Relevant regulations on nutrition and health industry

In July 2020, the State Administration for Market Regulation successively issued the "Main Points of Literature Review of Health Food and Health Function Formulas (Draft for Comment)" and the "Measures for Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (Draft for Comment)" for another comment. With the standardization of supervision, it also brings more opportunities for the development of the nutrition and health industry. Here we have summarized the relevant regulations and policy standards of the nutrition and health industry at home and abroad in the first half of 2020, and we can also see the future industry development trends.

Domestic part

1. Pilot production and operation of 9 kinds of medicine and food, including Codonopsis and Astragalus.
On January 6, 2020, the National Health Commission also issued the “Notice on the pilot work for the management of 9 substances including Codonopsis ginseng that are both food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.” According to the provisions of the Food Safety Law, Evaluate and solicit opinions from the public. 9 substances including Codonopsis, Cistanche, Dendrobium officinale, American ginseng, Astragalus, Ganoderma lucidum, Cornus, Gastrodia elata, Eucommia ulmoides and other 9 substances will be developed according to the tradition of being both food and Chinese medicinal materials (hereinafter referred to as food and drug substances) Pilot production and operation work. The National Health Commission will work with the State Administration of Market Supervision to study the timely inclusion of relevant substances in the food and drug quality catalogue management based on the pilot situation.

2. "Shanghai Health Food Manufacturing Enterprise Health Food Raw Material Extract Management Guidelines"
On March 27, the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Administration formulated and promulgated the "Guidelines for the Management of Health Food Raw Material Extracts for Health Food Manufacturers in Shanghai." This guide further regulates the extraction of raw materials and the management of raw material extracts of health foods in the production of health foods to ensure the safety and effectiveness of health foods. Applicable objects are health food production in this city that are engaged in the production of health food raw material extracts by the company, or provide other companies with animal and plant extracts as their health food production raw materials, or purchase health food raw material extracts from other companies for the production of health foods enterprise.

3. "Guide to Nutrition for Supplementary Foods for Infants and Young Children"
On May 6, 2020, the Department of Regulations of the National Health and Medical Commission issued two recommended health industry standards, including the "Crowd Vitamin D Deficiency Screening Method" and the "Infant Complementary Food Supplementary Nutrition Guide", which will be implemented on November 1, 2020 . The standard stipulates the basic principles of supplementary food supplementation for healthy full-term infants and young children between 6 months and 24 months of age, as well as supplementary food supplementation guidance and supplementary food production requirements for different age groups.

4. Publish the group standard of "General Requirements for Children's Snacks"
On May 17, the China Non-staple Food Circulation Association officially issued the "General Requirements for Children's Snacks" group standards, and at the same time released the "Children's Snacks Market Survey White Paper" (hereinafter referred to as the "White Paper"). Among them, the "General Requirements for Children's Snacks" group standard was drafted by the snack food brand Liangpin Shop, which was completed in February this year, and was the first standard specifically formulated for children's snacks in my country.

5. Approval of "three fungi and one herb" as new food materials

In June 2020, the National Health Commission announced the "Announcement on 53 "Three New Foods" including Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 (No. 4 of 2020), approving Lactobacillus helveticus R0052, Bifidobacterium infantis R0033 and Bifidobacterium bifidum Fidobacterium R0071 and Ganhuangcao are new food materials, and Sanzan gum is a new variety of food additives; food additives such as rosemary extract, steviol glycosides, and plant carbon black have expanded the scope of use. The list of new food ingredients is added again after a year.


Others-Draft for Solicitation of Comments


》5 kinds of health food raw materials including Coenzyme Q10 are included in the catalogue

On July 6, 2020, the official website of the State Administration for Market Supervision issued the "Feedback on the Public Solicitation of Opinions on the Catalogue of Coenzyme Q10 and 5 Health Food Ingredients". This is the first list of non-nutrient raw materials that is expected to be released. According to official feedback, 26 opinions and suggestions were adopted, and the specific content was not disclosed. On April 1, 2019, the General Administration of Markets published the "Public Solicitation on the Catalogue of Coenzyme Q10 and Other 5 Health Food Raw Materials", which addressed the five health foods of Coenzyme Q10, Melatonin, Fish Oil, Broken Ganoderma Spore Powder and Spirulina The content of the raw material catalog and technical requirements are publicly solicited for comments. After a year of soliciting opinions, these five health food ingredients are close to being included in the list of ingredients.

