2022 List of Health Functions Allowed for Non-Nutrient Supplements Health Food (Draft) Issued

On January 13, 2022, the SAMR (State Administration for Market Regulation) issued a draft announcement on the 2022 List of Health Functions Allowed for Non-Nutrient Supplements Health Food Claims and supporting documents to solicit public comments.

List of Health Functions Allowed for Non-Nutrient Supplements Health Food Claims (2022 version) and Supporting Documents

• List of Health Functions Allowed for Non-Nutrient Supplements Health Food Claims (2022 version)

• Technical Guidelines for Functional Test and Evaluation of Health Food (2022 version)

• Test and Evaluation Method of Health Food (2022 version)

• Guiding Principles for Ethical Review of Health Food Human Trial (2022 version)

• Interpretation of Health Functions (2022 version)

Highlights

• Functional Test and Evaluation Method of Health Food (2022 version) is a entirely new document.

• 24 kinds of health functions are suggested to be retained whilst the expressions are adjusted and standardized accordingly.

• 3 health functions including facilitating milk secretion, improving child growth, and improving skin oil content have been removed. 4 health items including tumor suppression, auxiliary tumor suppression, anti-mutation, and anti-aging will no longer be accepted. Production of related products should be stopped immediately whilst products on the market can be sold until the end of shelf life.

• Approved health functions that have not been cancelled or included in the health function catalogue shall be transformed according to “the new and old health function claiming and evaluation connection management” measures. For health functions that cannot be transformed, the review institution is open for suggestions to update the health function directory accordingly.

• The efficacy corresponding to the published catalogue of health food raw materials shall be adjusted according to the function catalogue.

• A transitional period of 5 years is set from the date of official implementation. Health functions not included in the function catalogue shall not be produced and sold.

By Gong Ying and Jacky Li. Contact Cisema if you would like to learn more.