The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and the National food safety standard - Standards for uses of food additives (GB2760-2024) clarify the definition of food additives. Then what categories food additives are included, and how to declare food additives in prepackaged foods? Foodmate has made a summary of these for your reference.

1 The scope of food additives

Combined with the definition of food additives in the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and the National food safety standard - Standards for uses of food additives (GB2760-2024), food additives can be categorized into traditional food additives, nutritional fortification substances for food, food flavors, food flavorings, processing aids for food industry (including enzyme preparation), and gum bases in gum-based candy.

2 Declaring in prepackaged foods

2.1 Traditional Food additives

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

The genetic name of food additives in GB 2760 shall be declared on the prepackaged food label. Genetic names of food additives may be presented as the specific names of food additives, or as the functional class names and specific names of food additives or the number of the International Number System (INS number) .

One type of declarations of the above labeling methods shall be selected to declare food additives on the same prepackaged food label.

(2) Labeling considerations

(i) Food additives in the ingredient list can not be declared as additive functions such as "coloring agent", etc.

(ii) When the supplementary material contained in a food additive does not serve a technological function in the finished product, there is no need to be declared on the prepackaged food label.

(iii) Food added with aspartame shall indicate 'Aspartame (including phenylalanine)' on the prepackaged food label.

2.2 Nutritional fortification substances for food

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

Nutritional fortification substances for food should be declared in accordance with the name in "Standard for the Use of Food Nutrient Fortification" (GB14880) or the approval announcement on the prepackaged food label. Nutritional fortification can be labeled with compound name, nutrient name, or both of nutrient name and compound name.

One type of declarations of the above labeling methods shall be selected to declare nutritional fortification substances on the same prepackaged food label.

(2) Labeling considerations

(i) Content value and the percentage of Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) of the nutritional component of a prepackaged food in which nutritional fortification substances are used shall be indicated in the Nutrition Facts.

(ii) Substances that can be used both as food additives and as food fortification, shall be declared according to their role in the final product.

(iii) Substances that can be used as both nutrient enhancers and novel food    , if they are used for the purpose of Nutritional Fortification, the use and labeling of these substances shall comply with the requirements of GB 14880, and if they are used as  novel food, they shall comply with the provisions of the relevant announcements.

2.3 Processing aids for food industry

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

The processing aids for food industry need not be declared in the list of ingredients.

(2) Labeling considerations

(i) Processing aids for food industry should be used in the process of food manufacturing and processing, and should have technological necessity as being used, the quantity of the substance used should be limited to the lowest possible level necessary to accomplish its desired effect.

(ii) In general, processing aids for food industry should be removed before the final product is made, or if it cannot be removed completely, residues of the substance remaining in food should be reduced as far as possible, should not pose any health hazards, and should not function in final foods.

(3) Declaration of food enzyme preparations

If the food enzyme preparation deactivated in the final product, the food enzyme preparation need not be indicated in the list of ingredients. If the enzyme activity of food enzyme preparation is maintained in the final product, it shall be listed in the appropriate position in the list of ingredients according to the amount of food enzyme preparation used in the manufacture or preparation of a food.

2.4 Food fragrance and flavoring

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

Food fragrance and flavoring on the prepackaged food label can be labeled as “food fragrance”, “food flavoring” or “food fragrance and flavoring”, or food fragrance and flavoring can be labeled with the generic names.

(2) Labeling considerations

Food flavoring substances that have other food additive functions, and function as food additives, shall comply with regulations on the use of food additives.

2.5 Gum bases in gum-based candy

All types of gum bases in gum-based candy can be declared as “chewing gum base” or “gum base” on the prepackaged food label.