China Food Regulatory Updates
On March 1, 2024, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) solicited public comments on the following three new food ingredients: Maritime pinebark extract; Bifidobacteriumlongumsubsp. infantis M-63; N-acetylglucosamine (edible glutamate rod Bacillus RDG-2110 (Corynebacterium glutamicum RDG-2110). The deadline for public comments was set for April 1, 2024.
On March 4, 2024, China’s Two Sessions officially commenced. During the sessions, significant attention was drawn to various food-related topics, including functional labeling of food, medicinal food with the same source, encouragement of research on new varieties of green food additives, strengthening the development of the natural sweetener industry, and nutrition fortification. Read the previous news here.
On March 12, 2024, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) released a total of 47 national food safety standards, including "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (GB 2760-2024), along with 6 amendments. Read the previous news here.
On March 13, 2024, China NHC announced the approval of 23 "Three New Foods", including 6 new food ingredients, 12 new food additives, and 5 new food-related products. Read the previous news here.
On March 14, 2024, CFSA solicited public comments on approving 5 new food additives including hydroxytyrosol, methylenechloride, etc., and expanding the usage scope of 2 food additives including polyglyceryl-6 polyricinoleate and (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid. The deadline for comments is April 13, 2024.
On March 21, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued an Announcement on "Encouraging Food Enterprises to Improve the Labeling of Production Dates and Shelf Lives of Pre-packaged Foods", aiming to encourage food enterprises to take targeted improvement measures, making it easier for consumers to identify product information.
On March 26, 2024, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) released the draft of the "2024 National Food Safety Standards Project Plan" (hereafter the Plan). 34 food standards are listed in the Plan, covering food products, food additives, food nutritional fortifiers, testing and determination methods, as well as food business operations. Among them, 14 are new standards to be formulated, while the rest 20 standards are existing ones with revisions.
On March 27, 2024, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) published the list of non-compliant imported food items in January and February 2024. It contains 279 batches of non-compliant food items in January and 251 batches of non-compliant food items in February. It is noteworthy that several food items were not permitted entry due to the lack of a registration number for importation in China.
International Food Regulatory Updates
Europe
On March 1, 2024, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2024/749, approving lignosulfonates as feed additives for all animals, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
On March 1, 2024, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2024/750, updating the approval of thaumatin as a feed additive for all animals, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
On March 8, 2024, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2024/806, approving pine tincture from Pinus sylvestris L. as a feed additive for all animals, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
On March 6, 2024, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2024/777, approving “L-lysine base, liquid", "L-lysine monohydrochloride" and "L-lysine monohydrochloride, liquid" produced by Escherichia coli NITE BP-02917 as feed additives for all animals, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
On March 19, 2024, the European Commission amended the maximum residue limits for sodium salicylate in certain animal-origin foodstuffs, by issuing Regulation (EU) 2024/859.
United States
On March 5, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States announced the availability of a final guidance for the industry titled Dietary Supplements: New Dietary Ingredient Notification Procedures and Timeframes: Guidance for Industry, aiming to help manufacturers and distributors of new dietary ingredients (NDIs) and dietary supplements in preparing and submitting New Dietary Ingredient Notifications (NDINs) to the FDA.
Canada
On March 22, 2024, Health Canada amended the List of Permitted Food Enzymes, authorizing the utilization of two new food enzymes. These include the use of chymosin B from Trichoderma reesei GICC03546 in the manufacturing process of yogurt and various cheeses, as well as the use of glucose oxidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae LALL-GO in bread, flour, whole wheat flour, and non-standardized bakery products.
Australia and New Zealand
On March 1, 2024, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) issued Notification 284-24, seeking comments on Application A1284, regarding the utilization of a Triacylglycerol Lipase as a processing aid.
Asia
On March 8, 2024, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan issued two notices, releasing the "Guidelines for the Validation of Analytical Methods for Food Additives in Food" and revising the "Analytical Methods for Food Additives in Food" (2nd edition).
On March 15, 2024, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a consultation document, seeking comments on regulations for defined food and their pre-market approval. The draft regulations aim to clarify the responsibilities of companies selling novel and genetically modified (GM) foods in Singapore, requiring them to obtain pre-approval before market launch. The deadline for comments was set for May 14, 2024.
On March 20, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued Notice No. 2024-16, amending certain provisions of the "Health Functional Food Code" with the main contents as follows: (1)Adding vitamin K2 to the ingredients of vitamin K;(2) Modifying general test methods; (3) Establishing test methods for vitamin K2.
Sources: Official regulatory authorities in respective countries/regions.
