G/SPS/N/CHN/904  
 
1 September 2015  
(15-4369)  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 and Family Planning Commission of the People's 
Republic of China (NHFPC) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Food additives Sorbitol and Sorbitol Syrup 
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 Sorbitol and Sorbitol Syrup  Language(s): Chinese  Number of pages: 14 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CHN/15_3335_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: This standard applies to food additive sorbitol syrup, which is 
prepared by starch milk or starch that made from vegetables like corn, to obtain glucose 
by hydrolyzation and purification, then hydrogenation with catalyst, refining and 
concentration. This standard also applies to food additive sorbitol obtained from sorbitol syrup and processed by concentration, drying and sieving, etc. It specifies the technical 
requirements and testing methods for Sorbitol and Sorbitol Syrup. 
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 st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text) The specifications of sorbitol and sorbitol syrup 
prepared at the 46th JECFA (1996) and revised at the 57th JECFA (2001) 
[ ] 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, "Water content" of Sorbitol refers to 
requirement in Commission Regulation (EU) No. 231/2012, and FCC. "Total sugars" of G/SPS/N/CHN/904 
 
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  Sorbitol refers to requirement in Specifications and Standards for Food Additives in 
Japan (8th version). 
 Items  JECFA National Food Safety Standard of 
 the P.R.C. Food Additive Sorbitol 
 and Sorbitol Syrup 
  Sorbitol Sorbitol 
Water content, w% ≤ 1 1.5 
Total sugars, w% ≤ 1 4.4 
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) : 31 October 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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 Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: