On 26 December 2013, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of People's Republic of China (formerly the Ministry of Health) has published China food safety national standard GB 13432-2013, general rules for the labeling of prepackaged food for special dietary uses. This national standard will enter into force on 1 July 2015.
GB 13432-2013, alongside GB 7718-2011 and GB 28050-2011, specified the categories and labeling requirements (including nutrition labeling requirement) of food for special uses in China.
If you would like to export these foods into China, the following key contents will be very helpful for labeling. Firstly, you should check if your products meet the definitions of food for special dietary uses.
Categories of Food for Special Dietary Uses
a) Formula for infants and young children
- 1. Infant formula
- 2. Older infants and young children formula
- 3. Infant formula for special medical purpose
b) Complementary food for infants and young children
- 1. Cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children
- 2. Canned complementary foods for infants and young children
c) Formula for special medical purpose (except products for infants)
d) Other food for special dietary uses (including complementary food supplements, sport nutrition food and any other food for special dietary uses corresponding to National Standards)
d) Other food for special dietary uses (including complementary food supplements, sport nutrition food and any other food for special dietary uses corresponding to National Standards)
Basic Requirements of Labeling
- 1. Any claim as to prevention and/or treatment of disease is forbidden
- 2. Be compliant with relevant provisions about labels and instruction in the corresponding product standards of prepackaged food for special dietary uses
- 3. Any content claim and/or function claim for essential ingredient of formula food for 0-6 months infant is forbidden
Highlights
As prepackaged food for special dietary uses, the labeling should conform to not only the requirements covered by GB 7718-2011 and GB 28050-2011 but also the following demands which are stricter:
1. Contents of essential ingredients stipulated in its product standard should be labeled in the form of numerical value, besides "4+1" which means energy, protein, lipid, carbohydrate and sodium. Nutrition enrichment content should also be labeled in the form of numerical value if added. The actual content of energy and nutrition ingredients shall not be less than 80% of the value declared within shelf life.
2. Products must be labeled with contents regarding which kind of people is appropriate to use, how to eat and how much to eat.
3. It is depending on you whether the trans-fatty acids content is labelled. Nevertheless, food for special dietary uses should be in accordance with its product standard, if applicable. For example, there is nonuse of hydrogenated fat and limited trans-fatty acids content in infant formula according to GB 10765-2010 National food safety standard for infant formula.
4. Content claim for energy and nutrition ingredients should keep to the requirements of its product standard. Proofs that content claim of that nutrition ingredients is allowed by other countries and/or international organizations should be provided, if there are no requirement about the limited dosage included in product standard, GB14880-2012 and relevant Notice.
5. Function claim for energy and nutrition ingredients should keep to the requirements of GB 13432-2013 and GB 28050-2011. If the function claim is not listed in GB 28050-2011, you should refer to other countries and/or international organizations. Of course, the terms and proofs definitely need to be provided.
6. Description of formula features and nutrition characteristics should be labeled on formula for special medical purpose (including infant formula for special medical purpose).
1. Contents of essential ingredients stipulated in its product standard should be labeled in the form of numerical value, besides "4+1" which means energy, protein, lipid, carbohydrate and sodium. Nutrition enrichment content should also be labeled in the form of numerical value if added. The actual content of energy and nutrition ingredients shall not be less than 80% of the value declared within shelf life.
2. Products must be labeled with contents regarding which kind of people is appropriate to use, how to eat and how much to eat.
3. It is depending on you whether the trans-fatty acids content is labelled. Nevertheless, food for special dietary uses should be in accordance with its product standard, if applicable. For example, there is nonuse of hydrogenated fat and limited trans-fatty acids content in infant formula according to GB 10765-2010 National food safety standard for infant formula.
4. Content claim for energy and nutrition ingredients should keep to the requirements of its product standard. Proofs that content claim of that nutrition ingredients is allowed by other countries and/or international organizations should be provided, if there are no requirement about the limited dosage included in product standard, GB14880-2012 and relevant Notice.
5. Function claim for energy and nutrition ingredients should keep to the requirements of GB 13432-2013 and GB 28050-2011. If the function claim is not listed in GB 28050-2011, you should refer to other countries and/or international organizations. Of course, the terms and proofs definitely need to be provided.
6. Description of formula features and nutrition characteristics should be labeled on formula for special medical purpose (including infant formula for special medical purpose).
Other National Standards for Labeling of Prepackaged Food in China
1. GB 7718-2011 Food safety national standard - general standards for the labeling of prepackaged foods
2. GB 28050-2011 Food safety national standard - general standards for the nutrition labeling of prepackaged foods
Download
GB 13432-2013 General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food for Special Dietary Uses (CN version free download)
If you would like to get more information, pleases send us an email.
2. GB 28050-2011 Food safety national standard - general standards for the nutrition labeling of prepackaged foods
Download
GB 13432-2013 General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food for Special Dietary Uses (CN version free download)
If you would like to get more information, pleases send us an email.
Contact Us
Ms. Alice Yang, Food & Health Products, CIRS China
11F Dongguan Building, 288 Qiuyi Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China, 310020
Tel : +86 571 8720 6555 | Fax : +86 571 8720 6533
Email: Alice.Yang@cirs-group.com
11F Dongguan Building, 288 Qiuyi Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China, 310020
Tel : +86 571 8720 6555 | Fax : +86 571 8720 6533
Email: Alice.Yang@cirs-group.com
