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◎Our reporter Ma Aiping
On February 22, the new national standard for milk powder, which can be called "the strictest in history", was officially implemented.
Since then, only milk powder products that have passed the registration of the new national standard formula can be sold in China.
Where is the new national standard?
What does it mean for the industry?
Why is domestic milk powder more suitable for Chinese babies?
In response to these problems, the Science and Technology Daily reporter interviewed the main drafters of the new national standard and industry experts.
The new national standard is a "qualitative leap"
Compared with the old national standard, the industry generally believes that the new national standard is a "qualitative leap".
The new national standard has gone through a two-year transition period.
On March 18, 2021, the website of the National Health Commission released 50 national food safety standards, including "National Food Safety Standard for Infant Formula" (GB 10765-2021), "National Food Safety Standard for Older Infant Formula" ( GB 10766-2021) and "National Food Safety Standards for Infant Formula Food" (GB 10767-2021), are known as the "most stringent" new national standards for milk powder.
Compared with the previous 2010 version of infant formula series standards, the new national standard has more stringent regulations on nutrients, and the original "Older Infants and Young Children's Formula Food" (GB 10767-2010) is divided into "Older Infant Formula Food" and "Children's Formula Food" two standards.
"The new national standard adjusts the requirements for protein content in older infants and young children's formula, and increases the requirements for whey protein content in older infant formula; adjusts the requirements for carbohydrate content in older infant formula, which is consistent with the requirements for infant formula Consistent; increase the requirements for lactose content in formulas for older infants and young children, and clearly limit the addition of sucrose in formulas for infants and older infants.” Said Han Junhua, one of the main drafters of the new national standard and secretary-general of the Chinese Nutrition Society, “ The new national standard has lowered the energy value, protein and other nutrient indicators of the second-stage and third-stage milk powder, making it closer to breast milk, and also closer to the normal growth and development requirements of infants at this stage, with the purpose of preventing excessive weight growth of infants , but more scientifically and more balanced growth.”
The baby formula market may usher in a major reshuffle
After the implementation of the new national standard, the infant formula milk powder market of more than 100 billion yuan may usher in a major reshuffle of the industry.
"The new national standard has stricter requirements on the production indicators of milk powder, so it will make it more difficult for enterprises to adjust." Han Junhua said, for example, that the scope of adding standards for some nutrients has narrowed, which means that enterprises must strictly control the production process. Otherwise, it is easy to exceed the standard range and become a substandard product.
This actually puts forward higher requirements on the R&D capabilities and production processes of enterprises.
In addition to narrowing the scope of addition of some nutrients, the new national standard also increases the content requirements of some nutrients.
Han Junhua said that the new national standard requires higher DHA content in milk powder than before, and many companies have suggested that the addition of DHA may cause milk powder to have a fishy smell, which is also a big test for the production and process control of the company.
Liu Aidong, a researcher at the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center, emphasized that enterprises with strong research and development capabilities can form their own corporate standards based on the new national standard but not limited to the new national standard.
The new national standard embodies rationality, standardization and practicality
Why is it said that domestic milk powder is more suitable for Chinese babies?
Lai Jianqiang, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced that the new national standard is the result of the country's "13th Five-Year Plan" key research and development plan, and its nutritional value is set based on the research results of Chinese breast milk, which is closer to the actual needs of Chinese children.
"The new national standard takes into account the nutritional needs of Chinese babies, regulatory needs, and the current production status of the industry, and refers to the practices and experiences of other countries in the world, embodying rationality, standardization, and practicality." Liu Aidong emphasized.
In Han Junhua’s view, infant milk powder purchased through regular domestic channels, whether imported or domestic, is of reliable quality and has undergone strict registration, approval and supervision. In some respects, domestic milk powder is more suitable. Chinese baby.
"For example, the anemia rate of pregnant women in the United States is only 2%, while the anemia rate of pregnant women in China is 13.6%. The anemia rate of pregnant women will affect the iron reserves in newborns. Therefore, newborns in the United States have relatively sufficient iron reserves. The requirement is relatively small. Chinese newborns may have relatively low iron reserves, so the requirement for iron is relatively high. Drinking American milk powder is more likely to cause anemia or iron deficiency in these children, especially after half a year old .” Han Junhua said.
(Science and Technology Daily)