Review of China’s New Food Raw Materials in the First Half of 2026

In the first half of 2026, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) issued two “Three New Foods” announcements (Announcement No. 1 and Announcement No. 5 of 2026), approving a total of 38 products, including new food raw materials, new food additives, and new food-related products. Among these, 12 were approved as new food raw materials. In addition, seven new food ingredients were added to the Termination of Review List, while five new food ingredients entered the public consultation stage.

This article provides an overview of the acceptance and approval status of new food raw materials in China during the first half of 2026.

1. Overview of New Food Ingredient Applications and Approvals in the First Half of 2026

As of July 6, 2026, based on information published on the official websites of the NHC and the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA), the latest status of new food ingredient applications and approvals is summarized below.

Figure 1. Summary of New Food Ingredient Applications and Approvals in China (First Half of 2026)

2. Details of Accepted New Food Ingredient Applications

As of July 6, 2026, the NHC had accepted applications for 16 new food raw materials, including 15 domestically developed ingredients and 1 imported ingredient. Plant-derived ingredients continued to dominate the applications.

Table 1. Summary of Accepted Applications for New Food Ingredients

3. Approval Status of New Food Raw Materials

In the first half of 2026, 12 new food ingredients were approved through two NHC “Three New Foods” announcements. In addition, seven ingredients were added to the Termination of Review List, while five ingredients completed technical review by the Expert Committee and were released by the CFSA for public consultation. Plant-derived ingredients continued to dominate the approval landscape, while applications involving edible microorganisms, alternative proteins, and biosynthesized ingredients increased significantly. Notably, L-ergothioneine entered the public consultation stage with seven different production processes, highlighting the rapid development of biotechnology-derived new food ingredients.

Table 2. Summary of New Food Raw Material Approvals

4. Analysis of New Food Ingredient Review Trends

During the first half of 2026, 16 new food ingredient applications were accepted, representing 48% of the 33 applications accepted during the same period in 2025. However, the number of approvals reached 80% of the total approvals for the entire year of 2025. Meanwhile, review timelines were significantly shortened for several products, including Mycoprotein from Fusarium compactum (10 months) and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis YLGB-1496 (11 months), indicating that while application submissions have slowed, regulatory review has become increasingly efficient.

CIRS Group summarizes four key trends observed during the first half of 2026:

1. Plant-derived ingredients remain the dominant category.
Traditional raw materials such as leaves, flowers, and edible oils, together with functional extracts including polysaccharides and polyphenols, continue to account for the majority of applications, reflecting sustained market demand for naturally sourced ingredients.

2. Alternative proteins continue to gain momentum.
Following the approval of Fusarium venenatum protein last year, one additional application entered the Termination of Review List while another was formally accepted this year. In addition, Fusarium compactum protein received official approval, demonstrating continued implementation of China’s “Greater Food Approach” through the development of novel protein sources.

3. Biosynthesized ingredients are emerging rapidly, with seven L-ergothioneine production technologies entering public consultation simultaneously.
Applications based on enzymatic bioconversion and microbial fermentation continue to increase. The simultaneous public consultation of seven different manufacturing processes for L-ergothioneine represents one of the most notable regulatory developments in the first half of the year and reflects the growing role of biotechnology in China's new food ingredient approval system.

4. Domestically developed probiotics are entering a new stage of growth.
The approved Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis YLGB-1496, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11, and the publicly consulted Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9 are all proprietary Chinese strains, indicating that China’s probiotic industry is transitioning from reliance on imported strains toward independent research and innovation.

With extensive experience in China’s “Three New Foods” regulatory framework and numerous successful registration projects, CIRS Group provides comprehensive technical support for applications covering new food raw materials, new food additives, and new food-related products. Leveraging our proven expertise across multiple product categories, we are committed to delivering professional, efficient, and high-quality regulatory solutions to help companies successfully navigate the approval process. 

Note: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in this article. However, the data are for reference only. Please refer to the latest information officially published by the competent authorities. CIRS Group welcomes any comments or corrections regarding the content of this article.

About CIRS 

Established in 2007, the CIRS Group is a leading product safety and regulatory consulting firm. CIRS has branch offices in the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and China. CIRS Group utilizes its technical expertise, various resources, and international network to provide one-stop compliance services from regulatory compliance, laboratory testing, R&D to data services across multiple industries. This includes chemicals, cosmetics, food and food beverages, medical devices, agrochemical products, disinfectants, and consumer goods. It helps clients gain a competitive advantage by reducing business risks associated with regulatory affairs.

The vast majority of members in CIRS Food Business Division have over 10 years of professional experience in food compliance, with more than 80% holding Master’s or Doctoral degrees in food-related disciplines. The CIRS toxicology expert team consists 24 Chinese Certified Toxicologists (DCST), 2 American Board Certified Toxicologists (DABT), and 2 European Registered Toxicologists (ERT). CIRS has provided one-stop food compliance services to over 1,000 domestic and international food and related enterprises. Leveraging its technical expertise, diverse resources, and global network, the CIRS Food Business Division offers global food compliance services, including but not limited to:

• Health food registration and filing in China;
• Application for “Three New Foods (new food additives, new food raw materials and new food-related products” in China;
• U.S. GRAS, NDI, and CAP notifications;
• EU Novel Food, food additives, and food enzymes applications; and
• Application for new feed ingredients and feed additives in China, the U.S., and the EU.

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