Introduction
In recent years, driven by the rapid development of food science and technology, an increasing number of New Food Ingredients, New Food Additives, and New Food-Related Materials have entered the market. To safeguard the public health, China has been implemented a stringent administrative licensing system for “Three New Food Categories”. But what exactly are these “Three New Food Categories”, and how can they be classified and regulated?
What Are the “Three New Food Categories” in China?
As specified in Article 37 of the Food Safety Law, “Three New Food Categories” refer to “New Food Ingredients”, “New Food Additives” and “New Food-Related Materials”.
Under the Food Safety Law and its implementing regulations, along with Administration Review Measures for the Safety of Novel Food Ingredients, Administration Measures for New Food Additives, and Administrative Regulations for Food-Related New Materials, China applies an administrative licensing system to “Three New Food Categories”.
Specifically, when producing food with novel food ingredients, or manufacturing new food additives or new food-related products, applicants must submit applications and safety assessment materials to National Health Commission. The National Health Commission will conduct a review within 60 days of receiving the application. If the product meets the relevant food safety requirements, a license will be issued and announced to the public; if not, the application will be rejected, and a written explanation of the reasons will be provided.
Three New Food Categories | Defination |
New Food Ingredients | The following ingredients with no traditional consumption habits in China: 1) Animals, plants, and microorganisms; 2) Components isolated from animals, plants, and microorganisms; 3) Food ingredients that have undergone structural changes; 4) Other newly developed food ingredients. |
New Food Additives | 1) Food additive varieties not listed in the National Food Safety Standards (GB 2760 and GB 14880); 2) Food additive varieties not included in the announcements of the Ministry of Health as permitted for use; 3) Food additive varieties with expanded scope of application or dosage. |
New Food-Related Materials | New materials, new raw materials, or new additives used for food packaging materials, containers, detergents, disinfectants, as well as tools and equipment for food production and operation, specifically include: 1) Food packaging materials, containers, and their additives that have not yet been included in National Food Safety Standards or not in the announcements of permitted for use from the Ministry of Health; 2) Food packaging materials, containers and their additives with expanded scope of application or usage amount; 3) New raw materials not included in the list of food disinfectants and detergents; 4) New materials and new additives in tools or equipment for food production and operation that are in direct contact with food. |
Summary of Announcements on “Three New Food Categories”
The National Health Commission oversees administrative licensing for “Three New Food Categories” with the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center designated to conduct technical reviews and related work for such products.
In April 2023, the National Health Commission issued Announcement No. 4 of 2023 regarding the Catalog of “Three New Food Categories” and Applicable Food Safety Standards. This announcement compiled and consolidated catalogs of “Three New Food Categories” and their corresponding safety standard from 2009 to 2021.
The following is an announcement summary of “Three New Food Categories” since 2009:
Announcement No. | Approved Scope | New Food Ingredients | New Food Additives | New Food-Related Materials |
Announcement No. 4 of 2023 | New food ingredients from Announcement No. 3 of 2009 to Announcement No. 9 of 2021 of the National Health Commission (excluding bacterial strains); New food additives from Announcement No. 11 of 2009 to Announcement No. 9 of 2021 of the National Health Commission; New food-related materials from Announcement No. 11 of 2012 to Announcement No. 9 of 2021 of the National Health Commission | 98 | 215 | 235 |
Announcement No. 1 of 2022 | Announcement on 32 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Prunus serrulata var. kanzakura | 2 | 11 | 19 |
Announcement No. 2 of 2022 | Announcement on 36 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Chlamydomonas reinhardtii | 3 | 18 | 15 |
Announcement No. 5 of 2022 | Announcement on 7 types of “Three New Food Categories” including lactase | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Announcement No. 1 of 2023 | Announcement on 28 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides | 1 | 16 | 11 |
Announcement No. 3 of 2023 | Announcement on 14 types of “Three New Food Categories” including blueberry anthocyanins | 2 | 6 | 6 |
Announcement No. 5 of 2023 | Announcement on 8 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Xanthoceras sorbifolium seed kernel | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Announcement No. 8 of 2023 | Announcement on 15 types of “Three New Food Categories” including peach gum | 4 | 6 | 5 |
Announcement No. 10 of 2023 | Announcement on 9 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Ilex paraguariensis leaf (yerba mate leaf) | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Announcement No. 2 of 2024 | Announcement on 23 types of “Three New Food Categories” including dendrobium protocorm | 6 | 12 | 5 |
Announcement No. 3 of 2024 | Announcement on 8 types of “Three New Food Categories” including arabinoxylan | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Announcement No. 5 of 2024 | Announcement on 12 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Nannochloropsis oil | 2 | 4 | 7 |
Announcement No. 6 of 2024 | Announcement on 11 types of “Three New Food Categories” including Camellia chrysantha culture | 1 | 8 | 2 |
Announcement No. 1 of 2025 | Announcement on 20 types of “Three New Food Categories” including stevia polyphenols | 5 | 8 | 7 |
Announcement No. 3 of 2025 | Announcement on 11 types of “Three New Food Categories” including cherry blossom polyphenols | 2 | 6 | 3 |
Announcement No. 4 of 2025 | Announcement on 20 types of “Three New Food Categories” including D-allulose | 5 | 9 | 6 |
According to the data, a total of 139 New Food Ingredients, 331 New Food Additives, and 333 New Food-Related Materials have been approved since 2009, making up 803 "Three New Food Categories" in total.
