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MINISTRY OF HEALTH
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SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence - Freedom – Happiness
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No. 08/VBHN-BYT

Hanoi, November 02, 2023

 

CIRCULAR

MANAGEMENT AND USE OF FOOD ADDITIVES

Circular No. 24/2019/TT-BYT dated August 30, 2019 of the Minister of Health on management and use of food additives, which comes into force from October 16, 2019, is amended by:

Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health on amendments to and annulment of certain legislative documents on food safety promulgated by the Minister of Health, which comes into force from November 09, 2023;

Pursuant to the Law on Food Safety dated June 17, 2010;

Pursuant to Government’s Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP dated February 02, 2018 on elaboration of the Law on Food Safety;

Pursuant to Government’s Decree No. 75/2017/ND-CP dated June 20, 2017 on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

At the request of Director of Vietnam Food Safety Authority;

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Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope

This Circular provides for the list of food additives; use and management of food additives and responsibilities of relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Regulated entities

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals involved in manufacture, trade and import of food and food additives in Vietnam and relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.

Article 3. Definitions

In this Circular, the undermentioned terms and abbreviations shall be defined as follows

1. “CAC” stands for the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

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3. “Flavoring” (food additive) is a substance added to food to affect, change or increase food flavor. Flavorings include flavoring substances, natural flavoring complexes; flavorings used in heat processing or smoke flavorings and their mixtures; may contain non-flavoring food ingredients with conditions prescribed in section 3.5 of the National Standard TCVN 6417:2010 on guidelines for the use of flavorings. Flavorings do not include substances that simply create sweetness, sourness or saltiness (such as sugar, vinegar or salt); and flavor enhancers that are considered as food additives in the CAC/GL 36-1989 Codex Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives.

4. “Non-flavoring food ingredient” means an ingredient that is used as a food additive/food ingredient and is necessary for the manufacture, preservation and transport of flavorings or dissolution, disperse or dilution of flavorings.

5. “Acceptable daily intake” (“ADI”) means the daily intake of a food additive over a lifetime without an appreciable risk to human health and is expressed as mg per kg of body weight.

6. “Acceptable daily intake not specified/not limited” means the daily intake of a food additive with very low toxicity on the basis of available chemical, biochemical and toxicological data and other factors. Such intake is maintained at an amount necessary to achieve the desired effects and acceptable without an appreciable risk to human health.

7. “Maximum use level” (“ML”) means the highest amount of a food additive that is determined to be functionally effective for one kind of food or food group; usually expressed as mg of additive per kg of food or mg of additive per liter of food.

8 [2]. “A mixed food additive with new uses” is a food additive that contains at least two food additives and has at least one usage different from usages of each additive when used alone.

Chapter II

LIST OF PERMITTED FOOD ADDITIVES

Article 4. Rules for compilation of the list of permitted food additives

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2. Complying with international standards and regulations on management and use of food additives.

3. Being up-to-date with recommendations on risk management for food additives of Vietnamese, CAC, JECFA and foreign competent authorities.

Article 5. List of permitted food additives and maximum use level

1. Enclosed with this Circular is Appendix 1 on the list of permitted food additives.

2. Enclosed with this Circular is Appendix 2A and Appendix 2B on the maximum use level of food additives.

3. Enclosed with this Circular is Appendix 3 on the list of permitted food additives and food using food additives according to GMP.

4 [3]. Flavors include those in one of the following lists:

a) Flavors that are evaluated and recognized as safe flavors for expected intakes or acceptable daily intakes (ADI) by JECFA.

b) Flavors that are generally recognized as safe flavors (GRAS) by Flavor and Extracts Manufacturers Association (FEMA);

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5 [4]. Appendix 2A and Appendix 3 are updated in accordance with Table 1 and Table 3 according to the latest General Standard for Food Additives (CODEX STAN 192-1995)) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).

Any food additives not specified in Appendix 2A and Appendix 3 but regulated in CAC standards on food products may be used in accordance with this standard.

6 [5]. When the maximum use level of a food additive in a type of food product specified in Clause 5 of this Article differs from that in Appendix 2B, Clause 5 of this Article shall apply."

Article 6. Classification and description of groups of food using food additives

1 [6].  Enclosed with this Circular is Appendix 4 on the classification and description of food groups to identify the food groups to which Appendix 2A, Appendix 2B, and Appendix 3 are applied. Appendix 4 is updated according to Appendix B of the latest CAC standards on food additives.

2. Food classification prescribed in Clause 1 herein shall not be used to regulate product naming and goods labeling.

3. Rules for application of food group codes:

a) If a food additive is permitted for use in one food group, it may also be used for subgroups of such group unless otherwise provided for;

b) If a food additive is permitted for use in one subgroup, it may also be used for subordinate groups of such subgroup or for individual foods of such subgroup unless otherwise provided for.

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MANAGEMENT AND USE OF FOOD ADDITIVES

Article 7. General rules for use of food additives

1. Use of food additives must ensure that:

a) The food additive is permitted for use and is used for the right food;

b) The amount of food additive used does not exceed the maximum use level applied to one kind of food or food group;

c) Food additives shall be used with the minimum amount necessary to produce the desired technical effects.

