G/SPS/N/CHN/1109  
 
5 December 2018  
(18-7673) 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 Calcium Alginate  
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 Calcium Alginate . Language(s):  Chinese.  Number  of pages:  6 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CHN/18_6227_00_x.pdf  
6. Description  of content:  This standard applies to food additive calcium alginate which is  
produced from the reaction of alginic acid with calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate. 
And the alginic acid is extracted from Laminaria , Macrocystis and Ascophyllum . It specifies 
the technical requirements and testing methods for calcium alginate.  
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) : 49th JECFA  (1997)  
[ ] 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:  In this standard,  compared  with JECFA,  test methods  for 
calcium  alginate  content  is different.  Ash content  is added.  Arsenic  content  and lead 
content  are revised.  The changes  are based  on the use demand  of our products  and to 
ensure  the safety  in the process  of using  food additives.  G/SPS/N/CHN/1109  
 
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  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: