Taiwan Establishes New Sanitary Standard for Health Food

On February 4, 2026, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced the promulgation of the new Sanitary Standard for Health Food. This new standard takes effect immediately, replacing the previous standard from 1999. The update aims to modernize the regulatory framework, strengthen the management of health foods, and ensure consumer safety by establishing more specific and comprehensive hygiene requirements.

A comparison of the old framework and the new regulatory approach is summarized below:

Category	Old Standard (Version 1999)	New Standard (Version 2026)
General Sanitary Requirements	Stipulated that products must have original flavor and color, and be free from spoilage, off-odors, contamination, mold, or foreign matter.	The previous 1999 standard was a concise document that largely referenced general food hygiene standards for several key areas. Key changes from the 1999 version include the replacement of broad, general clauses with a new, comprehensive set of rules. It involves: Sanitation Standard for General FoodsSanitation Standard for Natural Edible Colorants Sanitation Standard for LecithinSanitation Standard for Edible TallowSanitation Standard for Pork Fat Sanitation Standard for Processing Aids Sanitation Standard for Propane to be Used in Food Sanitation Standard for Butane to be Used in Food Sanitation Standard for Microorganisms in Foods Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food Sanitation Standard for Chewing and Bubble Gum Bases as Food Raw Materials Sanitation Standard for Acacia(Acacia; Gum arabic) as Food Raw Material Sanitation Standard for Food Utensils, Containers and Packages
Microbiological Limits	Required that pathogens be non-detectable.
Heavy Metals	Set maximum limits for total heavy metals at 20 ppm (as Lead) and for Arsenic at 2 ppm.
Pesticide Residues	Required raw materials to comply with the existing "Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods" and "Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Animal Products."
Radioactive contamination and packaging	Stated that the existing general food hygiene standards were applicable.

For enterprises, the manufacturing and importation of health foods are now governed by a clear, unified, and legally binding set of hygiene requirements. Previously fragmented and scattered hygiene obligations have been systematically consolidated, reducing uncertainty in regulatory interpretation and application.