The reporter learned that the new version of the "National Food Safety Standards and Food Additives Usage Standards" (GB 2760-2024) will be officially implemented from February 8, 2025, and the 2014 standard, which has been used for 10 years, will be abolished. The State Administration for Market Regulation reminds all types of food manufacturers to use food additives strictly in accordance with the new standards.

Modified the definition of food additives

Food additives are artificial synthetic or natural substances added to food to improve food quality and color, aroma, and taste, as well as to the needs of preservation, preservation and processing technology. Food spices, basic substances in gum-based candies, processing aids for food industry, and nutritional enhancers are also included.

According to the Food Safety Law implemented in 2015, content containing nutritional fortifiers has been added to the definition of food additives.

Revised the provisions on the use of some food additives and/or the use of/individual food additives

●Deleted the provisions on the use of food additives such as sunflower red, dark yellow, jujube color, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, seargate, azoformamide, and other food additives that are no longer necessary to process after investigation;

●Deleted the provisions on the use of preservatives in canned foods, glacial acetic acid in vinegar, natamycin in fruit and vegetable juice, β-carotene and mono-diglycerides in distilled liquor.

Modified the use requirements for some food additives

●Additional requirements for the total amount of aspartame, acemethic and asparagus methyl acesulfame in the same food category are added;

●Improved the corresponding relationship between the use of liquid beverages and the corresponding solid beverage food additives in the beverage category;

●Revised the use regulations for sulfur dioxide, carrageenan, guar gum, dehydroacetic acid and their sodium salts;

●Revised some food categories classified as "other categories" in the original standard and adjusted the use regulations for the use of food additives.

Revised the principles for use of spices and flavors for food

●Further clarify the use requirements for food spices with other food additive functions or other food uses, such as benzoic acid, cinnamaldehyde, guarana extract, sodium diacetate, disodium succinate, tricalcium phosphate, amino acids, etc.;

●Clearly clarify that the labels of spices and flavors for food should comply with the provisions of the "National Food Safety Standards, General Rules for Labeling of Food Additives" (GB 29924-2013). All pre-packaged foods with added spices and flavors for food should be marked in accordance with the "National Food Safety Standards, General Rules for Labeling of Pre-packaged Food" (GB 7718-2011);

●Clearly, the quality specifications of spices for food should comply with the provisions of the "National Food Safety Standards, General Rules for Labeling of Food" (GB 29938-2020) and related spice product standards.

(CCTV reporter Li Jingjing)