Overview

In China, food products are regulated under the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). Responsibility is shared between the state, provincial, municipal, and county-level authorities. Any new food additives, novel food ingredients, or new food contact materials that are not used or consumed in China, should be approved by the National Health Commission (NHC) and should be published before being used. Additionally, for imported foods, manufacturers need to follow the regulations set by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

Classification

Food products in China are divided into the following two (02) categories:

• General Food
• Special Food

Special food includes health food and food for special dietary use. Food for special dietary use is again categorized into the following three (03) categories:

• Infant and Follow-up Formula
• Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP)
• Other Food for Special Dietary Use.

Health food is categorized into the following two (02) categories:

• Functional Food (twenty-four [24] Approved Functions)
• Nutrition Supplements

Registration and Notification

Registration is required for health foods, infant and follow-up formula, FSMP, and functional food, whereas notification is required for nutrition supplements before they are imported. Applications for the registration of imported health foods shall be handled by the respective permanent representative offices in China or by an agency entrusted to them within China. Overseas manufacturers whose products meet the listing requirements of the country (region) where they are located refer to the legal persons or organizations there itself.

Important Validities

The Registration Certificate is valid for five (05) years. Applications for renewal of the certificate should be submitted six (06) months before the expiry date. Otherwise, the certificate may expire before the approval of the renewal.

Freyr experts provide different kinds of food product-related Regulatory services in China, such as the China food product classification, formulation/ingredient assessment, label and claims review, technical dossier compilation, and submissions to the HAs.