The State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR") has recently issued the Announcement on Revising and Issuing the Catalog of Food Production Licensing Classifications (the "Announcement").
The Announcement reads that from March 1, 2020, the Detailed List of Licensed Varieties of Food, a certificate affiliated to the Food Production License, should be filled out and prepared in accordance with the latest Catalog of Food Production Licensing Classifications (the "Catalog"). The Catalog outlines in detail 32 types of food and food additives, including "food from grain processing", "edible oil, fats and products made therefrom" and "seasoning", as well as their classification codes, sub-categories, specific products, and notes. The Announcement also explains that the Column "Notes" is intended for other information that need to be presented, for example, the number of product registration approval certificate or of product record-filing certificate shall be indicated for dietary supplements, food for special medical purposes and infant formula food. In addition, for an application filed for producing a new type of food ingredient under the classification of "other types of food", its name specified in the application should be consistent with that on the list of new food ingredients usable in ordinary food released by the National Health Commission ("NHC").