G/SPS/N/CHN/560  
 
8 February 2013  
(13-0677)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member:  CHINA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health (MOH) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable):  Food additive Arabic gum 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  National Food Safety Standard: Food Additive Arabic 
Gum  Language(s):  Chinese  Number of pages:  4 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/CHN/13_0592_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This standard applies to food additive Arabic gum obtained 
from the gelatiniform exudates of the stems and branches of Acacia Senegal  (L.) 
Willdenow or Acacia  (Fam. Leguminosae ). It specifies the technical requirements and 
testing methods for food additive Arabic gum. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.    
 
  G/SPS/N/CHN/560 
 
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8. Is there a relevant international st andard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text) Specification of Arabic gum prepared at the 51st 
JECFA (1998). 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [X] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible,  how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
The different indexes of this  standard are as follow:  
 Item Index 
Loss on drying/%  ≤ 15.0 
Total arsenic (As)/(mg/kg)  ≤ 3 
Lead (Pb)/(mg/kg)  ≤ 5 
Microbiological criteria   Not specified 
This standard is developed with the consideration of the actual quality of Chinese 
products and with reference to  the specification of FCC 7. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  9 April 2013 
Agency or authority designated to handle  comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: