G/SPS/N/CHN/944  
 
4 September 2015  
(15-4475)  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 Commision of the People's 
Republic of China 
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 additive Iron oxide black 
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 Iron oxide black  Language(s): Chinese  Number of pages: 5 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CHN/15_3375_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: This standard applies to food additive Iron oxide black 
produced by air oxidation and using ferrite as raw material. This standard specifies the 
technical requirements and testing methods for the food additive Iron oxide black. 
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 specification of iron oxides is described at the 
69th JECFA (2008) 
[ ] 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: It is not suitable to utilize the method provided in JECFA using 
solubility for identification.  This standard  employs the method described in USP and CP 
using sulfocyanic acid to identify ferric ion. Besides that, Content of iron oxide black in 
this standard is higher than in JECFA, in accord with 2012/231/EC (E172). G/SPS/N/CHN/944 
 
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  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) : 3 November 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: