Global Food Regulation Highlights | January 2025

To help stakeholders in food sector navigate the constantly evolving regulatory landscape, ChemLinked offers Global Food Regulation Highlights, a concise monthly report that focuses on key regulatory developments worldwide. Find out what's new on food regulation worldwide in January 2025 below.

China

On January 3, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released a revised draft of the Regulation on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food. Compared to the current registration requirements, the draft introduces several significant changes, including the refinement of "system recognition" requirements, the introduction of new registration approach, new food catalog for recommended registration, etc. Stakeholders can submit their comments via email to Cifer@customs.gov.cn by February 19. (Read More)

• China Issues Guidance for the Registration of Nutritionally Complete Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP)

• GACC Consults on Amendments to 13 Administrative Measures on Animals & Plants Qurantine

• China GACC to Simplify Imported Food Trader Registration with New Draft Rules

• China Customs Rejected 460 Batches of Imported Food in December 2024

Regulation highlights in other areas of China:

• Taiwan Plans to Amend Commodities Subject to Import Plant Quarantine, Exempting Processed and Dried Other Spices from Quarantine Requirements

• Taiwan Customs Administration Announced the Baseline Quantity and Price for Special Safeguard Measures on 14 Agricultural Products for the Year 2025

South Korea

On January 7, 2025, the South Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) released the results of its re-evaluation on the safety and functionality of nine health functional food ingredients including soy isoflavone, guava leaf extract, evening primrose seed extract, lecithin, haematococcus extract, mucopolysaccharides-protein complex, reishi mushroom fruiting body extract, garcinia cambogia extract, and collagen peptides. The re-evaluation results will prompt updates to the Health Functional Food Code, which are scheduled to be announced by the MFDS in forthcoming administrative notices. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Pushes for Food E-Labeling to Enhance Readability and Support Sustainability

• South Korea Launches Imported Food Inquiry Notification Talk for Real-Time Updates on Imported Food-Related Inquiries

• South Korea Expands Online Access to Hazard Analysis Information for HACCP Certification

• South Korea Unveils 2025 Re-evaluation Plan for Health Functional Food Ingredients, Prioritizing Two Notified and Seven Individually Recognized Ingredients

• South Korea Revises Safety Standards for Hazardous Substances in Agricultural and Aquatic Products at the Production Stage

Japan

On January 23, 2025, Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) issued an amendment to the Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc., setting specifications for "Rubber" and "Amino Acid-Sugar Reaction Product" and revising the standards for "Branched Cyclodextrin". The revisions took effect immediately upon announcement. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• Japan Proposes Updated Notification Requirements for Foods with Function Claims

• Japan Proposes to Revise the Maximum Residue Limits of Seven Pesticides

• MAFF Updates the Standards for Dehydrated Soups

• Japan Releases the General Requirements for Quantitative Methods Using Relative Molar Sensitivity in Food
  

• Japan Mandates Notification for PET Bottle Preforms

Southeast Asia

On January 7, 2025, the Philippines FDA released FDA Circular No.2025-0001 Guidelines on the Classification of Vitamins and Minerals for Food/Dietary Supplements for Adults under Processed Food Product, which took effect on January 22, 2025. It provides guidance to all Food Business Operators (FBOs) on the classification of vitamins and minerals as food/dietary supplements, and sets updated limit of vitamins and minerals that are classified as food/dietary supplements. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Southeast Asia:

• Philippines Proposes Administrative Order on GMP and Registration of Health Supplements

• Thailand Proposes New Draft Regulation on Food with Toxic Residues
  

• Thailand FDA Drafts the Health Product Import, Export and Transit Act B.E.

• Vietnam Optimizes Requirements for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) of Packaging

• Vietnam Proposes to Develop E-commerce Law

• Malaysia Revises Drug Registration Guidance Document in January 2025, Affecting Health Supplement Registration

• Indonesia Consults on Draft Regulation on the Supervision of Processed Food for Special Nutritional Purposes

India

On January 15, 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced that any amendments to food labelling regulations will come into effect on July 1st each year. Under the new framework, any changes related to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, or other labelling provisions in FSS regulations, will be enforced annually from July 1st, with a minimum 180-day notice period from the date of notification. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in India:

• India Announces Structured Timeline for Compliance with Amendments in Labelling Provisions under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011

European Union (EU)

EU issued four amendments to revise the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, which establishes the Union List of Novel Foods in January 2025. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in European Union:

• EU Consults on the Single Market Strategy 2025

• EU Amends Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 as Regards Maximum Residue Levels in Certain Products (Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/115; Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/146; Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/158)

• EU Publishes the Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR)

United States (US)

On January 14, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposed rule to implement a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling system. The proposal mandates that most packaged foods display a FOP nutrition label, referred to as the "Nutrition Info box." This label is designed to complement the existing Nutrition Facts label by presenting simplified, at-a-glance information about a food's saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in America:

• U.S. FDA Declares 35 PFAS Food Contact Notifications Ineffective

• FDA Releases Allergen, Food Safety, and Plant-Based Alternative Labeling Guidances Draft

• Color Additive Alert: FD&C Red No. 3 No Longer Authorized in U.S.

• U.S. Proposes Mandatory Disclosures of Alcohol Facts and Major Food Allergens in the Labeling of Alcohol Beverages
  

Canada

In January of 2025, Health Canada newly approved two supplemental ingredients, namely, grape seed extract and milk thistle seed extract, to be used in supplemented foods. (Read more: Link 1; Link 2)

More regulation highlights in Canada:

• Canada Proposes MRLs for Benzovindiflupyr and  Lambda-cyhalothrin in Foods

• Canada to Modify the Table of Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims 

Australia and New Zealand

On January 13, 2025, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released Amendment No. 234 to amend the Food Standards Code. The amendment involves 2-methyloxolane as a processing aid, glucoamylase from GM Aspergillus niger (gene donor: Gloeophyllum sepiarium) as a processing aid, and food derived from disease-resistant, low-reducing sugars and reduced browning potato line BG25. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Australia and New Zealand:

• FSANZ Calls for Submissions on Food Derived from Insect-protected Soybean Line MON94637
  

Recommended reading:

• Hot topic: Global Food Regulation Highlights, 2020-2025