We often receive some inquiries from netizens, asking if a certain substance can be used as a food raw material. So, what kind of substance can be used as a food raw material in China?

In general, food raw materials should have the characteristics of food, conform to the required nutritional requirements, be non-toxic and harmless, and do not cause any acute, subacute, chronic or other potential harm to human health. At present, the substances that can be used as food raw materials in China mainly include common food materials, new food raw materials, substances traditionally used as both food and traditional Chinese medicine, health food raw materials, and microbial food cultures.

Part 1: Common Food Materials

This mainly includes the list of food raw materials approved by the national health department in the form of announcements, approvals, and replies, as well as food with traditional eating habits.  Food with traditional eating habits refer to a certain food that has a history of production and operation as standardized or non standardized packaging food for more than 30 years in the provincial area, and is not included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Part 2: New Food Raw Materials

New food raw materials, refers to animals, plants, and microorganisms that do not have traditional eating habits in China; components isolated from animals, plants, and microorganisms; food raw material whose original structure has changed; other newly developed food raw material.

The new food raw materials are mainly announced by the national health department, which also specifies corresponding specifications and usage restrictions. According to the safety review regulations for new food raw materials of the former National Health and Family Planning Commission, after review by the expert review committee, if the submitted new food raw material belongs to ordinary food, or has substantive equivalence with ordinary food, or has substantive equivalence with approved new food raw materials, a decision to terminate the review shall be made, that is, the item shall be managed as ordinary food or an approved new food raw material.

Part 3: The Catalogue of Substances that are Traditionally Both Food and Chinese Medicinal Materials

It is generally believed that if it is not included in the catalogue of substances that are traditionally both food and Chinese medicinal materials, and included in the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia", it cannot be considered as a common food material.

Part 4: "List of Strains that Can be Used in Food" and "List of Strains that Can be Used in Food for Infants and Young Children"

Strains traditionally used for food production and processing are permitted to continue being used. New strains not listed are managed as new food raw material management.

Part 5: "List of Raw Material for Health Food"

The items in the "List of raw materials for health food" can be used as raw materials for health food.

So, regarding how to determine whether a certain substance can be used as a food ingredient in China, I believe everyone has a lot of confusion. We will make a further explanation next time, please stay tuned!