Classification of health food in China

In order to standardize China's health (functional) food market, the State Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision issued the GB16740-1997 "General Standard for Health (Function) Foods" in 1997 and implemented it on May 1st of the same year.

The standard specifies health (functional) food definitions, product classifications, basic principles, technical requirements, test methods, and labeling requirements.

Health (functional) foods, first, to provide nutrition; second, to increase the body's appetite, color, smell, taste, shape; third is to adjust the body functions.

The standard stipulates that health-care (functional) foods should have functional ingredients that correspond to their functional effects and their minimum content. Efficacy component refers to a substance that can regulate the function of the human body by activating the enzyme activity or other ways. At present, it mainly includes:

1 polysaccharides: such as dietary fiber, lentinan, etc.;

2 functional sweeteners (agents): such as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polyol sugar, etc.;

3 functional oils (fatty acids): such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, phosphate esters, choline, etc.;

4 Free radical scavengers: such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, etc.

5 Vitamins: such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.;

6 peptides and proteins: such as glutathione, immunoglobulin, etc.;

7 active fungi: such as polylactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, etc.;

8 trace elements: such as selenium, zinc, etc.;

9 Other categories: octacosanol, phytosterols, saponins (glycosides), etc.

In addition to classifying health products into 22 categories according to their functions, there is another classification method and the following provisions are made:

"Food characters" products: Generally, foods containing nutrients or foods containing new resources are subject to approval by the local health authorities. The food approval number is "X food supervision". The approval number issued by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China and containing new resources for food is "Weixin Shizi." Food products can not promote medicinal efficacy, but can introduce the efficacy of the main ingredients contained in the product;

“Food and Health Word” products: The “Health Food Management Regulations” stipulated by the State stipulates that foods with specific health care functions, called “health food”, shall be subject to the approval of the State Council’s health administrative department, and the approval document number shall be “Xu Jian Jian Zi”. ". The food and health word products can promote the relevant contents of health care functions approved by the health administrative department of the State Council;

"Yijian" products: drugs with specific health and nutrition functions, called "health care drugs." It is strictly examined and approved by the administrative department of health. Its approval number is "Xiaowei Yaojian".