At present, China’s food classification system according to the needs of different professional fields to develop a different food classification system, in the process of use should pay special attention to the same kind of food in different food classification system categories may be different. Partner network has organized the various food classification systems in China, the following content for your reference.

China’s food classification system and the scope of application of the introduction

China’s food classification system mainly has a food production license food classification system, food safety standards food classification system, food safety supervision and sampling implementation rules in the food classification system, etc., the following is a detailed introduction:

(a) “Food Production License Classification Catalogue” will be divided into 32 categories of food, and specify the subclasses and their varieties of details. Food Production License” in the “food production license varieties detailed table” is filled out in accordance with the “Food Production License Classification Directory”. The catalog is applicable to food production license.

(ii) GB 2760-2014 National Standard for Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives adopts a grading system for food classification and divides food into 16 categories.

The food classification system is used to define the scope of use of food additives and is only applicable to the use of the standard. Where, for example, if a food additive is applied to a food category, it is permitted to be applied to all food levels above and below the level contained in that food category (unless otherwise specified), and conversely a food additive permitted for use in a lower level food cannot be considered to be applicable to its higher level food, so that when looking for a food additive permitted for use in a food category it cannot be considered to be applicable to its upper level food. permitted food additives in a food category, it is especially necessary to pay attention to the hierarchical relationship of the food category.

(iii) Appendix A.1 of GB 2761-2017 National Standard for Food Safety Limits of Mycotoxins in Foods describes food categories (names), which involves 10 major categories of food, each of which is divided into a number of subcategories, which are in turn divided into sub-sub-categories, sub-sub-categories, etc. The food category (name) descriptions are used to define the scope of application of the mycotoxin limits and apply only to the standard. When a certain mycotoxin limit is applied to a food category (name), it is applicable to all categories of food within that food category (name), except where there are special provisions.

(iv) The description of food categories (names) in Appendix A of GB 2762-2017 National Standard for Food Safety Limits of Contaminants in Foods, which involves 22 major categories of food, each of which is divided into a number of subcategories under each major category, which are in turn categorized into sub-subcategories, sub-subcategories and so on. The Notes on Food Categories (Names) (Appendix A) are used to define the scope of application of the contaminant limits and are only applicable to this Standard. When a certain pollutant limit is applied to a certain food category (name), it is applicable to all categories of food within that food category (name), except for special provisions.

(E) GB 2763-2021 “National Standard for Food Safety Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticides in Food”, Appendix A (normative appendix) food categories and determination of parts of the food according to the different sources of raw materials are divided into 11 categories. Food categories and determination of parts (Appendix A) is used to define the scope of application of the maximum residue limits of pesticides, only applicable to the use of the standard. If the maximum residue limits of pesticides are applied to a food category, all foods under the food category are applicable, except for special provisions.

(f) GB 14880-2012 “National Standard for Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Nutritional Enrichment” in Appendix D food category (name) description, food is divided into 16 categories. D food category (name) description is used to define the scope of use of nutritional enhancement, only applicable to this standard, such as allowing a nutritional enhancement agent to be applied to a certain food category (name), then allowed to be applied to all categories of food under the category, or otherwise specified. If a nutrient fortifier is allowed to be applied to a certain food category (name), it is allowed to be applied to all food categories under that category, unless otherwise specified.

(vii) The food classification system in the Implementing Rules for National Food Safety Supervision and Sampling Inspection, when judging according to the basic standards (GB 2760, GB 2761, GB 2762, GB 2763, GB 29921, GB 31650, etc.), the food classification shall be judged according to the food classification system of the basic standards. If there are other provisions in the rules for various types of food, they shall be implemented in accordance with their provisions.

(viii) Customs HS Code Query, providing import and export commodities HS Code Query, HS Code “Harmonization” covers the “Customs Cooperation Council Tariff Code Commodity Classification Directory” (CCCN) and the United Nations “Standard International Trade Classification” (SITC) two major classification and coding system, is a systematic, multi-purpose international trade commodity classification system. It is a systematic and multi-purpose international trade commodity classification system.

Progress of Revision of China’s Food Classification Standards

Because there is currently no set of unified guiding food classification system applicable to the national food safety standard system, our country is also actively promoting the establishment of a unified food classification system.

In 2014, the former National Health and Family Planning Commission set up a project to start the standard-setting work of Food Safety Nomenclature and Food Classification, and in 2017, the Food Evaluation Center, in conjunction with the China Association of Food Industry, drafted a classification system that includes 25 major categories of food.

In 2018, the Food Safety National Standards Review Committee internally solicited opinions on the Food Classification System for Use in Food Safety National Standards, which was developed in the form of a food safety national standards project, but the document was not released as a mandatory food safety national standard, but as a procedural and institutional document for the development and revision of food safety national standards for reference by all sectors. In other words, the classification system will not replace the existing classification of the food industry, nor will it replace the classification used in various general food safety standards and food safety supervision. Therefore, food industry practitioners still need to master the food classification system introduced earlier.