From 3 approved varieties of New Food Ingredients in 2020, to 12 varieties to date, the number of authorized New Food Ingredients has been increasing steadily. This trend reflects the innovative vitality of the food industry and also highlights the enthusiasm of food enterprises for applying for New Food Ingredients.
Summary List of Novel Food Ingredients from 2020 | |||
No. | Announcement No. | Approved Date | Product Name |
1 | Announcement No. 4 of 2025 | 2025/7/2 | D-Allulose |
2 | Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3799 | ||
3 | Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 | ||
4 | Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis LMG 11588 | ||
5 | Sodium Hyaluronate (Extraction Method) | ||
6 | Announcement No. 3 of 2025 | 2025/5/7 | Cherry Blossom Polyphenols |
7 | Rye Pollen | ||
8 | Announcement No. 1 of 2025 | 2025/2/10 | Stevia Polyphenols |
9 | Lemon Myrtle Leaf | ||
10 | Maqui Berry Anthocyanins | ||
11 | Wheat Polar Lipids | ||
12 | Calcium β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate | ||
13 | Announcement No. 6 of 2024 | 2024/12/13 | Camellia chrysantha Culture |
14 | Announcement No. 5 of 2024 | 2024/10/10 | Nannochloropsis Oil |
15 | Proanthocyanidins | ||
16 | Announcement No. 3 of 2024 | 2024/8/5 | Arabinoxylan |
17 | Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63 | ||
18 | N-Acetylglucosamine | ||
19 | Announcement No. 2 of 2024 | 2024/3/13 | Dendrobium Protocorm |
20 | (3R,3'S)-Dihydroxy-β-carotene | ||
21 | Kluyveromyces marxianus | ||
22 | Bacillus subtilis DE111 | ||
23 | L-α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine | ||
24 | Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides | ||
25 | Announcement No. 10 of 2023 | 2023/11/30 | Ilex paraguariensis Leaf (Yerba Mate Leaf) |
26 | Yeast Protein | ||
27 | Catechin | ||
28 | Announcement No. 8 of 2023 | 2023/10/7 | Peach Gum |
29 | Tiger Nut | ||
30 | Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris | ||
31 | Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt | ||
32 | Announcement No. 5 of 2023 | 2023/8/1 | Xanthoceras sorbifolium Seed Kernel |
33 | Xanthoceras sorbifolium Leaf | ||
34 | Announcement No. 3 of 2023 | 2023/5/6 | Blueberry Anthocyanins |
35 | Rye Pollen | ||
36 | Announcement No. 1 of 2023 | 2023/3/2 | Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides |
37 | Announcement No. 2 of 2022 | 2022/5/11 | Chlamydomonas reinhardtii |
38 | Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BB536 | ||
39 | Sugarcane Polyphenols | ||
40 | Announcement No. 1 of 2022 | 2022/3/1 | Prunus serrulata var. kanzakura |
41 | Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt | ||
42 | Announcement No. 9 of 2021 | 2021/10/22 | Salsola collina |
43 | Announcement No. 5 of 2021 | 2021/4/25 | β-1,3/α-1,3-Glucan |
44 | Dihydroquercetin | ||
45 | MP108：Lactobacillus rhamnosus MP108 | ||
46 | Nannochloropsis gaditana | ||
47 | Announcement No. 9 of 2020 | 2021/1/7 | Cordyceps cicadae Fruiting Body (Artificially Cultivated) |
48 | Sodium Hyaluronate | ||
49 | Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens subsp. kefiranofaciens | ||
