China's Ministry of Health announced the Notice on Standardizing License Management of New Food Additives (NSLMNFA) to strengthen the management of new food additives in China on 25 November 2011, which may increase the difficulty in applying for new sweeteners in China, according to CCM's January issue of Sweeteners China News.
In fact, Chinese government has already launched the Management Measures of New Food Additives (MMNFA) in March 2010 and the Regulations of New Food Additives' Declaration and Acceptance (RNFADA) in May 2010.
According to the MMNFA, the definition of new food additives includes three parts: 1) food additives which have not been classified into national standard of food safety 2) food additives which have not been approved to use by the Ministry of Health 3) food additives whose current dosage and application range are needed to be expanded
Compared with the MMNFA and the RNFADA, the latest notice (NSLMNFA) has stipulated detailed and increased items on management of new food additives.
Firstly, the NSLMNFA has supplemented five detailed provisions of on-site verification and evaluation for new food additives. Previous MMNFA just defines that the Ministry of Health can organize experts to run on-site verification and evaluation for new food additives when necessary, but it has not defined concrete operations. In addition, it focuses more on paper material review, while the new NSLMNFA pays more attention to on-site verification and evaluation, which indicates that Chinese government is strengthening the management of new food additives in more ways to ensure food safety.
Besides, the NSLMNFA emphasizes more on comparison. Actually, the MMNFA just requirs the applicants to submit testimonial materials of new food additives' application conditions and effect in oversea countries and regions. And the NSLMNFA pays more attention to the comparison. For instance, the applicants should submit testimonial materials of the contrast effect in food including and excluding new food additives and the quality specification comparison material contrasted with international organizations and other countries, reflecting that Chinese government focuses on the necessity of new food additives' launch.
Moreover, the NSLMNFA encourages the public to offer suggestions on the management of new food additives. According to the MMNFA, comments from the public shall be solicited when it comes to the necessity and effect of the use of new food additives. From this aspect, the NSLMNFA welcomes suggestions and opinions of new food additives and its management, which may arouse the enthusiasm of the public to offer their views.
In general, the NSLMNFA may raise the difficulty in applying for new sweeteners in China. On one hand, the NSLMNFA will improve the laws and regulations on new food additives, which may increase the application producers of food additives; on the other hand, many food safety incidents caused by food additives happened in 2011, which has aroused Chinese people's concerns about food additives. And the encouragement of suggestions and opinions may assist Chinese government to receive more public suggestions, which may drive it to take a more cautious attitude to the approval of new food additives.
With efforts from Chinese government to strengthen the management of food additives, the new food additives which will be launched in the future may be natural and efficient. For example, it is estimated that thaumatin may be approved as a new sweetener in China. Mr. Wu, Secretary-General of Sweetener Professional Committee of Chinese Food Additives and Ingredients Association, predicted that thaumatin will be approved to use in food and beverages in China thanks to its natural extract and high intensity of sweetness. What's more, Some Chinese producers have already applied for thaumatin to be used as a new sweetener, and the applications are in progress now.
Source: Sweeteners China News 1201
http://www.cnchemicals.com/Newsletter/NewsletterDetail_190.html
Content of Sweeteners China News 1201:
Food Additive Industry Association officially established in Wuhan
Demand for GOS keeps increasing in China
Chinawill promote food safety through legislation
The 20th anniversary of CBFIA held in Beijing
HZSY intends to stop beet sugar production
Hainanto establish aromatic industry
2011 annual review of Chinese sweetener industry
Export volume of aspartame in 2012 may affected by re-evaluation of EFSA
Export value of Chinese stevia sweetener grows fast in 2011
China's government strengthens management of new food additives
China's sucralose capacity to increase by 2,000t/a in 2012
Futaste's L-arabinose selected in National Key New Product Plan of 2011
……
If you are interested in CCM International’s January issue of Sweeteners China News, please do not hesitate to contact us by +86-20-37616606, or email us at econtact@cnchemicals.com.
(Guangzhou China, January 10, 2012)
Sweeteners China News is a monthly newsletter published by CCM International Limited. Based on China market, CCM offers timely update and close follow up of China’s various kind of sweeteners market dynamics, analyze the market data and trends, Major columns include market dynamic, company dynamic, raw material supply, price update, import & export analysis, Consumption Trend & Competitiveness.
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