China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) has optimized the documentation requirements for the iterim testing registration of agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). This regulatory update significantly streamlines the application process, offering a faster and more efficient pathway for biotech developers, research institutions, and agricultural feed additive manufacturers.

China’s SAMR has proposed updated health food registration rules, expanding regulations beyond wild species to cover all plant and animal ingredients. The draft tightens prohibitions on animal materials while easing certain cultivated plant restrictions. Businesses must ensure supply chain traceability, verify species lists, and adjust non-compliant product formulations.

EFSA has published its scientific opinion on the safety assessment of lacto-N-triose II (LNTri II) as a novel food. The Panel concluded that LNTri II does not raise safety concerns under the proposed conditions of use and use levels.

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).

China NHC issued notifications regarding the acceptance of “three new foods”. The applications for 5 new food materials, 2 new food additives and 5 new food-related products have been received.

The FDA is issuing a final order revoking the authorized use of Orange Bas a color additive in food and is proposing to revoke the authorized use of Citrus Red No.2 as a color additive in food.

In 2025, the U.S. Congress introduced three proposals related to food substances “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS): S.2341, H.R.4958, and S.3122. These proposals all focus on improving the GRAS evaluation process, substance safety, and regulatory requirements for self-GRAS.

In H1 2026, the EU approved 8 food additive modifications, validated 5 dossiers, and published 9 scientific opinions. While new plant- and microorganism-derived additives are gaining interest, modification requests remain dominant. Amid strict upcoming EFSA guidance revisions, applicants must ensure complete, robust dossiers to ensure efficient market authorization.

The U.S. New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) database was updated on July 13, 2026, with a total of 25 substances having their status updated. CIRS has organized the updated data for you. It should be noted that there is a lag in the NDI database updates. The latest FDA response times in this update report are all earlier than April 1, 2026. Currently, the actual number of completed NDI notifications is actually greater than the data currently published on the official website. CIRS Group will continue to pay close attention to subsequent updates on the FDA official website.

Driven by a global wave of food innovation, regulatory compliance and market access for novel food ingredients and additives have become critical hurdles for companies expanding internationally. Under this circumstance, CIRS Group has prepared the White Paper Series on Global Novel Food and Feed Ingredient Submissions, with the aim to help businesses navigate the evolving global regulations and accelerate global expansion.