On December 22, 2023, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) issued 2 new food raw materials, L-alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, for public comments. The deadline for public comments is January 22, 2024.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) stands as a unique carbohydrate present exclusively in breast milk, ranking as the third-largest solid component, following lactose and fat. With diverse functions, HMOs plays a crucial role in enhancing the gut microbiota, boosting cognitive function, and alleviating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, among other benefits. Currently, there are over 150 known types of HMOs, each with distinct structures, functions, and applications. Several types have initiated compliance efforts globally, with commercialization taking root first in the EU and the United States.

On October 7, 2023, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) issued Notice No.8 of 2023, officially approving tiger nut as a new food raw material. The notice does not specify any restrictions on its consumption level and usage scope.

In recent years, an increasing number of domestic and international companies have sought FDA GRAS certification for new substances added to food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regularly updates the list of "Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)" substances on its official website, with the most recent update as of October 31, 2023. CIRS Group has made a detailed analysis and summarized the substances submitted for GRAS certification from 2021 to 2023 to provide businesses with valuable insights.

On October 7, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) issued an announcement (No. 8 of 2023) on the approval of 15 “Three New Foods”, including four new food raw materials, six new food additives, and five food-related products.

On August 28, 2023, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) issued 3 new food raw materials for public comment, namely (3R,3'S)-β,β-carotene-3,3'-Diol, Pichia kluyveri and Bacillus subtilis DE111. The deadline for public comment is September 28, 2023.

On August 18, 2023, we hosted a free webinar in Chinese and Japanese on the promotional barriers and key compliance points for functional food and food with medical properties. A lot of questions were raised during the webinar. We have collected questions and made a Q&A summary.

On August 23, 2023, the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) published three new food additives for public comment, namely one new food nutrition enhancer and two food additives with an expanded scope. The deadline for public comments is September 18, 2023.

China offers a wide range of food categories in addition to complex food regulations and standards. It is crucial to precisely determine whether the raw materials and additives used in a food product comply with Chinese regulatory standards before it is imported or launched on the market. How do you verify the compliance of food raw materials? What is the scope of use and amount of food additives permitted? Typically, these types of queries call for food enterprises to carry out multiple inquiries and research.

On August 1, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) issued an announcement (No. 5 of 2023) for “Three New Foods” with eight products approved, namely two new food raw materials, three new food additives, and three food-related products.