What are food additives?

According to GB 2760-2014 National Food Safety Standard Standard for Uses of Food Additives, food additives refer to an artificially chemosynthetic or natural substance to be added to foods in order to improve food quality, color, fragrance and taste, and for the purpose of preservation and processing technology. Food additives also include flavor substance for food, gum-based substances in the Paste base candy and processing aids.

What laws and regulations does imported food must comply with?

According to Article 9 of the Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export of Food Safety, imported food shall comply with Chinese laws, regulations and national food safety standards, and shall also comply with the special requirements of international treaties and agreements concluded or acceded by China. The import food, for which the national food safety standards are unavailable, shall comply with the requirements of the relevant interim applicable standards promulgated by the health authority of the State Council.

What is the basis for the legal use of imported food additives?

Article 92 of the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that imported foods, food additives and food-related products shall comply with China's national food safety standards. GB 2760-2014 stipulates the principles for the use of food additives, permitted varieties of food additives, the scope of use and the maximum level or residue level, of which "5. Provisions for the application of food additives" specified that the application of food additives shall comply with the provisions of Appendix A.

What are the consequences of illegal use of additives in imported food?

If imported food is used new varieties of food additives that have not been approved by the health authority of the State Council, or if the food additives are used beyond the scope or dosage and the technical rectification cannot be implemented, the conformity assessment is "unqualified". According to Article 33 of the Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety, the Customs Administration shall issue a certificate of non-conformity for the import food failing the conformity assessment by the Customs Administration; for the foods of non-conformity involving safety, health and environmental protection, the Customs Administration shall send a written notice to a food importer and order him or her to destruct or return the food involved.

How to apply for foods containing new varieties of food additives before import?

According to Article 37 of the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, for production of novel foods, new food additive varieties, or new food-related products, the producer shall submit the safety assessment materials relative to the product to the health authority of the State Council. The health authority of the State Council shall organize the review of the materials within sixty (60) days upon receipt of the application. For applications that comply with food safety requirements, a license shall be granted and made public. For applications that fail to comply with the safety requirements, a license shall not be granted with an explanatory note in writing. Therefore, the new variety of food additives must pass the strict evaluation, review and publication of the health authority of the State Council before it can be used in imported food.

Source: Huangpu Customs 12360

Note: This article is compiled by Antion. Please indicate the source for reprint.