June 5, 2014

China publishes lists of approved dairy importers

The China Certification and Accreditation Administration (AQSIQ) has published two lists of the "first batch" of international manufacturers who are registered to import infant formula and other dairy products into the country.

AQSIQ said that the lists had been compiled under the requirements of the new food safety law, which was introduced in 2013 with an aim to tighten regulation of the dairy sector in China.

About 50 international infant formula manufacturers are allowed to import products into China, and are required to register each national subsidiary separately. Heinz, Arla, Nestle, Abbott Nutrition, FrieslandCampina, Hero, Mead Johnson, Murray Goulburn, Danone's Nutricia and Lotte are among the companies in the list.

The list for the companies approved to import other dairy products into China consists of about 1,370 producers, 740 of which are registered in Europe and 226 are based in the US.

The AQSIQ said that the work is still in progress and the agency will update the number of approved companies. However, the agency says that "from now on, non-registered offshore production of dairy food may not be imported."

Last week, China's State Food and Drug Administration revealed that 39% of the country's 133 infant formula manufacturers failed to renew their production licenses.