Scope, labeling, calculation of usage amount of food additives, and determination of the principle of bringing in

The 'Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China' and the 'National Food Safety Standard Food Additives Use Standard' (GB2760-2014) clearly define food additives, and what substances are included in food additives, and how should they be labeled?Foodmate.com sorted out and integrated the scope and specific labeling requirements of food additives for your reference.

The 'Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China' stipulates that food additives refer to artificially synthesized or natural substances added to food for the purpose of improving food quality, color, aroma, and taste, as well as for antisepsis, preservation, and processing technology, including nutritional fortifiers.

'National Food Safety Standard Food Additive Use Standard' (GB2760-2014) stipulates that food additives refer to artificial or natural substances added to food to improve food quality, color, aroma and taste, and to meet the needs of antisepsis, freshness preservation and processing technology. substance.Food flavors, base substances in gum-based candies, and processing aids for the food industry are also included.

Combined with the definition of food additives in the 'Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China' and 'Standards for the Use of Food Additives in National Food Safety Standards' (GB2760-2014), food additives can be divided into food additives in the traditional sense, food nutrition enhancers, and food additives. See Table 1 for the scope and relevant standards of spices, food flavors, food industry processing aids (including enzyme preparations), and base substances in gum-based candies.

Table 1 Scope of food additives and related standards

1. Food additives in the traditional sense

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

The common name of food additives in GB 2760 should be indicated.The common name of the food additive can be marked as the specific name of the food additive, or it can be marked as the functional category name of the food additive and at the same time the specific name or international code (INS number) of the food additive can be marked.If two or more names are specified for a food additive in GB 2760, and each name is an equivalent name, one of them should be selected for labeling.

(figure 1)

As shown in Figure 1, annatto (also known as red lignin, norred lignin) can be labeled as: 'annatto', 'annatto', 'norred lignin', 'coloring agent (160b )', 'colorant (annatto)', 'food additive (annatto)', 'food additive (colorant (160b))', 'food additive (colorant ( annatto))' etc.

On the label of the same prepackaged food, the same form of the above-mentioned labeling methods should be selected to declare food additives.

(2) Precautions for labeling

a. The ingredient list cannot only indicate the function of additives such as 'colorant''thickener', etc.; if it is marked as the name of the functional category of food additives, it must be marked according to the functions stipulated in GB 2760. In the example, annatto Orange cannot be marked as 'Pigment (Annatto)'.

b. Nutrient enhancers, food flavors and fragrances, and base ingredients in gum-based candies can be marked outside the food additives item in the ingredient list, as shown in Figure 2.

(figure 2)

c. When the auxiliary materials contained in food additives do not play a functional role in the final product, they do not need to be marked in the ingredient list:

For example, commercialized lutein products may contain auxiliary materials such as edible vegetable oil, dextrin, and antioxidants, but the additives can be directly labeled as 'lutein', 'colorant (lutein)', ' Colorant (161b)'.

d. Considering the need for labeling of food allergens, a description of the source can be added before the specific name specified in GB2760:

Such as 'phospholipids' can be marked as 'soybean lecithin', 'emulsifier (soybean lecithin)', 'phospholipid (containing soybean)'.

e. Aspartame should be labeled as 'Aspartame (containing phenylalanine)'.

(3) Compound food additives

Each food additive that has a functional role in the final product shall be indicated in the food ingredient list one by one.

(image 3)

As shown in Figure 3, the compound sweetener can be marked as 'compound sweetener (aspartame (containing phenylalanine), erythritol, xylitol)' in the ingredients, also Can be labeled as 'Aspartame (containing phenylalanine), erythritol, xylitol'.But it should be noted that the combined 'compound sweetener' should be sorted in descending order with other ingredients according to the combined total amount.

2. Nutritional enhancer

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

The name in the 'Usage Standards for Food Nutritional Fortifiers' (GB 14880) or the approval announcement should be indicated.Compound name, nutrient name, nutrient name and compound name can be marked.

(Figure 4)

For example, if a food is fortified with vitamin E, d-α-tocopherol from the source of compounds in Figure 4 is used.In the ingredient list, it can be marked as: 'Vitamin E', 'd-α-tocopherol', 'Vitamin E (d-α-tocopherol)' or 'd-α-tocopherol ( Vitamin E)'.

On the label of the same prepackaged food, the same form of the above-mentioned labeling methods should be selected to declare nutritional fortifiers.

