This article focuses on summarizing the regulatory developments related to food within China and internationally in March 2025, with an emphasis on updates in regulations concerning new food ingredients, food additives, feed additives, and health foods.
On March 21, 2025, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) released a notice seeking public comments on eight new food additive varieties. Comments are welcome until April 20, 2025. For more details, see here.
On March 21, 2025, China CFSA issued a public consultation on four new food ingredients: Lutein esters, D-Psicose/D-Allulose, Bifidobacteriumanimalis subsp.lactis BLa80, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis LMG1158. The consultation period will end on April 20, 2025. For more details, see here.
In March 2025, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), through the National Technical Committee for the Standardization of Special Foods (TC466), released five draft national standards for public comment covering five health food ingredients: melatonin, coenzyme Q10, broken Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, spirulina, and fish oil. For more details, see here.
On March 28, 2025, the China's Nutrition and Health Food Association approved the launch of four new group standard projects, including:
Health food raw materials: Aloe Extract
Technical Evaluation Guidelines for Post-Market Health Foods
Zebrafish Model Screening Method for Hypoxia Tolerance Function of Health Foods
Guidelines for Real-World Studies on Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs)
On March 26, 2025, China SAMR issued a notice on further strengthening the management of raw and auxiliary materials used in infant formula. The notice outlines stricter requirements for ingredient standards, microbiological indicators, the use of base powder in dry processes, and the storage and transportation of materials. It also encourages the use of raw milk—such as fresh cow or goat milk—in infant formula manufacturing.
On March 17, 2025, China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), together with the National Health Commission (NHC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), jointly released the Outline of the Program for Food and Nutrition Development in China (2025–2030), aiming to guide the development of the country's food and nutrition sectors over the coming years.
On March 21, 2025, China's National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration launched a public consultation on 17 draft national standards, including those for soybean oil, peanut oil, and corn oil. The consultation is open until May 22, 2025.
On the same day, the Standardization Administration of China issued a notice seeking public feedback on 18 proposed national recommended standards, including the classification of condiments. Comments are due by April 20, 2025.
On March 27, 2025, China NHC and the SAMR jointly issued Announcement No. 2 of 2025, introducing 50 new national food safety standards and nine amendments. Among them, two key standards focus on food labeling: GB 7718-2025 National Food Safety Standard General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food and GB 28050-2025 National Food Safety Standard General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods. A day earlier, on March 26, 2025, SAMR officially released the Administrative Measures for Supervision of Food Labeling, further strengthening regulatory oversight. All three regulation and food standards are set to take effect on March 16, 2027. For more details, see here. For further explanation, see here.
On March 21, 2025, China Customs released the list of non-compliant imported food in February 2025. This month, a total of 267 batches of food products were returned or destroyed in China.
The majority of non-compliant imports came from the Denmark (12.7%), Brazil ranked second (10.5%), Japan (10.1%), and Taiwan, China (9.0%). Highly rejected food categories included meat products, miscellaneous foods, alcohol & beverage, aquatic products and grain products. Top 5 reasons for import rejections included:
Non-compliance with national food standards
Discrepancy between cargo and certificates
Detection of animal diseases
Issues regarding overseas manufacturer registration
Unqualified labeling
In the first quarter of 2025, the European Union granted authorization for three new novel foods and made revisions to one already authorized novel food. Additionally, in the same period, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released scientific outputs on six novel food applications.
|
Status |
Novel Food |
Remark |
|
Authorized |
UV-treated powder of whole Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) |
/ |
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UV-treated powder of whole Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) |
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Glucosyl hesperidin |
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Extension of use |
Isomalto-oligosaccharide |
The applicant intends to extend the current uses of the NF as an ingredient in several foods, and use the NF in food sup-plements aimed at the general population older than 10 years of age. The informa-tion provided on the manufacturing process, composition and specifications ofthe NF is sufficient and does not raise safety concerns. |
|
Scientific output |
Mineral salt containing potassium and magnesium |
NF is safe under the proposedconditions of use. |
|
Frozen and dried forms of whole yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) |
NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels |
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Schizochytrium limacinum (strain ATCC‐20889) |
NF is safe under the proposed conditions of use |
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Phytosterols/phytostanols |
NF is safe under the proposed change of the specifications |
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|
Roasted seeds of Dipteryx alata Vogel |
EFSA considers that the available data on composition and history of use of the this TF do notraise safety concerns. |
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Dried fronds of Durvillaea incurvata (Suhr) Macaya（Durvillaea incurvata) |
EFSA raises safety objections to the placing on the market within the EU of the TF (dried fronds of D. incurvata). |
In March 2025, EFSA released scientific outputs on nine food improvement agents:
|
Category |
Food Improvement Agent |
|
Food additive |
pea fiber concentrate (FIPEA) |
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pullulan (E 1204) |
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Food enzyme |
β‐fructofuranosidase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain AR‐996 |
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endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain XYL |
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endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Bacillus subtilis strain DP‐Ezd119 |
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endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain XEA |
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aspergillopepsin I from the non‐genetically modified Aspergillus luchuensis strain APTC 3C‐290 |
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aqualysin 1 from the genetically modified Bacillus subtilis strain LMG S‐25520 produced by a modified process |
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glucose oxidase from the non‐genetically modified Aspergillus tubingensis strain GOX |
In March 2025, EFSA released scientific opinions on two feed additives, including assessment of the efficacy of a feed additive consisting of Bifidobacterium longum CNCM I‐5642 (PP102I) for dogs (Nestlé Enterprises S.A.) and safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of chromium chelate of DL‐methionine (Availa® Cr) for salmonids.
For more details, search here.
On March 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy Directs the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to explore rulemaking to eliminate pathway for companies to Self-Affirm Food Ingredients. For more details, see here.
On March 4, 2025, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released Application A1325, which seeks to extend the use of the food additive sweetener steviol glycosides to flour products (crumpets, pikelets and pancakes) that are produced on a hotplate. For more details, visit here.
On March 19, 2025, FSANZ published Application A1326, which seeks approval for the addition of phytosterols, phytostanols or their esters as a novel food to bread and bread products. For more details, visit here.
On March 25, 2025, FSANZ issued Notification Circular 333-25, related to Application A1315. This application seeks approval for chitosan and β-1,3-glucan from white mushrooms to be used as food additives, and is now open for public comment. For more details, visit here.
On February 21, 2025, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) published Normative Instruction("IN") No. 344/25, which establishes the optimized analysis procedure for the food industry by using assessments issued by a foreign regulatory authority ("AREE"). IN No. 344/25 enters into force on March 23, 2025.
In March 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed Draft Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations. The draft mandates that all imported vegetarian food products must be accompanied by an official certificate issued by a recognized authority in the exporting country, confirming compliance with India's vegetarian standards. For more details, visit here.
*This article is compiled by ZMUni Compliance Center, based on the latest regulatory updates from food-related regulatory authorities/agencies in various countries/regions.
