Recently, the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHC) issued the "Announcement on Four Substances, Including Rehmannia Glutinosa, That Are Traditionally Regarded as Both Food and Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials," indicating that following safety assessments, four substances – Rehmannia glutinosa, Radix ophiopogonis, Asparagi radix, and Pummelo peel – have been included in the catalog of substances that are traditionally considered both food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

The Department of Food Safety Standards and Monitoring & evaluation of the NHC explained that in China's traditional dietary culture, some traditional Chinese medicinal materials are widely consumed as ingredients by the public, falling into the category of substances that are traditionally both food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials (hereinafter referred to as "food-medicine substances"). According to the Food Safety Law, drugs cannot be added to food for production and sale, but food-medicine substances can be added. The catalog of food-medicine substances is formulated and published jointly by the health administrative department of the State Council and the food safety supervision and administration department of the State Council. To standardize the management of the food-medicine substances catalog, the NHC has formulated the "Regulations on the Administration of the Food-Medicine Substances Catalog," clarifying that provincial health administrative departments should propose applications for supplementing and revising the catalog based on their respective regions' actual situations, while organizing safety information in accordance with relevant requirements and submitting it together with the application. Upon receiving the application, the NHC will organize a review and, in conjunction with the State Administration for Market Regulation, issue an announcement to include substances that meet food safety requirements in the catalog.

For the four substances of Rehmannia glutinosa, Radix ophiopogonis, Asparagi radix, and Pummelo peel as food-medicine substances, it is recommended to consume them in moderation according to traditional methods. Special populations such as pregnant women, lactating women, and infants are not recommended to consume them. When used as raw materials for health food products, these substances should be managed in accordance with the relevant regulations for health food products; when used as traditional Chinese medicinal materials, they should be managed in accordance with the relevant regulations for traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Announcement source:
http://www.nhc.gov.cn/sps/s7890/202408/01f4b82eff294f4182102cf43e2e898e.shtml