(2) Precautions for labeling

a. Ingredients that can be used as both food additives and food nutritional fortifiers shall be labeled according to their functions in the final product:

(Figure 5)

(Figure 6)

For example, 'potassium citrate', when used as a food additive (Figure 5) to function as an acidity regulator, can be labeled as 'potassium citrate', 'acidity regulator (potassium citrate)', 'acidity Regulator (332ii) ' etc.; when it is used as a food nutrition fortifier (Figure 6) to fortify potassium, it can be labeled as 'potassium citrate', 'potassium', 'potassium (potassium citrate) 'wait.

b. For nutritional fortifiers and compounds with parentheses after the source, the names inside and outside the brackets are considered equivalent, and any one of them can be declared on the product label, or both can be declared at the same time:

Such as 'L-carnitine (L-carnitine)' can be labeled as 'L-carnitine' or 'L-carnitine', 'L-carnitine (L-carnitine)' or' L-Carnitine (L-Carnitine)'.

c. For prepackaged foods that use nutritional fortifiers, the content of the nutritional ingredients in the fortified food and the percentage of the nutrient reference value (NRV) should also be indicated in the nutrient composition table;

(Figure 7)

As shown in Figure 7, if iron pyrophosphate and vitamin C are added to the product ingredients to fortify iron and vitamin C, the content of iron and vitamin C and their percentages in the nutrient reference value (NRV) should be declared in the nutritional composition table.

d. For some substances that are both nutritional fortifiers and new resource foods, if they are used for the purpose of nutritional fortification, their use should meet the requirements of GB 14880; if they are used as new food raw materials, they should comply with the relevant announcements of new resource foods;

(Figure 8)

(Figure 9)

For example, polyfructose, when used as a nutritional fortifier, can be used in formula food for infants and young children and cereal supplementary food for infants and young children according to the requirements in Figure 8. The consumption amount is ≤ 64.5g/kg (used alone), and it should be marked as 'More Polyfructose (from chicory)' or 'polyfructose'; when used as a new food raw material, according to the requirements of Figure 9, it can be used in milk powder for children and pregnant women, and the consumption amount is ≤8.4g/day, and it should be marked as 'Polyfructose'.

3. Processing aids for food industry

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

Labeling is not required.

(2) Precautions

a. Processing aids should generally be removed before making the final product. If they cannot be completely removed, the residual amount should be reduced as much as possible. The residual amount should not be harmful to health and should not play a functional role in the final food.

(Figure 10)

(Figure 11)

For example, calcium chloride can be used as a processing aid (Figure 10) or as a food additive (Figure 11).When calcium chloride is used as a processing aid, it should not function as a stabilizer, coagulant, or thickener in the final food; if the above functions are performed in the final food, it is necessary to confirm whether calcium chloride can be used for this Category food, whether the added amount meets the requirements, and calcium chloride is indicated in the ingredient list.

(3) Labeling requirements for enzyme preparations

If the enzyme activity has been lost in the final product, it does not need to be labeled; if the enzyme activity is still maintained in the final product, it should be listed in the list according to the relevant regulations on the labeling of food ingredients, according to the amount of enzyme preparation added when manufacturing or processing food. The corresponding position of the list of ingredients;

For example, the enzyme preparation used in the liquefaction and saccharification process of brewed vinegar has lost its enzyme activity in the finished product of brewed vinegar, so it does not need to be labeled.

4. Flavors and fragrances for food

(1) Basic requirements for labeling

It can be marked as 'Food Flavors', 'Food Flavors', 'Food Flavors and Fragrances', etc., and the common name of flavors and fragrances can also be indicated in the ingredient list.

(Figure 12)

The clove leaf oil shown in Figure 12 can be labeled as 'edible spices' or 'clove leaf oil' in the ingredients.

(2) Precautions for labeling

a. Spices for food that have the function of other food additives shall comply with the regulations on the use of food additives when they perform the functions of other food additives in food.

(Figure 13)

(Figure 14)

For example, benzoic acid can be used as both a preservative (Figure 13) and a food flavor (Figure 14).If it is only used as an edible spice and does not function as a preservative, it can be labeled according to the requirements of flavors and fragrances; if it is used as a preservative in food, it should comply with the regulations on the use of food additives and be labeled as 'benzoic acid' , 'preservative (benzoic acid)', 'preservative (210)' and so on.

5. Basic agent substances in gum-based candies

According to the requirements of GB 7718, it can be marked as 'gum base' or 'gum base'.

The correct use and labeling of food additives is the most basic requirement for food production enterprises, and it is also the commitment of food production enterprises to food quality and safety.Food production enterprises should correctly use and label food additives in strict accordance with the corresponding laws and regulations, and provide consumers with real product information and consumption guidance.