CIRS Group will host the “2026 Global Food Regulations Annual Forum” in Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo in June 2026. This conference will bring together leading experts from China, the US, Europe, Japan and South Korea to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest global regulatory developments.

On March 31, 2026, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has decided to abandon the proposal pursuant to section 56 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (the FSANZ Act).

At the request of the European Commission, the Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods, and Food Allergens (NDA) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was tasked with providing an opinion on the use of carbon dioxide extract from Cannabis sativa L. as a novel food under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.

Wishing everyone who celebrates a very happy easter! This issue delves into the EU’s PFAS restriction proposal, the U.S. adverse event monitoring system for cosmetics, the potential end of the dual food system for the EU and the UK, and so much more.

CIRS Group has compiled and summarized the intended uses and use levels of HMOs approved in the EU for industry reference. Among them, chemically synthesized and microbially produced 2’-FL have identical scope of use and use levels; similarly, chemically synthesized and microbially produced LNnT share the same conditions of use. The remaining HMOs are produced via microbial sources, and their intended uses may vary depending on the production organism.

There are more than 200 types of HMOs, each with specific structures and functions, enabling applications across different fields. As a result, regulatory submissions for HMOs are rapidly increasing worldwide, with commercialization first initiated in Europe and the United States. In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized the first HMO—chemically synthesized 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) submitted by Glycom A/S—as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Since then, multiple HMOs have successively obtained GRAS status in the United States.

This article summarizes the approval status and usage of HMOs in the Australia–New Zealand for industry reference.

Since the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in 2021, food substances that have obtained EU marketing authorization have been required to undergo additional UK specific notifications to enter the UK market (for example, novel foods already approved in the EU cannot enter the UK market in compliance without resubmitting a notification to UK authorities) . However, in May 2025, the UK government reached an agreement with the EU to advance a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “UK-EU SPS Agreement”). The agreement covers the trade, production, and transport of animals, plants, and related products; food and feed safety; pesticide regulation; and more, aiming to streamline the flow of goods between the UK and the EU. It is scheduled to officially enter into force in mid-2027.

On March 18, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the Q&A on the Registration of Foods for Special Medical Purposes under the New National Standards. The document aims to guide enterprises in conducting compliant applications and efficient registration in accordance with two national food safety standards: General Principles for Foods for Special Medical Purposes (GB 29922—2025) and Foods for Special Medical Purposes for Tumor Complete Nutrition (GB 31662—2025), thereby ensuring a smooth and orderly market supply transition.

Recently, according to the National Health Commission’s administrative licensing information system, N-acetylneuraminic acid has been added to the Terminated Review List of New Food Raw Materials. This product is produced using glucose as the raw material through microbial fermentation and multiple processing steps. As it is considered substantially equivalent to the already approved N-acetylneuraminic acid, the review process has been terminated.