2. Food additives shall only be used if such use could produce the desired effects without harming human health or deceiving consumers. Food additives shall only be used for one or more than one of their functions to achieve the following purposes in case other options more economically and technologically effective to achieve such purposes are not available.

a) Maintenance of nutritional value of food. Products for special uses where food additives are used as food ingredients (e.g. dietary sugar) are not regulated by this Circular;

b) Increase in maintenance of food quality or stability or organoleptic improvement without effect on the nature or quality of food with a view to deceiving consumers;

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3. Food additives must satisfy technical and food safety requirements according to the following documents:

a) National technical regulations or regulations of legislative documents promulgated by competent authorities in case where there is no applicable national technical regulation yet;

b) National standards in case where the regulations prescribed in Point a herein are not yet applicable;

c) CAC and JECFA standards and regional and foreign standards in case where the regulations prescribed in Points a and b herein are not yet applicable;

d) Manufacturer standards in case where the regulations prescribed in Points a, b and c herein are not yet applicable.

4. Besides appearing in food when used in manufacture, food additives may also appear in food when the ingredients or components for manufacture of such food have already contained food additives. Such cases shall comply with regulations of Article 9 herein.

Article 8. Rules for determination of maximum use level of food additives according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations

1. Food additives shall be used with the minimum amount necessary to produce the desired technical effects.

2. The amount of food additives used in manufacture must not alter the nature of food or food manufacturing technology.

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Article 9. Food additives brought into food by the ingredients or components for manufacture of such food

1. Food additives brought into food by the ingredients or components for manufacture of such food must satisfy the following requirements:

a) They are permitted for use in ingredients or components (including in food additives);

b) They must not exceed maximum use level applied to use in ingredients or components (including in food additives);

c) The food containing food additives that originate from its ingredients or components shall ensure that the amount of such food additives do not exceed the maximum use level applied to the ingredients or components for manufacture of such food according to manufacture procedures and technology.

2. Food additives that are not permitted for use in ingredients or components for food manufacture may be used in or added to such ingredients or components if such food additives are manufactured or imported for internal use within an enterprise or the importing and distributing enterprises have signed a contract with food manufacturers. Such cases must satisfy the following requirements:

a) Such ingredients or components shall be used to manufacture only one kind of food;

b) Food additives must be permitted for use and the use amount shall not exceed the maximum use level applied to that kind of food;

c) Food additives must have their product declarations registered according to Clause 2 of Article 11 herein.

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a) Formula products for newborns and infants, formula products for special medical uses for newborns (food group code: 13.1);

b) Supplementary food for newborns and infants (food group code: 13.2).

4. If a food additive is brought into food by ingredients or components for manufacture of such food but it does not constitute the uses of the finished product, it does not have to be listed in the composition of such food.

Article 10. Requirements for dividing, filling, repacking and mixing food additives

1. Requirements for dividing, filling and repacking food additives are as follows:

a) Additives shall only be divided, filled and repacked upon the written agreement of the organizations/individuals manufacturing or holding responsibilities for the products;

b) Food additives shall be divided, filled and repacked in such a manner that does not affect product quality and safety or cause any risk to human health;

c) Labels of food additives that have been divided, filled or repacked must include the date of such dividing, filling or repacking.  The expiry date shall be determined based on the date of manufacture on the original labels of the food additives prior to food additives are divided, filled and repacked;

d) Food additives shall be divided, filled and repacked in accordance with other regulations on manufacture and sale of food additives.

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a) Food additives shall only be mixed when such mixing does not cause any risk to human health;

b) Ingredient quantity of each food additive shall be included in the product composition;

c) Guidelines for maximum use level, the food using food additives and functions of food additives shall be provided;

d) Food additives shall be mixed in accordance with other regulations on manufacture and sale of food additives.

Chapter IV

MANAGEMENT OF FOOD ADDITIVES

Article 11. Product declaration

1. Food additives must be declared before being distributed on the market, except for the food additives prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article and Clause 2 of Article 4 of the Government’s Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP dated February 02, 2018 on elaboration of some articles of the Law of Food Safety. Procedures for product declaration shall be carried out according to Article 5 of the Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP and Point a of Clause 1 of Article 3 of the Government’s Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP dated November 12, 2018 on amendments to some articles related to business conditions under state management of the Ministry of Health.

2. Mixed food additives with new uses and food additives not included in the list of permitted food additives prescribed in this Circular must have their declarations registered with the Vietnam Food Safety Authority and Ministry of Health before official use or distribution on the market.  Procedures for registration of product declaration shall be carried out according to Articles 7 and 8 of the Government’s Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP dated February 02, 2018 on elaboration of some articles of the Law of Food Safety.

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Food additive labeling shall be carried out according to the Government’s Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP dated April 14, 2017 on goods labeling and relevant documents.

