To accurately address the common questions frequently encountered in the acceptance of special foods and related administrative licenses, and to effectively improve applicants’ efficiency and experience, the Food Review Center of the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the “Summary of Common Issues on the Acceptance Work” on October 28, 2025.

China NHC issued notifications regarding the acceptance of “three new foods”. The applications for 2 new food materials and 2 new food additives have been received.

Pursuant to the Announcement (No.38, 2023) jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, National Health Commission, and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine regarding the Directory of Health Functions Permitted for Health Food Claims for Non-Nutrient Supplements (2023 Edition) (hereinafter referred to as “the Claims”), all registered non-nutrient supplement health foods will be regulated in accordance with the Administrative Measures for the Catalog of Health Food Ingredients and Health Functions and the Claims for five years from the date of this announcement.

On October 2, 2025, UK has launched a public consultation on plans to completely prohibit the use of bisphenol A (BPA), other bisphenol analogues, and their derivatives in food contact materials.

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

On October 17, 2025, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency, through its Food Sanitation Standards Review Section, announced a public consultation on two draft amendments related to materials that come into contact with food. The drafts include revisions to Monomers and Other Starting Materials Specified in Table 1 of Appendix 1 of the Standards for Foods, Additives, etc. and the Guidelines for the Use of Recycled Materials as Raw Materials in the Manufacture of Food Utensils and Container Packaging.

In recent years, the enthusiasm for GRAS Notices to the U.S. FDA has remained strong. From July 2025 to the present, the FDA has released a large-scale update to the GRAS inventory. CIRS Group has conducted a detailed analysis and summary of GRAS submissions from July to September 2025, to help enterprises stay informed and make strategic reference. It is important to note that updates on the FDA website are often delayed – many substances may have already completed the GRAS review and received “no questions” letters, but their public status remains unchanged. CIRS Group closely monitors FDA updates, and this report summarizes the information newly released in Q3 2025.

On October 14, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as “the GACC”) issued the “Regulations on the Registration Management of Overseas Food Production Enterprises Imported” (hereinafter referred to as “Decree No. 280”), which will take effect on June 1, 2026.

On October 23, 2025, CIRS Japan successfully hosted its First Anniversary Celebration & Global Chemical Regulation Seminar in Tokyo. This event, available both in person and virtually, gathered together experts from the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI) and the Japan Chemical Exporters & Importers Association (JCEIA), and other authoritative institutions, as well as representatives from major international chemical companies, including Mitsubishi Chemical and Kao Corporation. The event was packed with insightful discussions and networking opportunities, showcasing CIRS Japan's local expertise and the global support from CIRS Group.

China NHC issued notifications regarding the acceptance of “three new foods”. The applications for 1 new food materials, 2 new food additives and 1 new food related material have been received.