GB 2760-2024National Food Safety Standard - Food additives - Usage Standards (English PDF)

Foreword

This standard replaces GB 2760-2014 "National food safety standard - Food additive -

Standard for use".

Compared with GB 2760-2014, the main changes in this standard are as follows.

- ADD the Announcement No.1 in 2015, Announcement No.8 in 2016,

Announcement No.9 in 2016, Announcement No.14 in 2016, Announcement No.1

in 2017, Announcement No.3 in 2017, Announcement No.8, 2017, Announcement

No.10 in 2017, Announcement No.13 in 2017, Announcement No.2 in 2018,

Announcement No.8 in 2018, Announcement No.2 in 2019, Announcement No.4

in 2019, Announcement No.6 in 2019, Announcement No.4 in 2020,

Announcement No.6 in 2020, Announcement No.8 in 2020, Announcement No.9

in 2020, Announcement No.2 in 2021, Announcement No.5 in 2021,

Announcement No.6 in 2021, Announcement No.9 in 2021, Announcement No.1

in 2022, Announcement No.2 in 2022, Announcement No.5 in 2022,

Announcement No.1 in 2023, Announcement No.3 in 2023, Announcement No.5

in 2023 of National Health Commission (formerly National Health and Family

Planning Commission) on the food additives.

- MODIFY the relevant content of the text.

a) MODIFY the definition of food additives in 2.1, adding the nutritional

supplements;

b) MERGE the 2.5 "International Numbering System (INS)" and 2.6 "Chinese

Numbering System (CNS)" in the original standard, into 2.5 "Food additive

code", modifying its definition and description;

c) DELETE that "If a food additive is allowed to be applied to a certain food

category, it is allowed to be applied to all categories of food under that category,

unless otherwise specified" in Chapter 4 "Food classification system" in the

original standard, reflecting it in A.3 in Appendix A;

d) ADD Chapter 8 "Functional categories of food additives" and Chapter 9 "Index

of food additive use provisions in Appendix A".

- MODIFY the requirements on the use of food additives in Appendix A.

a) MODIFY the English names, INS numbers, CNS numbers of some food

additives;

b) MODIFY the query method for food additive use requirements in Appendix A,

reflecting the contents of Table A.3 in Tables A.1 and A.2, merging the original

Table A.2 into Table A.1;

c) DELETE the defoaming agent function in Appendix A;

d) MODIFY the requirements on the use of some food additives.

- MODIFY the requirements on the use of food spices and essences in Appendix B.

a) MODIFY some descriptions in the principles for the use of food spices and

essences;

b) MODIFY the requirements, Chinese names, English names and numbers of

some food spices.

- MODIFY the requirements on the use of processing aids for the food industry in

Appendix C (hereinafter referred to as "processing aids").

a) MOVE hydrogen peroxide from Table C.1 into Table C.2, specifying its use

function and scope;

b) MODIFY the names and descriptions of use scope of some processing aids.

- MODIFY the functional categories of food additives in Appendix D.

a) ADD the number and definition of nutritional supplements;

b) MODIFY the definition of food spices.

- MODIFY Appendix E Food classification system.

a) MODIFY the food category names of 05.01.03, 12.03, 12.03.02, 12.04.02,

12.05, 12.10.03.01, etc., adjusting the requirements on use of food additives

according to the adjusted food categories.

- MODIFY Appendix F "Index of food additive use requirements in Appendix A".

a) ADD INS number of food additives.

National food safety standard - Food additive - Standard for

use

1 Scope

This standard stipulates the principles for the use of food additives, the types of food

additives allowed to be used, the scope of use and the maximum usage amount or

residue amount.

2 Terms and definitions

3 Principles for the use of food additives

4 Food classification system

The food classification system is used to define the scope of use of food additives and

is only applicable to this standard. See Appendix E.

5 Provisions on the use of food additives

The use of food additives shall comply with the provisions of Appendix A.

6 Food spices

The use of food spices used to produce food spices shall comply with the provisions of

Appendix B.

7 Processing aids for the food industry

The use of processing aids for the food industry shall comply with the provisions of

Appendix C.

8 Functional categories of food additives

See Appendix D for the functional categories of food additives.

9 Index of food additive use requirements in Appendix A

The index of food additive use requirements in Appendix A is shown in Appendix F.

