Global Food Regulation Highlights | March 2024

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 March 2024 below.

For thorough and comprehensive monitoring of developments in specific business sector and markets, we highly recommend our customized risk alert and monitoring report service. This service empowers you to effectively stay informed about all the regulatory dynamics that can impact your business. With the added advantage of expert interpretation and analysis, our service offers you a comprehensive understanding of the significance and consequences of these regulatory changes. For more detailed information, we invite you to click on the provided sample of regulatory monitoring report.

China

On March 12, 2024, China published 47 new national food safety standards and 6 amendment sheets to existing ones. These new standards include 1 for dairy products, 1 for food contact materials, 7 for food testing methods, 16 for microbial testing methods and 22 for food additives and nutritional fortifiers. For the six amendment sheets, they are all related to specific food additives. 3 standards are of particular significance, including GB 19644 Milk Powder and Modified Milk Powder, GB 4806.15 Adhesives for Food Contact Materials and Articles, as well as GB 2760 Standard for Uses of Food Additives. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Chinese Mainland:

• China Proposes National Food Safety Standard (GB) Legislation Plan for 2024

• China Announces New Labeling Guidelines for Prepackaged Foods

• China Releases Amendment Sheet No. 2 of the National Standard GB 23350-2021 "Restrictions on Excessive Packaging Requirements for Food and Cosmetics"

• SAMR Consults on the Implementation Rules Regarding the Quality Supervision and Sampling of 147 Products, Including FCMs

• China Food and Food-related Ingredient Updates in March 2024: a) Novel Food Raw Material Updates (Three Proposed; Six Approved); b) Food Additives Updates (Twelve Approved; Seven Proposed); c) Food Contact Materials Updates (Five Approved)

• National Food Safety Standard of the P.R.C.: Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods

• China's Market Access Approvals for Imported Food Categories and Trading Countries in 2024

• China Customs Releases the List of Rejected Imported Food in January and February 2024

Regulation highlights in other areas of China:

• Taiwan Escalates Regulatory Measures in Response to the Sudan III-Contaminated Chili Powder Incident
  

• Taiwan Updates Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food, Involving Heavy Metal Limits for Infant and Young Child Food

• Taiwan Revises Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods
  

• Taiwan to Amend Items and Indications of Special Nutritional Food for Rare Diseases

South Korea

On March 13, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) specifies “processed vegetables” imported from China as a new product subject to import inspection order. Besides, the authority prolongs the inspection periods of three products, which are "Chilli peppers (fruits)" from Vietnam, "Other Salt" from Pakistan, and "Tuna (fishery products to be eaten raw)" from Japan. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Additionally Designates One Prohibited Ingredient in Foods

• South Korea Consults on the Enforcement Rule of Health Functional Food Act

• South Korea Updates Health Functional Food Code, Pemitting Vitamin K2 to be Used for Manufacturing Vitamin K

• South Korea to Modify the Subordinate Laws of Food Labeling Act to Ban Narcotic-related Expressions in Food Labels and Advertisements 

• South Korea Modifies the Guideline of Braille Labels on Foods

Japan

On March 1, 2024, Japan MHLW announced that "Polyvinyl Alcohol" would be regulated as "Designated Additive", which became effective since the date of promulgation. Polyvinyl alcohol is restricted to the usage in non-normal food forms such as capsules and tablets, and it can not be used in confectionary products. Furthermore, the maximum amount of polyvinyl alcohol in all its permitted categories is 45 g per 1 kg. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• MHLW Proposes to Revise the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act

• CAA Considers Simplifying Approval Process for FOSHU Labels

• Japan Revises Soybean Milk and Related Products Standards

• Japan Publicly Solicits Opinions on the Evaluation of Six Food Safety-related Substances, Covering Food Additive, Pesticide and GMO
  

• Japan Updates the MRLs for 15 Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs

• Japan Bans a Designated Food Additive in Food Products: 3,6-dimethyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-2(4H)-benzofuranone

• Japan Releases the Guidelines for the Use of Recycled Materials As Raw Materials For Synthetic Resins
  

Southeast Asia 

On March 15, 2024, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a consultation document, seeking feedback on regulations for defined food and their pre-market approval. The draft regulations aim to clarify the responsibilities of companies selling novel and genetically modified (GM) foods in Singapore, requiring them to obtain pre-approval before market launch. Any comment can be submitted before May 14, 2024 via SFA. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Southeast Asia:

• Indonesia Unveils the Food Legislation Plan for 2024, Involving Labels

• Thailand Issued the Draft of MOPH Notification regarding Solvents Used in Extraction for Food Production

