ZMUni Compliance Centre

 Global Cruelty-Free Trend and China's Regulatory Evolution The cruelty-free movement has been shaping the cosmetics industry worldwide for decades. Regions such as the EU and Canada have fully banned animal testing for cosmetics, while several US states have introduced similar prohibitions. In 2025, Brazil also announced a comprehensive ban, reflecting growing global momentum toward ethical, cruelty-free innovation and rising consumer demand for animal-friendly products.   Historically, China required animal testing for imported cosmetics, which deterred many overseas brands from entering its large market. However, China has been actively aligning with international standards. On September 19, 2025, the National Medical Products

This article provides a comprehensive overview of key regulatory developments in the food sector in September 2025, both in China and internationally. It focuses on updates related to new food ingredients, food additives, health foods, and feed, aiming to offer timely and in-depth regulatory alerts for enterprises engaged in food import and export.   China Food Regulatory Updates 🔘 China Updates on Three New Foods in September 2025 In September 2025, China's National Health Commission (NHC) announced the termination of the review for two new food ingredient applications of D-allulose, and released a public consultation on seven new varieties of food additives, including three

The global cosmetics regulatory environment continues to evolve. To help businesses stay updated with regulatory changes, ZMUni Compliance Center regularly releases a monthly recap of global cosmetics regulations. This article covers the regulatory developments related to cosmetics in China and globally in September 2025, with an emphasis on updates in cosmetic ingredients and cosmetic management, among other areas.     China Cosmetic Regulatory Updates  New Cosmetics Ingredients (NCI) Notification In September 2025, 11 new cosmetic ingredients were notified with the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). They include:   Before this recap, ZMUni has continued to release passages introducing the NCI updates,

From September 19 to 29, 2025, 3 new cosmetic ingredients were notified with the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).   The technical requirements for the 3 new cosmetic ingredients mentioned above have not been disclosed, and they have not yet entered the safety monitoring period.   sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4 sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4 comes from the "soft gold of the ocean" — mussel adhesive protein, prized for its remarkable adhesion, repair and biodegradability. It helps soothe and protect the skin. Unlike the traditional method, which requires 10,000 mussels to extract just 1 gram of adhesive protein through a time-consuming process, sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4 is produced using biotechnology. This

On September 16, 2025, China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) released its list of non-compliant imported food products for August 2025. A total of 617 batches from 52 countries and regions were denied entry, representing a month-on-month increase of approximately 30% (up 141 batches from 476 in July) and a year-on-year increase of about 105% (up 316 batches from 301 in August 2024).   The majority of non-compliant products originated from Ecuador (18.5%), followed by Japan (8.9%), the U.S. (7.8%), and Italy (6.0%). Key reasons for import rejections included:   Non-compliance with national food standards (167 batches) Unqualified labeling (156 batches) Detection of

  On September 25, 2025, China's National Health Commission (NHC) released two official Q&A documents on major food labeling standards: GB 28050-2025 National Food Safety Standard - General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods GB 7718-2025 National Food Safety Standard - General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food    Both standards were part of Announcement No. 2 of 2025, issued on March 27, which introduced 50 new national food safety standards and nine amendments. The newly published Q&A clarifies their application and interpretation, helping ensure accurate implementation before they take effect on March 16, 2027.   More information: Unpacking China's GB7718

On September 25, 2025, China's National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly issued Announcement No. 6 of 2025, formally releasing 32 new national food safety standards and 2 amendment sheets.   The 32 standards are as follows: GB 14881-2025 General Hygienic Specifications for Food Production GB 17405-2025 Good Manufacturing Practice for Health Food GB 5009.1-2025 Physical and Chemical Analysis - General Principles GB 2762-2025 Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods GB 29922-2025 General Standard for Foods for Special Medical Purposes GB 31662-2025 Total Nutritional Formula Food for Tumor Patients GB 1903.76-2025 Food Nutrient Fortifier -

      On September 24, 2025, China's National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) issued the Technical Guidelines for Dossier Requirements on the Registration and Notification of New Cosmetic Ingredients (Draft for Comment) and opened them for public consultation. The consultation period will remain open until October 19, 2025.   The Draft Guidelines introduce further improvements and clarifications in key areas, including the classification of application scenarios, dossier submission requirements, use of existing data, adoption of new technologies and methodologies, and recordkeeping obligations. One of the most noteworthy updates is the optimized classification of new cosmetic ingredient (NCI) application scenarios,