As defined in the Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, food additive shall mean any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has nutritive value, the intentional addition of which to food for a technological purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage of such food results, or may be reasonably expected to result, in it or its by-products becoming directly or indirectly a component of such foods.

Recently, CIRS Group successfully assisted Penglai Marine in obtaining Self-GRAS Notice for its anhydrous magnesium citrate. It signifies that Penglai Marine’s anhydrous magnesium citrate may now be legally marketed and utilized as a safe food ingredient within the U.S. market, marking a significant step forward in Penglai Marine’s internationalization efforts.

On April 23, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) of China issued the Q&A on the Registration of Foods for Special Medical Purposes Infant Formula under the New National Standard (hereinafter referred to as the “Q&A”). The purpose of the Q&A is to facilitate the re-registration process following the promulgation of the National Food Safety Standard - General Rules for Food for Special Medical Purpose Infant Formula (GB 25596—2025) (hereinafter referred to as the “New National Standard”), guide enterprises in the standardized submission of applications, and ensure a smooth market transition.

Recently, China's National Health Commission (NHC) issued notifications regarding the approval and review of “Three new foods” (new food raw materials, new food additives, and new food-related products). The notifications included: Seven notifications of approval of review findings Thirty-nine notifications of extension notices; and Nine notifications of review opinions.

On March 27, 2025, Chinese NHC released 50 new national food safety standards, including GB 25596-2025: National Food Safety Standard – General Principles for FSMP Infant Formula. The transition period for this new standard, based on previous regulations and a comprehensive evaluation of various factors, has been set at two years. It will officially come into effect on March 16, 2027.

As defined in the Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 on food enzymes, “food enzyme” means a product obtained from plants, animals or micro-organisms or products thereof including a product obtained by a fermentation process using micro-organisms “food enzyme preparation” means a formulation consisting of one or more food enzymes in which substances such as food additives and/or other food ingredients are incorporated to facilitate their storage, sale, standardisation, dilution or dissolution.

China NHC issued notifications regarding the acceptance of “three new foods”. The applications for 11 new food additives and 4 new food related materials have been received.

In day-to-day life, you’ve likely heard marketing slogans like: “Our product has a clean ingredient list – no added sucrose or preservatives, making it safe for both the elderly and children.” Businesses often use these claims to create a perfect image of their products. When consumers see labels such as “不添加蔗糖 (no sucrose added)” or “不添加食品添加剂 (no food additives)”, they subconsciously assume the product is of high quality. However, sucrose is not the only type of sugar, and food additives are not necessarily harmful.

Understanding the US FDA’s regulations and policies is vital for companies that intend to export their food materials to the US market. However, in recent years several companies have ceased their submitted GRAS Notice, and it's important to understand the reasons why.

The application of synthetic biology in food production continues to deepen. In response to this trend, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has updated its guidance for novel food applications, further refining requirements for products derived from synthetic biology