10 Nutritional supplements

The use of nutritional supplements shall comply with the "National food safety standard

for the use of nutritional fortification substances in foods" (GB 14880) and related

provisions.

11 Base ingredients in gum-based candies

The use of base substances and ingredients in gum-based candies shall comply with the

provisions of the "National food safety standard - Food additive - Gum bases and their

ingredients" (GB 1886.359).

Appendix A

Requirements on the use of food additives

A.1 Table A.1 stipulates the allowable use varieties, use scope, maximum use amount

or residue amount of food additives.

A.2 Table A.2 specifies the food categories corresponding to the excepted food numbers

in Table A.1.

A.3 The food additives listed in Table A.1 shall be used according to the specified scope

of use and maximum usage amount. If a food additive is allowed to be used in a certain

food category, it is allowed to be used in all categories of food under that category,

unless otherwise specified. If the maximum usage amount of the same food additive in

a lower-level food category is inconsistent with that in a higher-level food category, the

requirements of the lower-level food category shall be followed.

A.4 When food additives with the same function and numerical maximum usage

amounts listed in Table A.1 (limited to the same color colorant, preservatives,

antioxidants) are mixed and used, the sum of proportion of each usage amount to the

maximum usage amount shall not exceed 1.

A.5 Table A.1 does not include relevant provisions on food spices and food additives

used as processing aids in the food industry.

A.6 The "Function" column in Table A.1 is the main function of the food additive and

is for reference when using it.

Appendix B

Provisions on the use of food spices

B.1 Principles for the use of food spices and essences

B.1.1 The purpose of using food spices and flavors in food is to produce, change or

enhance the flavor of the food. Food spices are generally formulated into food flavors

and then used to flavor food. Some of them can also be used directly to flavor food.

Food spices and flavors do not include substances that only produce sweet, sour or salty

tastes, nor do they include flavor enhancers.

B.1.2 Food spices and flavors are required to be used properly in various types of food;

the foods listed in Table B.1 do not need to be flavored, so food spices and flavors are

not allowed to be added, unless otherwise clearly stipulated by laws, regulations or

national food safety standards. In addition to the foods listed in Table B.1, whether other

foods can be flavored shall be governed by relevant food product standards.

B.1.3 The varieties of food spices used to prepare food flavors shall comply with the

provisions of this standard. The natural flavor compound with flavor properties, which

is prepared from food (which may be unprocessed or processed by traditional food

preparation techniques suitable for human consumption), through physical, enzymatic

or microbial methods (the enzyme preparations used shall comply with the relevant

provisions of this standard) can be used to prepare food flavors.

Note. Natural flavor compound is a type of preparation containing edible flavor substances.

B.1.4 Food spices with other food additive functions or other food uses shall be

formulated into food flavors for food flavoring. When they are used as other food

additives in food, they shall comply with the corresponding provisions of this standard.

When used for other purposes, it shall comply with the provisions of the corresponding

standards, for example, benzoic acid, cinnamic aldehyde, guarana extract, sodium

diacetate (also known as sodium diacetate), disodium succinate, tricalcium phosphate,

amino acids, etc.

B.1.5 Food flavors can contain food flavor accessories (including food additives and

food) necessary for its production, storage, application. Flavor accessories for food

shall meet the following requirements.

a) The excipients allowed to be used in food flavors shall comply with the provisions

of the "National food safety standard - Compounded flavors" (GB 30616). Use as

few varieties as possible while achieving the intended purpose.

b) Food additives, which are added to food flavors as auxiliary materials, shall not

play a functional role in the final food; the amount used in food shall be reduced

as much as possible while achieving the intended purpose.

B.1.6 The labels of food spices and food flavors shall comply with the provisions of the

"National standard of food safety - General rule of designation of food additives" (GB

29924).

B.1.7 All prepackaged foods with added food spices and flavors shall be labeled in

accordance with the "National food safety standard - Standard for nutrition labelling of

prepackaged foods" (GB 7718).

B.1.8 The quality specifications of food spices shall comply with the provisions of the

"National food safety standard - General principles for food spices" (GB 29938) and

related spice product standards.

B.2 List of food spices

B.2.1 Food flavors include natural flavors and synthetic flavors.

B.2.2 The list of allowed natural flavors for food is shown in Table B.2.

B.2.3 The list of permitted synthetic flavors for food is shown in Table B.3.

