The National Health Commission issued the “Announcement of State Administration for Market Regulation and National Health Commission”, China about issuing the 50 national food safety standards including "National food safety standard Cheese" (GB 5420-2021) and 4 amendments on March 18, 2021, including: “National Food Safety Standard Infant formula” (GB10765-2021), “National Food Safety Standard Follow-up formula” (GB10766-2021), and “National Food Safety Standard Toddler formula” (GB10767-2021). The two-year buffer period has passed, and the new national standard for infant formula has been officially implemented on February 22, 2023. The registration threshold of infant formula has been further raised, and the infant formula market will also open a new round of elimination competition. How about the current registration process of enterprises? Foodmate have summarized the latest information and share with you.

Through the data of the special food information query platform of the State Administration of Market Supervision, as of February 8, 2023, 1,380 formulas of 456 series in 175 factories from 126 companies have been registered. Among them, there are 121 domestic factories and 54 overseas factories. Among 1,380 registered formulas for infant formula milk powder, 1,038 are domestic ones, and 342 are overseas ones. The number of domestic formulas registration accounts for a high proportion, which is 3 times the number of overseas formula registrations.

Figure 1 Registration of infant formula domestic and overseas

In 1,380 registered formulas for infant formula milk powder, 1,086 are milk infant formula, accounting for 79% of the total. Among them, there are 777 domestic milk formula powders and 309 overseas milk formula powders. 294 are goat infant milk formulas, accounting for 21% of the total. Among them, there are 261 domestic goat milk formula powders and 33 overseas goat milk formula powders. At present, the registered milk formula powder is nearly 4 times the number of goat milk infant formulas.

Figure 2 Registration of milk/goat milk formula

At present, there are 291 formulas that have obtained new national standards. Among them, 260 formulas are domestic ones, accounting for 89% of the total; 31 formula are overseas ones, accounting for 11% of the total. Currently, the number of domestic formulas that have obtained the new national standard is 8 times that of overseas ones.

Domestically, the number of milk formula powders that have obtained the new national standard is 225, 6 times that of goat milk formula powders, whose number is 35. At present, 12 series formulas of 7 enterprises have been registered with the new national standard. 

Among the 31 formulas registered under the new national standard overseas, 29 are milk formula powders and 2 are goat milk formula powders. It mainly involves 13 Wyeth, 6 Danone, 6 Friesland, 4 Ausnutria, and 2 Nestlé. Among them, two formulas of Ausnutria are goat milk formula powders. The countries where overseas factories are located mainly include the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, and Ireland.

At present, 154 formulas have adjusted or modified information according to the new national standard, 119 formulas have been registered according to the new national standard and switched from the old formula, and 18 new formulas have been added.

The enterprises that have obtained registration under the new national standard mainly involve 28 ones such as Yili, FIRMUS, Mengniu, Junlebao, MeadJohnson, Nestlé, Beingmate, Ausnutria and Abbott.

Figure 3 Quantity of approved formula of each enterprise

In the face of the new national standard formula registration, some small and medium-sized dairy enterprises have voluntarily abandoned the registration, and some have delayed to pass the registration, in general, most companies have submitted applications for registration under the new national standard. The approval work is also in progress in an orderly manner. After this round of adjustment, some domestic infant formula milk powder enterprises will be eliminated, and the industry head concentration effect will be more obvious. Foodmate will continue to pay attention to the developments of infant formula registration, and provide the latest progress for companies in a timely manner.