Nutrient composition testing method

25. Q: GB 28050-2011 Q&A (revised edition) stipulates that "nutrient composition testing should first select the testing method specified by the national standard or the testing method equivalent to the national standard". How to understand "testing methods equivalent to national standards"? Is it possible to use industry standards, local standards, foreign standards and other standards as the testing method for nutrients? Please give some reference of testing standards for nutritional ingredients, such as some testing standards recommended by the "Food Nutrition Labelling Regulations".

A: For the detection of food nutrients, the national standard method should be selected first. If there are parallel methods, the appropriate method can be selected according to the scope of application. In the absence of national standard methods, internationally recognized inspection methods such as CAC, AOAC recommended methods or other recognized methods can be used.

Issues related to the allowable error range of energy and nutrient content

26. Q: Clause 6.4 of this standard stipulates: During the product shelf life, the allowable error range of energy and nutrient content should meet the requirements of Table 2: food protein, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat (acid), carbohydrate, sugar ( (Lactose only), total soluble or insoluble dietary fiber and its monomers, vitamins (excluding vitamin D and vitamin A), minerals (excluding sodium), fortified other nutrients, the allowable error range is ≥80% Labeled value. However, the similar expression in 4.3.3 of GB13432-2013 "National Food Safety Standard Labeling of Prepackaged Special Dietary Foods" is that the declared value of energy or nutritional ingredients can be obtained through product testing or raw material calculations. During the product warranty period, the actual content of energy and nutrients should not be less than 80% of the label value, and should meet the requirements of the corresponding product standards. In the two standards, do "allowable error range" and "actual content" mean the same thing?

A: The allowable error range in the two standards refers to the allowable range of the actual content of energy and nutrients as a percentage of the product label value. Taking carbohydrates as an example, if the label of a pre-packaged product indicates that the amount of carbohydrates is 10g/100g, then the actual content of carbohydrates obtained after testing should be ≥8g/100g to meet the allowable error range ≥80% (actual content/labelled value×100≥80%).

27. Q: When calculating energy: Is the content of protein, fat, and carbohydrate calculated according to the labeled value or the measured value?

A: The company decides on its own. The value on the same label can either come from calculations and/or from testing. The company can decide on its own according to the label safety principles.

28. Q: Regarding the error of the label value, the rate of difference between individual agricultural products is very large. For example, the fat content in the body of different fish caught in different seasons differs by more than half. How to deal with this situation?

A: If agricultural products are not pre-packaged products, they are not subject to this standard. If they are prepackaged products, fresh foods such as fish are covered by the exemption label

29. Q: How to understand the "allowable error range" in this standard?

A: Allowable error range is the allowable deviation range between the actual content of the nutrient and the label value, which means as long as the actual content is within the allowable error range, it is qualified from the perspective of the nutrition label.

Recommend article:
Q&A | National Food Safety Standards, General Principles of Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (1)
Q&A | National Food Safety Standards, General Principles of Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (2)
Q&A | National Food Safety Standards, General Principles of Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (3)
Q&A | National Food Safety Standards, General Principles of Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (4)
Q&A | National Food Safety Standards, General Principles of Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (5)

Business Division of Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance of Global Foodmate provides food standards & regulations research, labelling compliance consulting/Chinese label design, industry public opinion monitoring and analysis, registration services (of Infant formula, FSMP, Health food, Novel Food Ingredients, Novel Food Additives, New Varieties of Food-Related Products and Overseas manufacturers of imported food) and other comprehensive food safety solutions for domestic and overseas enterprises and institutions in food industry. 

Please feel free to contact us: +86 10 68869850, E-mail: global_info@foodmate.net