Related Q&As on Imported Food

Date: 2023-Jul-17 Source:Hefei Customs 12360 Hotline View: 115

What should food importers pay attention to?

According to the relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law, the main responsibilities of food importers include: establishing an audit system for overseas exporters and overseas manufacturers, voluntary recall obligation, and establishing and complying with food import and sales record systems.

What is the enterprise registration process for importing health food?

First, apply. The overseas manufacturers of health food should be reviewed and examined by the competent authorities of the country or region where they are located, and after confirming that they meet the registration requirements, the competent authorities should recommend and submit application materials to the General Administration of China Customs.

Secondly, submit. Except the relevant national or regional competent authorities and the General Administration of China Customs on the application method and application materials otherwise agreed, the application of registration, change, renewal and revocation of overseas manufacturers of imported food, should be submitted through the registration management system of overseas manufacturers of imported food.

Thirdly, accept. After receiving the application materials, the General Administration of China Customs should implement the registration administration in accordance with the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food.

Fourthly, evaluate and review. According to the risk analysis and actual work needs, the General Administration of China Customs may organize a review team to evaluate and review the overseas manufacturers of imported food applying for registration through written inspection, video inspection, on-site inspection and other forms.

Fifthly, audit. The General Administration of China Customs should audit the work report of the review team.

Sixthly, approve to be registered. The General Administration of China Customs shall, on the basis of the assessment and inspection, approves to register the overseas manufacturers of imported food that meet requirements and give them Chinese registration numbers, and refuses to register those that do not meet requirements.

How does the Customs deal with unqualified imported meat?

If it fails to pass the inspection and quarantine, a Notification on Inspection and Quarantine Treatment will be issued. Under any of the following circumstances, the goods should be returned or destroyed: without a valid imported animal and plant quarantine license; without relevant certificates issued by the official institution of the exporting country or region; imported meat products produced by an unregistered manufacturer; items involving personal safety, health and environmental protection are not qualified.

If, after inspection and quarantine, items other than those involving personal safety, health and environmental protection fail, technical treatment may be carried out under the supervision of the Customs, and only after passing the inspection and quarantine can they be sold or used.

What are the Customs requirements for importers of foods for special dietary uses?

Importers of foods for special dietary uses should establish an audit system for overseas exporters and overseas manufacturers, focusing on auditing, formulating and implementing food safety risk control measures and ensuring that food meets Chinese laws and regulations and national food safety standards.

Importers of foods for special dietary uses should audit the implementation of food safety risk control measures of overseas enterprises before the import of products, and whether the products meet the requirements of Chinese laws and regulations and national food safety standards, so as to ensure that foods for special dietary uses entering China meet the relevant requirements of Chinese laws and regulations.

In addition, importers of foods for special dietary uses should also establish a food import and sales record system, truthfully record the food name, net content/specification, quantity, production date, production or import batch number, shelf life, name, address and contact information of overseas exporter and buyer, delivery date and other contents, and save the relevant certificates. The retention period of records and certificates should not be less than 6 months after the expiration of shelf life; if there is no definite shelf life, the storage period should be more than 2 years after sale.

What are the requirements for Chinese labels of imported foods for special dietary uses?

According to Article 30 of the Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety, the package, label and identification of imported food should comply with Chinese laws and regulations and national food safety standards. Where there should be an instruction in accordance with laws, there should also be an instruction in Chinese. The Chinese labels of imported health food and foods for special dietary uses must be printed on the minimum sales package and are not allowed to be affixed. If the internal and external package of imported food has special labeling provisions, the relevant provisions prevail.

Source: Hefei Customs 12360 Hotline

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