China Health Food - Reply from the SAMR on the Expiration of the Transition Period for the Renewal of Health Food Certificates

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) recently responded to replied to an official letter from Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision Administration (Letter No. 粵市監食特函[2025] 1091) regarding the management of health food products without a validity period or technical specifications after the expiration of the expiration of the transitional period.

According to the reply, and in line with Announcement (No.38, 2023) jointly issued by the SAMR, National Health Commission (NHC), and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), all registered non-nutrient supplement health foods will continue to be managed under the Administrative Measures for the Catalog of Health Food Ingredients and Health Functions and the Directory of Health Functions Permitted for Health Food Claims for Non-Nutrient Supplements (2023 Edition) (hereinafter referred to as “the Claims”), for five years from the date of this announcement.

During this transitional period, provincial market supervision departments will maintain production licensing management according to current regulations. For newly approved products, manufacturers must strictly comply with the technical requirements set out in the new registration certificates or relevant filing management regulations. Health food products manufactured before the transition period may continue to be sold until their labeled expiration dates.

About CIRS Group

Established in 2012, the Food Business Division of CIRS Group has helped over 1,000 domestic and international food companies achieve one-stop compliance solutions. CIRS offers a full range of regulatory services covering novel food applications, synthetic biology-derived foods, U.S. GRAS notice, EU novel food application, health food registration, and food for special medical purposes (FSMP).

Our food services in China include, but are not limited to:

• China FCM Testing
• China new food raw materials registration
• China new food additive registration
• China health food (dietary supplement) registration/filing
• China health food testing service
• China new food contact substance registration
• China food for special medical purpose (FSMP) registration
• China infant formula milk powder registration

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This article was edited on November 11, 2025, to improve readability.