Appendix C

Provisions on the use of processing aids for the food industry

C.1 Principles for the use of processing aids for the food industry (hereinafter

referred to as "processing aids")

C.1.1 Processing aids shall be used during food production and processing; their use

shall be technologically necessary. The amount used shall be reduced as much as

possible while achieving the intended purpose.

C.1.2 Processing aids shall generally be removed before making the final product. If

they cannot be completely removed, their residual amounts shall be reduced as much

as possible. Their residual amounts shall not cause harm to health and shall not play a

functional role in the final food.

C.1.3 Processing aids shall comply with corresponding quality specifications.

C.2 Provisions on the use of processing aids for the food industry

C.2.1 Table C.1 specifies the list of processing aids that can be used in various food

processing processes and whose residual amounts do not need to be limited (excluding

enzyme preparations) in order of the Chinese pinyin of the processing aid names.

C.2.2 Table C.2 specifies the list of processing aids (excluding enzyme preparations),

that require specified functions and scope of use in order of the Chinese pinyin of the

processing aid names.

C.2.3 Table C.3 specifies the enzymes allowed to be used in food processing in the

Chinese pinyin order of enzyme preparation names. The sources and donors of various

enzymes shall comply with the requirements in the Table.

Appendix D

Food additive functional categories

Note. Each food additive often has one or more functions in food. In the specific provisions of

each food additive in this standard, only the commonly used functions of the food additive are

listed, without an exhaustive list.

D.1 Acidity regulator. A substance used to maintain or change the pH of food.

D.2 Anti-caking agent. A substance used to prevent granular or powdery food from

agglomerating and clumping, to keep it loose or free-flowing.

D.3 Defoaming agent. A substance that reduces surface tension and eliminates foam

during food processing.

D.4 Antioxidant. A substance that can prevent or delay the oxidative decomposition and

deterioration of oils or food ingredients and improve food stability.

D.5 Bleaching agent. A substance that can destroy and inhibit the color development

factors of food, causing it to fade or preventing food from browning.

D.6 Leavening agent. A substance added during food processing that can initiate the

formation of a dense porous structure in the product, thereby making the product puffy,

soft or crispy.

D.7 Base agent substance in gum-based candies. A substance that gives gum-based

candies foaming, plasticizing, chewing resistance, etc.

D.8 Colorant. A substance that imparts color to food and improves the color of food.

D.9 Color protectant. A substance that can interact with the coloring substances in meat

and meat products to prevent them from being decomposed and destroyed during food

processing, preservation, etc., and to present a good color.

D.10 Emulsifier. A substance that can improve the surface tension between various

constituent phases in the emulsion and form a uniform dispersion or emulsion.

D.11 Enzyme preparations. Biological products with special catalytic functions, which

are directly extracted from edible or non-edible parts of animals or plants, or fermented

and extracted from traditional or genetically modified microorganisms (including but

not limited to bacteria, actinomycetes, fungal strains), used in food processing.

D.12 Flavor enhancers. Substances that supplement or enhance the original flavor of

food.

D.13 Flour treatment agent. A substance that promotes the maturation of flour and

improves the quality of products.

D.14 Coating agent. A substance applied to the surface of food to preserve quality,

freshness, glazing, and prevent water evaporation.

D.15 Moisture retaining agent. A substance added to help maintain moisture in food.

D.16 Nutritional supplement. Its definition complies with the provisions of the

"National food safety standard for the use of nutritional fortification substances in

foods" (GB 14880).

D.17 Preservatives. Substances that prevent food from spoiling and extend the storage

period of food.

D.18 Stabilizers and coagulants. Substances that stabilize the food structure or keep the

food structure unchanged and enhance the viscous solid matter.

D.19 Sweetener. A substance that gives sweetness to food.

D.20 Thickener. A substance that can increase the viscosity of food or form a gel,

thereby changing the physical properties of food, giving the food a sticky and suitable

taste, also emulsifying, stabilizing or suspending the food.

D.21 Food spices. Substances added to food products to produce fragrance, modify

fragrance or enhance fragrance.

D.22 Processing aids for the food industry. Various substances that help food processing

to proceed smoothly and have nothing to do with the food itself. Such as filtration aid,

clarification, adsorption, demoulding, decolorization, peeling, extraction solvent, etc.

D.23 Others. Other functions that cannot be covered by the above functional categories.

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