Q&A | Name, Labeling & Advertising Requirements of Health Food

Date: 2020-Jun-22 Source:SAMR View: 773

Q: What must not be included in the generic name of health food?


A: According to Article 58 of the Measures for the Administration of the Registration and Filing of Health Food, the generic name should not contain the followings:

 

(1) Generic name of medicines that have been registered, except for the name after the raw material or the health food has been registered and approved first;

(2) The name of the health care function or words associated with the expression of the health care function of the product;

(3) Misleading abbreviated name of ingredients;

(4) Some vitamins or minerals in the ingredients of nutritional supplement products;

(5) Other words prohibited by laws and regulations.

 

Q: How to strengthen the management of labeling and instructions of health food?

 

A: Emphasis should be placed on health food manufacturers. The supervision and inspection of health food labeling and instructions should be strengthened. Severely investigate and deal with such violations as the inconsistency between the contents of health food labeling and instructions and registration certificate or filing certificate, involving disease prevention and treatment functions, etc. Guide health food manufacturers to prominently display the statement of “Health food is not a drug and cannot replace drug to treat diseases” and other contents should be labeled on the main display panel in accordance with the requirements of the Guide for the Labeling of Warning Signal Words on Health Food. The labeling of food products other than health food should not claim health functions and should not involve disease prevention and treatment functions.

 

Q: After the health food advertisement has been reviewed and recorded in the provincial administration for market regulation department of the registration location of the company, can it be published in other regions, or does it need to be reviewed and recorded in the administration for market regulation department of other regions once again?

 

A: According to the requirements of Advertising Law, Food Safety Law and other relevant advertising review regulations, the advertisements of health food can be released after reviewed by the advertising review authorities, and no further filing procedures are required when advertising in different regions.