Introduction:

The List of Strains Available in Infants and Young Children Food was first released by the former Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2011. After that, Chinese regulatory authorities have approved multiple strains available in infants and young children food. On August 25, 2022, the National Health Commission issued Notice of No. 4, 2022, which updated the list, adjusted the classification and naming of some strains, and set a two-year transition period. Notably, both the original and the new names are available during the two-year period, and the updated list shall prevail after.

How to use the list:

Different from the List of Strains Available in Food, the strains in this list will be limited to specific strain numbers, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, NCFM, where NCFM serves as the strain number. Therefore, only the specific strains included in this list can be used in infants and young children food.

How to join the list:

For new strains which has not yet been included into the list, the safety assessment materials shall be submitted to the National Health Commission in accordance with the relevant requirements for the registration and declaration of new food raw materials in China. Only after passing the review can they be used in infants and young children food.

CIRS Services:

l  NHC New Food Raw Material Registration in China

l  NHC New Food Additive Registration in China

l  Genetically Modified Microorganism Food Additive Registration in China