Taiwan Amends Food Additives Regulation

On May 7, 2025, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration finalized amendments to Appendix 1 of the Standards for Specification, Scope, Application and Limitation of Food Additives. Most changes will take effect on July 1, 2027, except for updates concerning the use of Carnauba Wax on fruits, Sodium Selenite and Magnesium Citrate in infant foods labeled for premature infants, and revisions related to flavoring agents, which are effective immediately.

Key amendments are summarized below:

Revisions to Food Additive Names

Chinese and/or English names of ten food additives have been revised, including Trisodium Phosphate, L-Ascorbic Acid (Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C), Sodium L-Ascorbate (Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C), Calcium L-Ascorbate (Calcium Ascorbate, Vitamin C), Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Aldehydes, Hydrocarbons (Alkanes; Alkenes; Terpenes), and d & dl-Sodium Tartrate.

Updated Scope and Application Standards for Carnauba Wax

Previously, Carnauba Wax may be used as needed in confections (including chewing gum and chocolate), and foods in capsule and tablet forms. Now, the use of Carnauba Wax is restricted to surface treatment only, with new limits established for different food categories:

Food Additive Item	Scope	Application Standards	Limitations
Carnauba Wax	Confections and chocolate	No more than 500 mg/kg	Surface treatment only
	Chewing gum	No more than 1200 mg/kg
	Foods in capsule and tablet forms	No more than 200 mg/kg
	Citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, mangoes, avocados and papayas	No more than 200 mg/kg

Revised Application Standards for 19 Magnesium-Containing Nutritional Additives

In line with Taiwan’s latest Dietary Reference Intakes, the maximum daily intake of magnesium has been reduced from 600 mg to 350 mg for 19 magnesium-containing nutritional additives across certain food categories

Examples of revisions

Food Additive Item	Scope	Application Standards	Limitations
Magnesium Sulfate	General food	No more than 350 mg of total magnesium for foods labeled with daily dosage or for every 300 g of food without daily dosage labeling	For supplementing purpose
Magnesium Oxide	General food	No more than 350 mg of total Magnesium for foods labeled with daily dosage or for every 300 g of food without daily dosage labeling	For supplementing purpose
Magnesium Gluconate	Foods in capsule or tablet form and labeled with a daily dosage	No more than 350 mg of total magnesium in daily intake.	For supplementing purpose
……	……	……	……

Revisions to Scope and Application Standards for 11 Molybdenum-Containing Nutritional Additives

Based on the latest dietary risk assessments, local consumption habits, and international standards, the amendments partially revise the scope and usage limits for 11 molybdenum-containing nutritional additives. The scope “foods in capsule or tablet form and labeled with a daily dosage” has been changed to “food supplements only for adults,” and the maximum daily intake of molybdenum has been reduced from 350 μg to 200 μg.

Examples of revisions

Food Additive Item	Scope	Application Standards	Limitations
Sodium Molybdate Anhydrous	Food supplements only for adults	No more than 200 µg of total molybdenum in daily intake	For supplementing purpose
Ammonium Molybdate (Ⅵ)	Food supplements only for adults	No more than 200 µg of total molybdenum in daily intake	For supplementing purpose
Molybdenum Bisglycinate	Food supplements only for adults	No more than 200 µg of total molybdenum in daily intake	For supplementing purpose
……	……	……	……

Expanded Scope and Application Standards for Sodium Selenite and Magnesium Citrate

The amendments expand the permitted use of Sodium Selenite and Magnesium Citrate to include infant foods labeled for premature infants, with specified limits on daily intake.

Food Additive Item	Scope	Application Standards	Limitations
Sodium Selenite	Infant food labeled for premature infants	No more than 20 μg of total selenium in daily intake.	For supplementing purpose
Magnesium Citrate	Infant food labeled for premature infants	No more than 40 mg of total magnesium in daily intake.	For supplementing purpose

Refined Regulation of Flavoring Agents

New Categories Introduced

The amendments, aligned with international standards, introduce eight additional categories to comprehensively classify all permitted flavorings beyond the explicitly listed flavoring substances. Notably, this update does not expand the permitted flavoring substance items but refines category classification.

After the amendments, categories include: Esters, Ethers, Ketones (excluding Pulegone), Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Aldehydes, Hydrocarbons (Alkanes; Alkenes; Terpenes), Thio-Alcohols, Thio-Ethers, Phenols, Lactones, Acetals/Ketals, Amines, Sulfides, Furans, Nitrogen Heterocyclics, Sulfur Heterocyclics, Amino Acids and Carbohydrates, and Natural Flavorings (excluding Pulegone). All permitted categories must meet the “generally recognized as safe” criteria.

Clarification on Natural Flavoring Definition

Aligned with Codex definitions, “natural flavorings” are substances obtained from animal or plant materials through physical (e.g., distillation, solvent extraction), enzymatic, or microbial processes. Natural flavorings include both purified and unpurified substances. No further changes are made to the management framework for natural flavorings.

Revised Regulation on Quinine Use

Previously, synthetic Quinine or Quinine purified from natural plant sources was not permitted as a food flavoring unless introduced through a natural flavoring. Following the amendment, synthetic and naturally purified Quinine will be regulated in the same manner as other flavoring substances. If it is permitted by the JECFA, FEMA, the European Union, Japan, or similar international authorities, quinine will also be allowed for use in Taiwan. Additionally, when Quinine, including Nitrogen Heterocyclic Quinine, naturally purified Quinine, or Quinine introduced via natural flavorings, is used in beverages, the total allowable limit is 85 mg/kg.

Prohibition of Cocaine in Foods, Including Naturally Derived Sources