Core Viewpoint - The State Administration for Market Regulation held a press conference on food safety, addressing consumer concerns regarding the abuse of food additives and presenting the results of food sampling inspections conducted in the first half of the year [1] Group 1: Food Safety Monitoring - The food sampling inspection involved over 1,200 food testing institutions nationwide [1] - The focus of the inspections included major food categories such as grain processing products, meat products, catering foods, and fruits [1]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the ongoing issues of food additive misuse in various food categories, despite some products passing inspections [1][2] - The special inspection covered 780 batches of food across 21 categories, including pastries, canned goods, and grain products, revealing that certain categories like meat, seafood, beverages, and dairy did not have any non-compliant samples [1] - However, violations were found in categories such as sugar, starch products, tea, fruit products, alcoholic beverages, and soy products, indicating a significant concern regarding food safety [1] Group 2 - Specific issues identified include the misuse of bleaching agents like sulfur dioxide, sweeteners such as saccharin, and preservatives like dehydroacetic acid in various food products [1] - The inspection revealed 21 batches of spices with non-compliant levels of sulfur dioxide and 20 batches of agricultural products with unauthorized sweeteners and preservatives [1] - In response to the findings, the market regulatory authority is taking measures to enhance the inspection and supervision of food additives, aiming to mitigate food safety risks and enforce compliance [2]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint emphasizes that food additives are not inherently harmful, and their safety depends on proper usage and dosage [1] - Food additives serve to improve food quality, flavor, and preservation, with 23 categories including sweeteners, preservatives, and thickeners [2] - An example of a food additive is coagulant used in making tofu, which has been consumed in China for over 2300 years [2] Group 2 - Misuse of food additives occurs when they are used beyond permitted categories or exceed maximum allowable amounts, potentially leading to health risks [3] - The term "zero additives" on food packaging does not necessarily correlate with food safety; understanding ingredient labels is crucial for consumers [4] - Experts encourage consumers to focus on reading ingredient lists and nutritional information to better understand the true nature of food products [4]

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government has initiated a comprehensive governance action to address the abuse of food additives, emphasizing the importance of food safety and consumer health [1][5]. Group 1: Definition and Importance of Food Additives - Food additives are substances added to food to enhance its quality, flavor, and preservation, categorized into 23 types including sweeteners and preservatives [3]. - Proper use of food additives is crucial for modern food production, providing benefits such as preservation, flavor enhancement, and resource savings [3]. Group 2: Governance Action Overview - The governance action targets the abuse of food additives, defined as exceeding the permitted scope and limits, which poses health risks [5]. - The action plan involves multiple departments, including agriculture, industry, customs, health, and market regulation, to ensure comprehensive oversight from production to consumption [7][30]. Group 3: Regulatory Focus Areas - Key areas of focus include: - Strict enforcement against illegal agricultural inputs in food production [7]. - Enhanced management of chemical products and industrial raw materials [7]. - Increased scrutiny of imported food additives for compliance with regulations [7]. - Development of a dynamic management system for food additive varieties [7]. - Rigorous monitoring of food additive production, sales, and usage [7]. Group 4: Specific Regulatory Measures - Local market regulatory authorities are conducting inspections of food additive production facilities, focusing on compliance with supplier management and production standards [9][11]. - The regulatory framework includes the prohibition of certain additives in specific food products, such as preservatives in canned foods and certain baked goods [14][21]. Group 5: Restaurant and Food Service Regulations - The governance action also emphasizes the regulation of food additives in the restaurant sector, requiring compliance with national safety standards and transparency in ingredient usage [22][25]. - Specific banned substances in the restaurant industry include industrial oxalic acid, nitrites, and other illegal additives [25][27]. Group 6: Import Food Safety Measures - Customs authorities are implementing strict checks on imported food products to ensure adherence to the new national standards for food additives [30][31]. - Measures include the rejection or destruction of products that violate additive regulations and thorough review of foreign production facility registrations [31].