Mission:

In the business of importing food products, health supplements, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related products, “food-medicine homology” is a frequently used term—and also a major compliance risk area. Many products that are marketed overseas as ordinary foods or dietary supplements may face a completely different classification when entering the Chinese market. Whether an ingredient belongs to the “Food and Medicinal Substance List” directly determines whether the product is classified as a general food, health food, or even a pharmaceutical product.

The National Food Safety Standard: General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025) was released in 2025 and will officially take effect on March 16, 2027. For overseas food manufacturers and Chinese importers, this is not just a minor adjustment. It completely redefines what qualifies as imported prepackaged food and what information must be displayed on labels.