Many foods require food additives during production and processing. How should food additives be correctly labeled on food labels?

Point 1

Food additives shall be marked with their common names specified in National Food Safety Standard for Uses of Food Additives (GB 2760‑2014). Where two or more names are specified for one food additive in GB 2760‑2014, each name shall be regarded as an equivalent common name. For instance, for “sodium cyclamate (also known as cyclamate)”, both “sodium cyclamate” and “cyclamate” are valid common names.

Point 2

Food additives used in products shall be labeled truth‑fully, yet setting up a separate “food additive” item is not mandatory. On the label of a single prepackaged food, food additives applied may be labeled in one of the following three forms:

1. Label the specific name of each food additive in full. Manufacturing methods shall not be included in additive names. For example, caramel colour produced via ammonia process, ordinary process or ammonium sulfite process may all be simply marked as “caramel colour”.

2. Label the functional‑category name together with the International Numbering System (INS) number for every food additive. Where no corresponding INS number is available for an additive, or labeling is required for allergen‑related purposes, its specific name may be indicated. For example, “phospholipids” may be written as “soy‑derived phospholipids”.

3. Label both the functional‑category name and the specific name of each food additive.

A food additive may perform one or more functions. GB 2760‑2014 lists major functions of food additives for reference. Manufacturers and operators shall label functional‑category names according to the actual functions exerted by additives in finished products. Example for propylene glycol: it may be labeled as (1) propylene glycol; (2) thickener (1520); (3) thickener (propylene glycol).

When two or more food additives of the same functional category are added, enterprises may either list their respective specific names separately, or state the functional‑category name first followed by each specific name or INS number. Examples: “carrageenan, guar gum”; “thickener (carrageenan, guar gum)”; “thickener (407, 412)”. If an additive has no INS number, its specific name shall be added. Example: “thickener (carrageenan, sodium polyacrylate)” or “thickener (407, sodium polyacrylate)”.

Point 3

Labeling of compound food additives Each food additive that performs a functional role in the final product shall be individually listed in the food ingredient list. If the name of a compound food additive is given, its naming shall comply with National Food Safety Standard General Principles for Compound Food Additives (GB 26687‑2011). Names shall adopt the format “compound + functional‑category name of food additive from GB 2760”, or “compound + food‑category name + functional‑category name of food additive from GB 2760”, e.g. compound humectant, or compound meat‑product humectant.

Example: where a compound colourant is used, it may be labeled as “compound colourant (natural carotene, amaranth)”, or “natural carotene, amaranth” directly in the ingredient list.

Point 4

Labeling of auxiliary substances contained in food additives Auxiliary substances within food additives do not need to appear in the ingredient list if they exert no functional effect in the final food product. Such auxiliaries are food raw materials or food additives added for processing, storage, standardization, dissolution or other technical purposes for single or compound food additives. Since they serve no functional purpose in the finished food, they may be omitted from ingredient lists.

For example, lutein containing auxiliary materials such as edible vegetable oil, dextrin and antioxidants may be directly labeled as “lutein”, or “colourant (lutein)”, or “colourant (161b)”.

Point 5

Labeling of enzyme preparations Enzyme preparations that have lost enzymatic activity in the final product do not require labeling. If enzymatic activity is retained in the finished food, enzyme preparations shall be placed at the corresponding position in the ingredient list according to their added quantity during food manufacturing, complying with relevant labeling provisions for food ingredients.

Enterprises may still list processing aids, enzyme preparations and functionally‑inert auxiliary substances from food additives in ingredient lists even when labeling is not compulsory.

Point 6

Labeling of food nutritional fortifiers Food nutritional fortifiers shall be labeled with names specified in Standard for Uses of Food Nutritional Fortifiers (GB 14880‑2012) or announcements issued by the former National Health and Family Planning Commission.

For ingredients that can be used as food additives, food nutritional fortifiers or other raw materials, labeling shall be based on their actual function in the final product. ‑ When used as a food additive: use the name stipulated in GB 2760‑2014. ‑ When used as a food nutritional fortifier: use the name stipulated in GB 14880‑2012. ‑ When used as other raw materials: use its corresponding specific name.

Example: monosodium glutamate. It can act both as a condiment and a food additive. When used as a food additive, it shall be marked “monosodium glutamate”; when used as a condiment, it shall be marked “monosodium glutamate / gourmet powder”.