The impact of the new CFDA regulation on composite leavening agents in China

On November 25, 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China announced an updated regulation on the Composite Leavening Agent (CLA), also known as baking powder, based on the previous version issued in 2010.

By Wendan Wang, Ph.D., Associate Scientist, Burdock Group Consultants

In the updated regulation, China’s NHFPC is currently requesting public comments and input until January 24, 2016. The final version will likely be officially issued in 2016, although the exact date of implementation has yet to be announced.(1) Several key issues around this updated version of GB 25591 (GB: acronym of National Standard in Chinese), National Food Safety Standard for Composite Leavening Agent as a Food Additive, are addressed below.

What is a Composite Leavening Agent?

Also known as baking powder, foam powder, or ferment powder, CLA is commonly used as a food additive in bakery goods, including traditional Chinese food made with wheat flour or other grains, such as steamed buns and Chinese doughnuts. CLA can be added to bakery goods sold in China through conventional physical mixing methods in certain proportions, but only those CLAs listed in, and conforming to, the most recent version of GB 2760, which was issued and implemented in May 2015, are allowed to be added as food additives. Substances not included in GB 2760 cannot be added to baked goods (with the exception of processing aids).(1)

What is the background for this update?

In May 2014, the NHFPC, together with the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and several other relevant commissions, announced a modification to the regulations for the usage of food additives containing aluminum (Al) salts. Later, in 2014, the NHFPC issued an updated version of GB 2760, which banned the use of acidic sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium aluminosilicate, and aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, all of which had previously been allowed as food additives. According to this updated GB 2760, no aluminum additive is allowed in extruded puffed foods, while potassium aluminum sulfate (alum) and ammonium aluminum sulfate are not allowed in wheat flour foods with the exception of fried wheat flour food or breading used in frying.(2) This most recent version of GB 25591 may be viewed as a sequel to the previous update to GB 2760, in that it further limits the use of Al salts in food additives.

What are the major differences between the new updates to GB 25591 and the previous iteration?

The previous version of GB 25591 was issued in 2010 and implemented in 2011. Specifically, the new version changes the range and technical requirements listed in the standard; divides CLAs into Al-containing and non-Al containing ones; and adds specific requirements and tests for the measurement of Al content in non-Al containing CLAs. Moreover, it removes the requirements and measurements of particle size from the old version of the regulation, and changes the assay methods for measuring the content of nitric acid insoluble substances and arsenic content as well as the pH values.(3)

References:

(1) Asian Food Regulation Information Service. National Food Safety Standard – Composite Leavening Agent. 2015; Available at: http://www.asianfoodreg.com/standards/details/national-food-safety-standard-composite-leavening-agent/?stId=MTAyMg==&fileId=MTExMA==&countryId=.

(2) Updated information on standards and regulations in the food industry: July 2015 (in Chinese). Standard Living (Chinese). 2015;8:90-93.

(3) National Health and Family Planning Commission in China. GB 25591: National Standard of Food Safety-Regulations on Composite Leavening Agent as Food Additives. 2015:1-12. 

You can read more on the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China in the lates issue of Asia Pacific Baker (Winter 2015/2016)!