Flavoring substances in China are managed as food additives, food flavoring substances in China shall comply with the National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB2760-2014), the National Food Safety Standard for Food Flavoring Substances (GB29938-2020) and the quality specifications for food flavoring substances. Since flavoring substances are generally prepared into flavoring essences for food flavoring, China has also formulated the National Food Safety Standard for Flavoring Essences (GB30616-2020).

This article summarizes the relevant provisions of Chinese flavoring substances from three aspects: the definition and classification, the principles of use, and the labeling.

1. Definition and classification of food flavoring substances

According to GB29938, food flavoring substances refer to substances added to food products to produce, modify or enhance flavor. Food flavoring substances include natural flavoring substances, natural compound flavoring substances, synthetic flavoring substances, thermal process flavourings, and smoked flavoring substances.

（1）Food natural flavoring substances

Natural flavoring substances refer to the preparations of flavoring substances or substances with specific chemical structure and fragrance characteristics, obtained from animal- and plant-derived materials by physical methods, enzymic methods or microbiological method process, including natural compound flavoring substances and natural monomeric flavoring substances.

Natural compound flavoring substances refer to the preparations (composed of multiple components) of flavoring substances obtained from animal- and plant-derived materials by physical methods, enzymic methods or microbiological methods process.

The permitted food uses natural flavoring substances are listed in the Table B.2 of GB2760. Substances with flavor characteristics or natural flavoring compounds obtained by appropriate physical, enzymatic or microbiological do not need to undergo safety evaluation and are not included in the list.

（2）Food synthetic flavoring substances

Synthetic flavoring substances refer to substances with specific chemical structure and flavor characteristics formed by chemical synthesis.

The permitted food uses synthetic flavoring substances are listed in the Table B.3 of GB2760. It also stipulates that:

① For the flavoring substances listed in the list of synthetic flavoring substances, their corresponding natural substances (i.e. the counterparts with identical structures) shall be considered as approved flavoring substances.

② Flavoring substances listed in the list of synthetic flavoring substances, if there are corresponding ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium salts, hydrochloric acid, carbonic acid, sulfate, and compounds with flavor characteristics, shall be considered as approved flavoring substances.

③ If the flavoring substances listed in the list of synthetic flavoring substances is racemic, its left and right handed structure shall be considered as approved flavoring substances. If the flavoring substances listed in the list of synthetic flavoring substances is of left-handed structure, its right-handed structure shall not be considered as approved flavoring substances; vice versa.

（3）Flavoring essences

According to the provisions of GB30616, flavoring essences refer to a concentrated mixture composed of flavoring substances and food essence subsidiary material, which is used to flavor (except for preparations that only produce a salty, sweet or sour taste, and also excluding flavor enhancers). Food essence can contain or not contain food essence subsidiary materials.

Among them, food essence subsidiary materials refer to the basic substances (such as antioxidants, preservatives, diluents, solvents, etc.) necessary to play the role of food essence and/or improve its stability.

The Table B of GB30616 specifies the solvents and carriers (Table B.1) and other auxiliary materials (Table B.2) allowed to be used for flavoring essences, and specifies that suitable food ingredients can be used as food essence subsidiary materials.

2. Principles for the use of food flavoring substances

The Table B of GB2760 specifies the principles for the use of food flavoring substances, including but not limited to the following:

（1）Unless specified by laws, regulations or national food safety standards, it is not necessary to add flavor to the food listed in Table B.1. Except the foods listed in Table B.1, whether other foods can be flavored shall be subject to the provisions of relevant product standards for food.

（2）Food flavoring substances with other food additive functions shall comply with the provisions of GB2760 when playing other food additive functions in food. For example, benzoic acid can be used not only as a preservative, but also as a food synthetic flavoring substance. If it eventually plays the role of a preservative in food, its scope of use and amount of use should comply with the provisions of GB2760.

（3）Food essence subsidiary materials shall comply with the provisions of relevant standards, and the varieties used shall be reduced as far as possible on the premise of achieving the expected purpose; Food additives added to food essence as subsidiary materials should not play a functional role in the final food, and the use of food additives should be reduced as far as possible on the premise of achieving the expected purpose.

3. Labeling and identification of food flavoring substances

(1) Labeling of food flavoring substances and flavoring essences

The labels of food flavoring substances and flavoring essences shall comply with the provisions of the National Food Safety Standard General Principles for the Identification of Food Additives (GB29924-2013).

The labels of food flavoring substances and flavoring essences provided to producers and operators shall at least be marked with the words "food additive" (flavoring essences are marked with "food flavoring essences"), the name of food additive, configuration, net weight, date of manufacture, shelf life, storage conditions, name and address of the producer and production license number of the food additive. The list of ingredients or ingredients, scope of use, dosage and method of use, code of the product standard, warning signs and irradiated food additives shall be indicated in the label or instructions as required.

(2) Marking of food flavoring substances and flavoring essences in the food ingredient list

Food flavoring substances used for food can be marked as "food flavoring substances", "food flavoring essences", "food flavoring essences and flavoring substances" in the food ingredient list, or the common name of food flavoring substance and food flavoring essence.