second Amendment Regulations, 2022. The amendment mainly involves nutrient content claims, equivalence claims, non-addition claims of sodium salts and non-addition claims of additives. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in India:

• India Consults on the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display) Amendment Regulations, 2022

• India Consults on the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2022

• FSSAI Lists the HS codes of Food Product Categories that Require Mandatory Health Certificate

EU 

To facilitate customs clearance of goods, EU establishes a harmonized European Union Single Window Environment for Customs to enhance information exchange. Stakeholders can use this channel to communicate with customs authorities and partner competent authorities to simplify goods clearance process. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in EU:

• Amending Corporate Sustainability Reporting

• Authorizing Bovine Milk Beta-lactoglobulin (β-lactoglobulin) and Freeze-Dried Powder Form of Antrodia Camphorata Myceliaas as Novel Foods

• Amending the Methods for Analysis for the Control of the Levels of Trace Elements and Processing Contaminants in Foodstuffs

• Amending Maximum Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Certain Foodstuffs

• WTO Notification: Drafting the Maximum Levels of Phosmet in Certain Foodstuffs

America 

On December 15, 2022, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled Doc. 2022-27040, revising the standard about claims, Vitamin D dosage and milkfat content of yogurt. The revisions will be implemented on January 14, 2023. A grace period till January 1, 2024 was granted for stakeholders to prepare for enforcement of the new requirements. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in America:

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

• U.S. Proposes to Implement the Regulations Governing Inspection Certification of Fresh & Processed Fruits, Vegetables, & Other Products

• EPA Intents to Cancel Using Chlorpyrifos on Food Crops

• Sesame Officially Turns into A Major Food Allergen in the U.S.

Canada 

On December 23, 2022, Health Canada proposed maximum residue limits for Ipflufenoquin in two food categories, that is, 0.15 ppm in pome fruits and 0.01 ppm in almond nuts. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Canada:

• Canada Corrects the Proposed MRL for Clomazone

• Canada to Set Residue Limit for Florpyrauxifen-benzyl

Australia and New Zealand 

On December 19, 2022, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) announced the approval to Application A1220, A1221, A1224, A1251, which means the following substances were granted approval:

• Beta-amylase from GM Bacillus licheniformis as a processing aid in starch processing to manufacture maltose syrup

• Phospholipase A1 from GM Aspergillus niger as a processing aid in the processing of vegetable oils

• Glucose oxidase from Penicillium rubens as a processing aid in the manufacture of cooked products made from a dough (such as bread), pasta, noodles and dried egg powder.

• 2′-FL combined with galacto-oligosaccharides and/or inulin-type fructans in infant formula products (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Australia and New Zealand:

• New Zealand Updates the Sampling Regimes for Animal Products

• New Zealand Proposes to Revise the Maximum Residue Levels 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 | November 2022

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | October 2022
  

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | September 2022
  

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | August 2022
  

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | July 2022 [Report]

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | June 2022 [Report]