G/SPS/N/CHN/1111  
 
5 December 2018  
(18-7675) 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:  National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China  
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 Gluconic Acid -δ-lactone  
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 of the P.R.C.: Food 
Additive Gluconic Acid -δ-lactone . Language(s):  Chinese.  Number  of pages:  6 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CHN/18_6229_00_x.pdf  
6. Description  of content:  This standard is applicable to food additive gluconic  
acid-δ-lactone, which is prepared with sodium gluconate as raw material, dissolved, 
cation -exchange sodium, concentration, crystallization, centrifugation and drying. 
The technical requirements and testing methods of -δ-lactone for food additive were 
mainl y defined.  
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.   
8. Is there  a relevant  international  standard?  If so, identify  the standard:  
[X] Codex  Alimentarius  Commission  (e.g.  title or serial  number  of Codex  
standard  or related  text) : Codex  Alimentarius  of the United  Nations  Food 
Additive  Committee  of the UN Food and Agriculture  Organisation  (FAO)  and the 
World  Health  Organization  (WHO) , the 51st JECFA  (1998), (Glucono -δ-Lactone) . 
[ ] 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:   
This standard  is different  from the JECFA  standard  and the reasons  are as follows:    G/SPS/N/CHN/1111  
 
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  1. The sensory  requirements  were modified  from "White,  odourless  or nearly  odourless  
crystals  or crystalline  powder"  to "colorless  or white  crystalline  or powder  
crystallization".  This is based  on the actual  characteristics  of the products  in China,  
and has retained  the provisions  of GB 7657-2005;  
2. The sulphate  ash was modified  to sulfate  and the sulphate  limit index  was specified.  
This is to strictly  control  the quality  of products,  retaining  the GB 7657-2005 
requirements.  
3. In the identification  test, the melting  point index  and testing  method  were added.  
This is because  the chromogenic  reaction  is not specific.    
4. The index  of arsenic  and the testing  method  were added.  This is based  on our 
country's  requirements  for monitoring  harmf ul impurities  in food additives.   
5. The index  and testing  method  of chloride  were added.  This is to strictly  control  the 
quality  of products,  retaining  the GB 7657-2005 requirements.  
6. The drying  reduction  index  was modified.  This is determined  according  to the actual  
testing  situation  of domestic  products.   
9. Other  relevant  documents  and language(s)  in which  these  are available:   
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) : 3 February  2019 
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. Text(s)  available  from:  [ ] National  Notification  Authority,  [X] National  Enquiry  
Point.  Address,  fax number  and e-mail address  (if available)  of other  body: