1.

Notifying Member: CHINA

If applicable, name of local government involved:

2.

Agency responsible: National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHC)

3.

Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): Food additive Lactic acid

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[X]     All trading partners

[ ]      Specific regions or countries:

5.

Title of the notified document: National Food Safety Standard of the P.R.C.: Food additive Lactic acid. Language(s): Chinese. Number of pages: 9

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2025/SPS/CHN/25_05740_00_x.pdf

6.

Description of content: This standard applies to food additive lactic acid made from starch or sugar through fermentation with Lactobacillus or Rhizopus oryzae. It specifies the technical requirements and testing methods for the food additive lactic acid.

7.

Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, [ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other damage from pests.

8.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[X]       Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text): The specification of "LACTIC ACID" prepared at the 63^rd JECFA (2006)

[ ]        World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number):

[ ]        International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number):

[ ]        None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?

[ ] Yes   [X] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard: Increase the proportion of L-lactic acid to the total lactic acid content by over 97%.

Modified the indicator requirements for chloride, sulfate and cyanide.

Increase the limit requirement of arsenic.

Reason: The standard is based on the revision of "National food safety standard: Food additive Lactic acid" (GB 1886.173-2016), and combined with the actual quality status of Chinese products.

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): To be determined.

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): To be determined.

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): To be determined.

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure

12.

Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 3 November 2025

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

WTO/SPS National Notification and Enquiry Center of the People's Republic of China

Tel: +(86 10) 5795 4645/5795 4642

E-mail: sps@customs.gov.cn

13.

Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

WTO/SPS National Notification and Enquiry Center of the People's Republic of China

Tel: +(86 10) 5795 4645/5795 4642

E-mail: sps@customs.gov.cn