Article 13. Handling of administrative violations against regulations on food safety applied to manufacture, trade and use of food additives

Administrative violations against regulations on food safety in manufacture, trade and use of food additives shall be handled according to the Government’s Decree No. 115/2018/ND-CP dated September 04, 2018 on penalties for administrative violations against regulations on food safety and relevant documents. In case there are aggravating circumstances in a violation as prescribed in the Law on Handling Administrative Violations, competent persons shall consider and decide to impose the fine up to the highest and revocation of the certificate of registered product declaration.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS [7]

Article 14. Transitional clauses

1. Food additives and food products using food additives that have been granted the certificate of declaration of conformity or certificate of declaration of conformity with the food safety regulations before the effective date of this Circular may continue to be used until the expiration dates of such certificates or products, excluding the cases where there are food safety warnings.

2. Food additives and food products using food additives that have completed product declaration or have been granted the certificate of product declaration registration before the effective date of this Circular, if not conforming with the regulations of this Circular, may continue to be used until the expiration dates of such products, excluding the cases where there are food safety warnings.

Article 15. Terms of reference

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Article 16. Effect

1. This Circular comes into force from October 16, 2019.

2. The Minister of Health’s Circular No. 27/2012/TT-BYT , the Minister of Health’s Circular No. 08/2015/TT-BYT and Part III of the Minister of Health’s Decision No. 3742/2001/QD-BYT are annulled from the effective date of this Circular.

Article 17. Implementation responsibilities

1. The Vietnam Food Safety Authority shall be responsible for taking charge and cooperating with relevant competent authorities in organizing the implementation and inspection of the implementation of this Circular in nationwide.

2 [8]. The Vietnam Food Safety Authority shall:

a) Provide guidance on search for regulations on the use of food additives of CAC, the list or database on food flavors of JECFA, FEMA and the European Union on the website of the Vietnam Food Safety Authority (address: https://vfa.gov.vn).

b) Propose inspection of and amendments to this Circular as per management requirements and requests of organizations and individuals involved in manufacture and sale of food additives and food.

3. Organizations and individuals involved in manufacture, trade and import of food additives and food must satisfy the following requirements:

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b) When a food additive is found to have violated a regulation of this Circular, manufacture, trade and import of such food additive shall be suspended and relevant competent authorities shall be notified of such violation;

c) Food additives that violate safety regulations shall be revoked and handled according to applicable regulations.

d) In case of request for addition of a food additive or kind of food not provided for in this Circular, organizations and individuals must provide scientific proofs for the safety of such product for consideration.

4. Head of Office of the Ministry of Health, chief inspector of the Ministry of Health, heads of departments and affiliates of the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies, organizations and individuals shall be responsible for the implementation of this Circular.

During the implementation of this Circular, if any problem arise, agencies, organizations and individuals shall promptly report to the Ministry of Health (Vietnam Food Safety Authority) for consideration and/or resolution./.

 

 

CERTIFIED BY

PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Do Xuan Tuyen

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[1] Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health on amendments to and annulment of certain legislative documents on food safety promulgated by the Minister of Health is promulgated pursuant to:

“The Law on Promulgation of Legislative Documents No. 80/2015/QH13 dated June 22, 2015 and the Law on amendments to the Law on Promulgation of Legislative Documents No. 63/2020/QH14 dated June 18, 2020;

The Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH10 dated June 17, 2010;

Government’s Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP dated February 02, 2018 on elaboration of the Law on Food Safety;

Government’s Decree No. 95/2022/ND-CP dated November 15, 2022 on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam;

At the request of Director of Vietnam Food Safety Authority,  

The Minister of Health promulgates Circular on amendments to and annulment of certain legislative documents on food safety promulgated by the Minister of Health.”

[2] This Clause is amended by Clause 1 Article 1 of Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health, which comes into force from November 09, 2023. 

[3] This Clause is amended by Clause 2 Article 1 of Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health, which comes into force from November 09, 2023. 

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[5] This Clause is added by Clause 3 Article 1 of Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health, which comes into force from November 09, 2023. 

[6] This Clause is amended by Clause 5 Article 1 of Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health, which comes into force from November 09, 2023. 

[7] Articles 9, 10 and 11 of Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health stipulate that:

“Article 9. Terms of reference

In case any legislative documents referred to in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, the new documents shall prevail.

Article 10. Entry into force

This Circular comes into force from November 09, 2023.

Article 11. Implementation

The Chief of Ministry Office; Director of Vietnam Food Safety Authority; Ministerial Chief Inspector; Heads of units affiliated to the Ministry of Health; Directors of Health Departments of provinces and cities; Heads of food safety authorities under People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities; Heads of health agencies of ministries, and relevant agencies, organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular./.

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Integrated document No. 08/VBHN-BYT dated November 02, 2023 Circular on management and use of food additives
Official number: 08/VBHN-BYT Legislation Type: Integrated document
Organization: The Ministry of Health Signer: Do Xuan Tuyen
Issued Date: 02/11/2023 Integrated Date: Premium
Gazette dated: Updating Gazette number: Updating
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Integrated document No. 08/VBHN-BYT dated November 02, 2023 Circular on management and use of food additives

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