Novel food ingredients refer to the following items that are not been traditionally eaten in China:

a)    Animals, plant and microorganism;

b)    Components separated from animals, plants and microorganisms;

c)    Components with altered original structures;

d)    Other newly developed food ingredients; and they should have the characteristics of food ingredients, non-toxic and harmless, without causing any acute, sub-acute, chronic or other potential harm to human body. 

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1. Acceptance situation of novel food ingredients

2. Solicited opinions on novel food ingredients

National Health Commission has solicited opinions on 7 novel food ingredients in 2019.

(1) Penthorum chinense Pursh


(2) β-1,3-glucan



(3) Lactobacillus helveticus R0052



(4) Bifidobacterium infantis R0033


(5) Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071


(6) Dendrobium Officinale Protocorm


(7) Cicada flower fruiting body


National Health Commission has accepted 6 application of novel food ingredients in 2019, of which Dendrobium Officinale Protocorm has been reviewed by CFSA and has been solicited public opinions in November 25, 2019.

3. Approval of novel food ingredients

It usually takes 2-3 years for the declaration of novel food ingredients from acceptance to formal approval, and it usually takes 1-2 years from acceptance to public solicitation.

National Health Commission has approved 3 novel food ingredients in 2019.

(1) Lactobacillus curvatus



(2) Ashitaba stem and leaf


(3) Loquat flower

4. Termination of approval

2 novel food ingredients were terminated for approval of novel food ingredients in 2019, and the review comments are shown in the table below.

5. Development history of novel food ingredients in China

Since Article 22 of the Food Hygiene Law of the People's Republic of China (Trial) stipulated that food produced using new resources must be submitted to the Ministry of Health for approval before production in 1983, the concept of new resource food was first proposed.

In 1987, Measures for Health Management of New Food Resources set specific requirements for the procedures for the approval of new resource food.

Food Hygiene Law of the People's Republic of China was officially implemented in 1995, Article 20 of which stipulated that foods produced using new resources must be submitted to the approval process in accordance with the prescribed procedures.

In 2007, the Administrative Measures for New Resource Food was released, meanwhile, the "Safety evaluation regulation of new resource food" and "Regulations on application and acceptance of hygiene license of new resource food" were formulated.

In 2009, the People's Republic of China Food Safety Law was issued and implemented, Article 44 proposed that the one intend to use the new food raw materials to produce food should submit an application to the Ministry of Health, the novel food can be approved after the safety assessment.

In 2013, the National Health and Family Planning Commission issued the Administrative Measures on the Safety Review of New Food Raw Materials, and the new resource food was officially renamed as Novel Food Ingredients.