The Chinese government has given its approval to 11 new food materials and additives, including three products derived from genetically modified (GM) microorganisms, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) wrote.
Approved on 7 May, the enzymes are considered common enzymes available for use in food processing and in foods with no specific labelling requirements, according to the USDA’s 19 May Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)’s Global Agricultural Information Network report.
Two GM enzymes – GM peroxidase and xylanase – were approved for use in the food industry and the GM additive lacto-N-neotetraose was approved in the category ‘Supplemented Quality Specification Requirements’.
The USDA noted that approved additives included 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL), a purified human milk oligosaccharide for use as a food nutrition fortifier, particularly in infant formula, which had been approved in 2023 but the newly approved 2’-FL was from a different host and donor than the previous approval, the USDA said.
Newly approved food raw materials included rye pollen and Sakura polyphenols for use in milk and dairy products, alcoholic drinks, chocolate and other products.
Food Additives with ‘Expanded Scope of Use’ comprised magnesium oxide for surface-treated fresh fruit (limited to citrus fruits).
In the category ‘Food Processing Aids for the Food Industry with Expanded Scope of Use’ hydrogen peroxide was approved for use in the processing of yeast-derived products.