• Thailand Proposes to Revise the Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticide in Agricultural Products

• Comprehensive Updates Coming for Vietnam's Advertising Law

• Vietnam Issues Regulations on Management of Traceability of Products and Goods

• Vietnam to Update the HS Codes for Imported Supplemented Food, Food Additive and Food Packaging Subject to the State Food Safety Inspection

• Malaysia Issues a Directive Concerning Updating Malaysian Guideline For Application Of Clinical Trial Import License (CTIL) And Clinical Trial Exemption (CTX)
  

• ASEAN Health Ministries Launch Guidelines on Food Marketing

India

On March 14, 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released an active list of processing aids permitted for use by food businesses. This temporary list includes processing aids that have not yet been formally implemented for enforcement purposes. The authority is permitting the use of these processing aids on a temporary basis until the relevant amendments are officially published in the Gazette of India. (Read More)

European Union (EU) 

As revealed by an initiative issued on March 13, 2024, EU is amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic FCM and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice (GMP) for FCM regarding the quality control rules for plastic food contact materials. To ensure a high protection level for human health, the draft requires substances, including substances obtained from waste, used in the manufacture of plastic materials and articles to have high purity. Rules on the verification of compliance testing are further specified. Any feedback can be submitted prior to April 10, 2024. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in EU:

• EU to Amend Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards the Maximum Levels of Nickel in Certain Foodstuffs

• EU to Amend Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Regarding Food Additives Tartaric Acid (L(+)-) (E 334), Sodium Tartrates (E 335), Potassium Tartrates (E 336), Sodium Potassium tartrate (E 337) and Calcium Tartrate (E354)

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/891 Amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 as regards Maximum Residue Levels for Bifenazate in or on Certain Products

• EU Amends Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on Pharmacologically Active Substances and Their Classification Regarding Maximum Residue Limits in Animal-origin Food: a) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/859 Regarding Sodium Salicylate; B) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/860 Regarding 17β-oestradiol

United States (US)

On March 5, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an industry guidance titled Dietary Supplements: New Dietary Ingredient Notification Procedures and Timeframes: Guidance for Industry. This Guidance is intended to help manufacturers and distributors of new dietary ingredients (NDIs) and dietary supplements prepare and submit new dietary ingredient notifications (NDINs) to the FDA. The Guidance provides information about the who should submit an NDIN, how to submit and where to submit, etc. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in America:

• FDA Update Reasons for Revoking the Authorizations for Food Contact Substances
  

• FDA Issues Import Alert for Food Products with Chemical Contaminants Including PFAS

• U.S. Issues the Voluntary Labeling of FSIS-Regulated Products With U.S.-Origin Claims

• FDA Announces Qualified Health Claim for Yogurt and Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

• U.S. FDA Updates the List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply by Including the Information About the Status of Post-Market Assessments

• U.S. Establishes the Tolerances Exemption Standard for 1,4-Bis[[3-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]propyl]amino]-9,10-anthracenedione in Pesticide Formulations

• U.S. Amends the Tolerance Expression for Residues of The Safener Cloquintocet-Mexyl and Its Acid Metabolite

• FDA Extends Comment Period for the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule Draft Guidance for Chapters 11 and 16

Canada 

On March 22, 2024, Health Canada annouced to modify the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to enable the use of two food enzymes. They were chymosin B from Trichoderma reesei GICC03546, and glucose oxidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae LALL-GO. The requested maximum level for both enzymes is "Good Manufacturing Practice". (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Canada:

• Consultation on Updates to Sections of Drug and Natural Health Product Documents

• Canada Publishes Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act
  

Australia and New Zealand 

On March 1, 2024, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia published a notice to announce the issuance of Therapeutic Goods (Permissible Ingredients) Determination (No. 1) 2024, replacing the previous instrument. Major changes involve the addition of 3 new ingredients and the revision of requirements for 37 ingredients. The new determination affects the importation of health supplements to Australia, which took effect on March 1, 2024. (Read More)

More regulation highlights in Australia and New Zealand:

• FSANZ Approves One Soybean and Four Substances, Including 2'FL, One Processing Aid, Rosemary Extract as A Food Additive, Steviol Glycosides as A Food Additive
  

• APVMA Amends the MRL Standard and Proposes to Amend Schedule 20 of the Food Standard Code

• New Zealand Proposes to Amend the MRL Food Notice

Recommended reading:

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | January 2024

• Global Food Regulation Highlights | February 2024

• Hot topic: Global Food Regulation Highlights, 2020-2024