"Group Standard "Plant-based Meat Products" (for comments)

The plant-based meat standards that enterprises have in mind will soon have. In June 2020, the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology publicly solicited opinions on the group standard of "Plant-based Meat Products (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)". Under the application of the group member unit of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, the society organized experts to draft the group standard "Plant-based Meat Products (Draft for Comment)." The standard stipulates the terms and definitions of plant-based meat products, product classification, technical requirements, raw material requirements, inspection and determination rules, labels, signs, packaging, storage and transportation.

"Measures for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)"

On June 12, 2020, the General Administration of Customs, in order to thoroughly implement the important requirements of General Secretary Jin Ping’s “Four Strict” food safety requirements, and to further improve the ability and level of import and export food safety governance, plans to optimize and improve the current import and export food management system. The "Measures for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)" was revised and formed, and the public is now soliciting opinions.

》Declaration of new food raw materials for milk mineral salt and horse milk-like lactobacillus (for comments)

In July 2020, the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center announced that milk mineral salt and Lactobacillus mare-like subspecies have been declared as new food raw materials. They have passed the technical review of the expert review committee and are now open for comments. Announcement No. 18 of 2009 of the former Ministry of Health of my country approved milk mineral salt as a new resource food. The quality requirements of the products in this application are different from those in the original announcement in terms of phosphorus, protein, lactose, and pH.


Foreign part

1. FDA approved konjac-derived glucomannan as a dietary fiber component

In January 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that the glucomannan found in konjac root will be added to the U.S. definition of dietary fiber, and it is recommended to include 9 other types of dietary fiber definition In the list of non-digestible carbohydrates, other ingredients include mixed plant cell wall fiber, arabinoxylan, alginate, inulin, high amylose, galacto-oligosaccharide, polydextrose, resistant maltodextrin/dextrin and anti- Starch 4 (RS4).

Will the US FDA dietary fiber list stop at these 17 ingredients?

2. FDA updates CBD regulations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released information on cannabidiol (CBD) in March. The regulations focus on key areas such as consumer education, collecting scientific evidence, and addressing products that violate current regulations. In the current complex CBD regulatory environment, the FDA made this update at the request of the U.S. Congress after requesting a budget of $5 million. The FDA is taking steps to provide stakeholders with a transparent way to communicate new information when CBD is available. Despite the FDA's efforts, the new report still seems unclear. The legal status of CBD has not changed immediately. This move has also caused a response from industry-oriented organizations.

3. Organic inulin from Jerusalem artichoke obtained FDA GRAS certification

In April 2020, the inulin derived from organic Jerusalem artichoke from Intrinsic Organics of the United States received a General Recognized Safe (GRAS) letter of no objection from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Affirmed the safety of Jerusalem artichoke fiber used in food. It can be used as a bulking agent in 43 food categories, including infant foods, instant breakfast cereals and other foods.

4. The European Union approves the combination of Astragalus and Panax notoginseng extracts as new resource foods

In May 2020, the European Union Food Safety Administration (EFSA) Research and Evaluation Team issued opinions on the safety of AstraGin®, a plant raw material compounded with Astragalus and Panax notoginseng extract, as a Novel Food. Researchers from the EFSA New Resources Food and Food Allergens Group believe that it is safe to consume 0.5 milligrams (mg/kg bw) of AstraGin per kilogram of body weight per day.

 5. The EU expands the use of xylo-oligosaccharides

On July 2, 2020, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2020/916, approving xylo-oligosaccharides as a new type of food for expansion. It also stipulates the maximum allowable addition amount of low-grade xylose in bread, snacks, beverages, yogurt, candy and other foods.

6. South Korea approves drone pupae as new food materials

On July 9, the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the Rural Development Agency stated that drone pupae were recognized as new food materials. This time the food raw material was evaluated by the Rural Development Agency on the characteristics, nutritional properties, and toxicity of the drone pupae. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety reviewed its safety and finally recognized it as an edible insect.