regulatory updates
Highlights
Vietnam: Law on Food Safety
Vietnam | 28 05, 2025
In May 2025, sources indicated that the latest draft of Decree 15 guiding the Food Safety Law include the following changes:1. Self-declaration: Addition of a provision that imported food products approved by a competent authority from an SRA (Stringent Regulatory Authorities) listed country may be traded immediately after self-declaration; the receiving authority shall publish the dossier on its website or online public service system within 10 days. For other products, the timeframe is 21 days.2. Product declaration registration:o For supplemented foods: Product declaration registration is required, eliminating the option of self-declaration.o The same 90-day period applies to products requiring product declaration registration.3. Revocation:o Expired cases are now replaced with cases in...Read more
Thailand: Sodium and Fat Taxes
Thailand | 22 05, 2025
On 22 May 2025, representatives from the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Excise Department reported the progress on national sodium limits for processed foods, aiming to align with global standards while fitting Thailand’s dieta...Read more
Vietnam: General Policies
Vietnam | 26 05, 2025
On 26 May 2025, the dossier on the Draft Law on Disease Prevention was released for public comments, open until 12 June 2025. The Law is expected to take effect on 01 July 2026.Status: The Law has been included in the National Assembly's (NA) 2025 le...Read more
United States: Warning Labels for Ingredients
US | 26 05, 2025
On 26 May 2025, it was reported that the Texas House voted to weaken a key labelling requirement within Senate Bill 25, a wide-ranging public health bill titled “Make Texas Healthy Again”,...Read more
United States: Generally Recognised as Safe
US | 23 05, 2025
On 23 May 2025, it was reported that U.S. food industry trade advocates are pushing for mandatory "Generally Recognised as Safe" (GRAS) notification and improved consumer education in response to HHS...Read more
Europe: EFSA Scientific Opinions
Europe | 22 05, 2025
On 22 May 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released the 2024 EFSA Annual Report Emerging Risks and Horizon Scanning Activities.In 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continu...Read more
Latest Updates
Thai Authorities' Plan for Sodium Tax Using WHO SEARO as a Benchmark for Sodium Thresholds
Thailand | May 22, 2025
On 22 May 2025, representatives from the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Excise Department reported the progress on national sodium limits for processed foods, aiming to align with global standards while fitting Thailand’s dieta...Read more
Vietnam Ministry of Health is Seeking Public Comment on the Draft Law on Disease Prevention
Vietnam | May 26, 2025
On 26 May 2025, the dossier on the Draft Law on Disease Prevention was released for public comments, open until 12 June 2025. The Law is expected to take effect on 01 July 2026.Status: The Law has been included in the National Assembly's (NA) 2025 le...Read more
Europe ESFA Published Safety Evaluation of the Food Enzyme Pullulanase from the Non‐Genetically Modified Klebsiella pneumoniae strain AE‐PUL
Europe | May 19, 2025
On 19 May 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its safety evaluation of the food enzyme pullulanase (pullulan 6-α-glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.41), produced using a non-genetically modified Klebsiella pneumoniae strain AE-PUL...Read more
Europe ESFA Published Safety Evaluation of the Food Enzyme 4‐α‐glucanotransferase from the Genetically Modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MAS
Europe | May 19, 2025
On 19 May 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its safety evaluation of the food enzyme 4‐α‐glucanotransferase (EC 2.4.1.25), produced using the genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MAS. The enzyme is inte...Read more
World Health Assembly Agreed to Extend Implementation Plan on Maternal and Children Nutrition and Regulate Breast Milk Substitute Digital Marketing
Others | May 27, 2025
On 27 May 2025, countries at the seventy-eighth World Health Assembly have agreed on two resolutions to extend the comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and child nutrition to 2030 and to regulate the digital marketing of breast-milk...Read more
US Illinois Passed Bill on Notification of Parents on Toxic Metals in Baby Food to Senate
US | May 22, 2025
On 20 May 2025, the Illinois House unanimously passed a plan to properly notify parents about the toxic metals in baby food. This legislation could require baby food manufacturers to test their products for toxic heavy metals. Companies would then ha...Read more
FSANZ Collaborated with Health Canada on Pre-Market Assessment of GM Foods
Australia | May 06, 2025
On 06 May 2025, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and Health Canada implemented a collaborative arrangement for the pre-market assessment of genetically modified (GM) foods. The Shared Assessment Process (SAP) allows food developers to...Read more
EU EFSA Deemed that Relationship Between Polyphenols in Olive Oil and LDL-Cholesterol Lowering Cannot be Established
Europe | May 23, 2025
On 23 May 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the evaluation of the health claim “Phenolic compounds naturally present in olive oil and lowering of blood LDL‐cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, therefore reducing the...Read more