On May 22, 2026, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) issued errata for the "Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition)." Following a review by the Cosmetic Standardization Technical Committee under the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), textual errors were identified in certain provisions of "Chapter 4: Physicochemical Test Methods." The corrected errata table has been officially published.
The errata covers corrections across three separate announcements — No. 268 of 2015, No. 18 of 2025, and No. 45 of 2024 — involving amendments to testing methods for pH values, arsenic, lithium and 42 other elements, and asbestos in cosmetics.
Errata Table
| No. | Announcement | Section | Clause | Original Text | Corrected Text |
| 1 | Announcement No. 268 of 2015 | Chapter 4 Physicochemical Test Methods 1. General Principles 1.1 pH Value | 3.1; Appendix A | Potassium hydrogen phthalate standard buffer solution; phthalate | Potassium hydrogen phthalate standard buffer solution; phthalate (Note: "邻" (ortho) added before "苯二甲酸") |
| Chapter 4 Physicochemical Test Methods 1. General Principles 1.4 Arsenic | Method 2 6.1 Calculation | ω = (ρ₁ - ρ₀) × V × V₅ × 1000 / (m × V₁) | ω = (ρ₁ - ρ₀) × V × V₅ / (m × V₁ × 1000) (Note: "× 1000" moved from numerator to denominator) | ||
| 2 | Notice No. 18 of 2025 | Chapter 4 Physicochemical Test Methods 1. General Principles 1.6 Determination of Li and 42 Other Elements in Cosmetics; 1.16 Determination of Li and 42 Other Elements in Toothpaste | 2 Method Summary | If 0.2 g sample is taken, dilute to volume of 50 mL | If 0.5 g sample is taken, dilute to volume of 50 mL (Note: "0.2 g" corrected to "0.5 g") |
| 3 | Notice No. 45 of 2024 | Chapter 4 Physicochemical Test Methods 2. Test Methods for Prohibited Ingredients 2.27 Determination of Asbestos in Cosmetics | 6.2.1 Preparation of Analytical Sample | After 5 min ultrasonication and vigorous shaking, transfer 20 L onto a clean glass slide (4.6) | After 5 min ultrasonication and vigorous shaking, transfer 20 μL onto a clean glass slide (4.6) (Note: "20 L" corrected to "20 μL") |
CIRS Reminder
The errata primarily address typographical errors in the "Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition)," including missing characters ("邻" omitted from "邻苯二甲酸"), misplaced calculation factors ("× 1000" in the wrong position of the arsenic formula), incorrect sample quantities (0.2 g vs. 0.5 g), and missing unit symbols (μL instead of L). These corrections, while seemingly minor, are critical for ensuring the accuracy and reproducibility of regulatory test methods.
Cosmetic enterprises, testing institutions, and regulatory professionals are advised to update their reference copies of the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition) accordingly to ensure compliance with the corrected methods.
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