According to the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and its Implementing Regulations, and the Provisions on the Administration of the Catalog of Substances that are both Food and Chinese Herbal Medicines according to Tradition, after safety assessment and pilot production and operation, 9 substances, including Codonopsis pilosula, Cistanches (desert), Dendrobium officinale, Radix et Rhizoma Gastrodiae, Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng, Astragalus membranaceus, Ganoderma lucidum, Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum, Asparagus and Dulcium graveolens leaves, etc., are included in the Catalog of Substances that are both food and Chinese herbal medicines according to tradition.

The announcement is hereby made.

Attachment: Codonopsis pilosula and other 9 substances added to the list of substances that are both food and Chinese herbal medicine according to tradition

National Health and Health Commission State Administration for Market Supervision and Regulation

November 9, 2023

Interpretation of the Announcement on Nine New Substances of Codonopsis Pilosulae and Other Substances Which Are Both Food and Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials According to Tradition (No. 9, 2023)

In China’s traditional food culture, some Chinese herbal medicines are often widely consumed as ingredients in folklore, i.e. substances that are both food and Chinese herbal medicines according to tradition (hereinafter referred to as food and medicine substances). The nine new food and drug substances, including Codonopsis pilosula, announced this time are mainly based on the Food Safety Law and the Provisions on the Management of the Catalog of Substances That Are Both Food and Chinese Herbal Medicines According to Tradition, with full consideration of their traditional consumption in China, local demand and international management experience, and are determined by pilot production and operation as well as risk monitoring, and comprehensively justified. Specific description is as follows:

Codonopsis pilosula

It is included in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Chinese Pharmacopoeia) (2020 edition) as Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf.), vegetative Codonopsis pilosula Nannf. var. modesta (Nannf.) L.T., or Chuan Codonopsis pilosula (Nannf.) L.T., in the family of Platycodonaceae. Shen) or the dried root of Sichuan Codonopsis (Codonopsis tangshen Oliv.).

Codonopsis tangshen has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Shanxi, Gansu and other provinces, and is mainly used in soups, porridges, steamed rice, dishes, hot pots, in the traditional way of brewing wine, and in the production of preserved Codonopsis ginseng. It is normally consumed according to traditional customs and no adverse reactions have been reported. Codonopsis pilosula should not be used with quinoa.

Cistanche (Desert)

It is included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) as the dried fleshy stem with scaly leaves of Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma (Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma), family Ledebouriae. Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Inner Mongolia and other provinces, mainly used in stews, dishes, staple foods, tea, and wine in the traditional way. It is consumed normally according to traditional customs and no adverse reactions have been reported.

Dendrobium officinale

In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it is the dried stem of Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (Dendrobium officinale), family Orchidaceae. Dendrobium officinale has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Yunnan, Zhejiang and other provinces, and is mainly used for fresh food, soup, vegetables, juice, tea, and wine in the traditional way. It is consumed normally according to traditional customs and no adverse reactions have been reported.

American Ginseng

In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it is the dried root of Panax quinquefolium L., a plant of the family Wujiaceae. Radix Panax quinquefolium L. has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Shandong and other provinces, and it is mainly used for brewing water, porridge, soup and vegetables. It has been consumed normally according to the traditional custom, and no adverse reaction has been reported. Ginseng should not be used with quassia.

Astragalus

Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao) or Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. is the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. Bge. Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch. Bge.) Bge. has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Shanxi, Gansu, and other provinces, mainly in soups, stews, porridges, steamed rice, dishes, hot pots, and the traditional way of making wine. It has been consumed normally according to traditional practices, and no adverse reactions have been reported.

Ganoderma lucidum

Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. is the dried fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. or Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang (Ganoderma sinense), a fungus of the family Polyporaceae. Ganoderma lucidum has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in provinces such as Anhui and Shandong, and is mainly used in soups, teas, and traditional ways of making wine. It is consumed normally according to traditional practices, and no adverse effects have been reported.

Cornus officinalis

In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it is the dried mature fruit pulp of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. in the Cornaceae family. Cornus officinalis has a history of being used as a food ingredient in Shaanxi, Henan and other provinces, mainly in soups, dishes, and in the traditional way of making fruit wines, fruit juices, and candied fruit preserves. It is consumed normally according to traditional customs, and no adverse reactions have been reported.

Tianma

In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it is the dried tuber of the orchid plant Gastrodia elata Bl. Tianma has a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Guizhou, Yunnan and other provinces, and is mainly used in stews, dishes and hot pots. It is consumed normally according to traditional custom, and no adverse reactions have been reported. It should not be consumed by people with allergies.

Cortex Eucommiae Leaf

In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it is the dried leaves of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Eucommia ulmoides leaves have a history of being consumed as a food ingredient in Hunan, Henan and other provinces, and are mainly used in vegetables, porridge, tea and staple foods. No adverse effects have been reported from normal consumption according to traditional practices.

As food and medicine substances, it is recommended that the above substances be consumed in moderation according to the traditional way, and not recommended for special groups such as pregnant women, lactating women, infants and young children. Traditional ways usually refer to crushing, slicing, pressing, stir-frying, boiling, soaking in wine, etc. of raw materials. When the above substances are used as raw materials for health food, they should be managed in accordance with the relevant regulations on health food; when they are used as Chinese herbal medicines, they should be managed in accordance with the relevant regulations on Chinese herbal medicines.