ZMUni Compliance Centre

This article provides a comprehensive overview of key regulatory developments in the food sector in December 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 Chinese Mainland   🔘 China Three New Food Updates: Consultations on Eight New Food Additive Varieties In December, 2025, the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) released draft public consultation documents covering eight new food additive varieties. The proposed additives include 3'-sialyllactose sodium

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 December 2025, with an emphasis on updates in cosmetic ingredients and cosmetic management, among other areas.     China Cosmetic Regulatory Updates New Cosmetics Ingredients (NCI) In December 2025, 20 new cosmetic ingredients were notified with the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). They include:   To learn more about these NCIs and their respective companies, check out the following episodes:

On January 4, 2025, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has carried out the third dynamic update of the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China (IECIC). This follows the first update in June 2025 and the second update in October 2025, reflecting the ongoing practice of regular adjustments to ensure ingredient safety and regulatory compliance.   The updates to the inventory specifically includes:   Three ingredients that are previously removed from new cosmetic ingredient notifications due to being classified as “existing ingredients,” have now been officially included in List I of the IECIC, with relevant notes for each ingredient updated accordingly. Original Ingredient Change

On December 25, 2025, China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) released its list of non-compliant imported food products for November 2025. A total of 444 batches from 47 countries and regions were denied entry, representing a month-on-month increase of approximately 8.3% (up 34 batches from 410 in October) and a year-on-year decrease of about 12.4% (down 63 batches from 507 in November 2024).   Key Issues Identified: Labeling issues remain the top concern, accounting for 19.8% of non-compliances, followed by sensory inspection failures and detection of unauthorized ingredients. In November, 88 batches were denied entry due to labeling problems, while the share of products containing unauthorized animal-derived ingredients or exceeding additive limits rose sharply from 0.2%

Since its launch in March, our Approval Updates on China NCI newsletter has published 30 issues. We hope these updates have offered readers practical insights and a clearer view of China's cosmetic ingredient landscape. Thank you for your interest and support throughout the year. We look forward to bringing you more timely and insightful content in 2026. Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!    From December 24 to 31, 2025, 5 new cosmetic ingredients (NCIs) have completed notifications with China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).       The technical requirements for the 5 NCIs mentioned above have not been disclosed, and they have not yet entered the

  On December 26, 2025, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) released the draft revision of the Provisions for Management of New Cosmetic Ingredient Registration and Notification Dossiers for public consultation. The consultation period runs from December 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026, and feedback can be submitted via email to hzpjgyc@nmpa.gov.cn.   The Provisions for Management of New Cosmetic Ingredient Registration and Notification Dossiers, in effect since May 1, 2021, provide key guidance for the registration and notification of new cosmetic ingredients in China. Before their implementation, approved new ingredients were very limited, and some internationally widely used ingredients could

From December 17 to 23, 2025, 4 new cosmetic ingredients (NCIs) have completed notifications with China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).   The technical requirements for the 4 new cosmetic ingredients mentioned above have not been disclosed, and they have not yet entered the safety monitoring period.      Notification No. 20250161 In March 2024, OSM filed a patent (CN 117625405 A) covering a novel Antarctic-derived Aureobasidium pullulans strain designed for pearl co-fermentation. The resulting fermentation products show enhanced UV protection, collagen promotion, skin repair, and skin barrier–strengthening effects.   Deqing OSM established in 2003, is a subsidiary of OSM Biotech Co., Ltd. Founded in 1967, OSM Biotech

  On December 19, 2025, China's National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) released Technical Guidelines for Cosmetic Ingredient Intended Uses(Trial), the Guidelines will come into effect on June 19, 2026.    The NIFDC also provided responses to several key questions regarding the Guidelines:   What is meant by "cosmetic ingredient intended uses"? The "intended uses" of a cosmetic ingredient refers to the intended function of the ingredient when added to a cosmetic product. This includes effects exerted at the site of application (e.g., hair dyes), as well as functions within the formulation system itself (e.g., solvents). Depending on how an