On 13th May, 2022, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHC) approved 3 new food raw materials and 18 new food additives. The detailed approval information is as follow:

On 13 May, 2022, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHC) approved fifteen new food contact substances (No. 2 of 2022), including 4 new food contact additives, 2 food contact additives with expanded scope, 9 new food contact resins.

In recent years, with the rapid improvement of social medical level and the living standard, Chinese consumers are paying close attention to health. Besides, the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic since the beginning of 2020 has made everyone become more aware of the importance of health and the pursuit of health has become more urgent. Therefore, health food with specific health functions and/or could regulate body functions have gradually become the focus of consumers.

In recent years, Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) has become the new aristocrat in milk and been well known by the public. HMOs are the third largest solid component in breast milk after lactose and fat. The importance of HMOs in the field of food nutrition has been constantly confirmed. Its typical ingredient 2'-FL has successively won the "pass" in the several countries. Although 2'-FL has not been officially approved for use in China, many 2'-FL applications have been reviewed and draft for public comments by the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA), including synthetic sources and modified E.coli sources, which indicates that the approval of 2'-FL in China is near.

On April 22, 2022, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) issued 3 new food contact additives and resins passing the technical review of the CFSA Expert Review Committee for public comments. The 3 substances include 1 new food contact additive with expanded scope and 2 new food contact resins. The deadline for public comments is 20 May, 2022.

On 15 April, 2022, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) issued 3 new food additives passing the technical review of the CFSA Expert Review Committee and now opens for public comments, including 1 new food enzyme, 1 new food nutrition enhancer and 1 food additive with expanded scope. The deadline for public comments is 13 May, 2022.

In accordance with the requirements of the Department of Food Safety Standards, Risk Surveillance and Assessment of the National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) sorted out the catalogues of approved “Three New Food” (including new food raw materials, new food additives, and new food-related products) since the implementation of the Food Safety Law in 2009, and illustrated their applicable national food safety standards. On March 28, 2022, CFSA issued the draft of this catalogue for public comments. Opinions and advices shall be given before April 25, 2022.

In the past, except for registration of new enzymes produced by genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs), other registrations of new food additives or food raw materials produced by GMMs are unacceptable by National Health Commission (NHC) in China, which means, these new food ingredients have no chance to enter the Chinese market as a food additive or food raw material. In the year of 2021, NHC opened the application channel for GMM food additives. For example, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which attracted much attention in recent years, are generally produced by GMMs. In the second half of 2021 alone, NHC have accepted the application of three HMO products.

On 14 March, 2022, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) opened public comment for Arabinoxylan. The deadline for public comments is 14 April, 2022. It is made from gramineous plants such as bagasse, wheat bran, corn husk, etc., through pretreatment, edible alkali extraction, dealkalization concentration, neutralization precipitation, washing purification, drying and other processes.

On 1st March, 2022, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHC) approved 2 new food raw materials and 11 new food additives.