. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CHN/360 
2 May 2011  
 (11-2229) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CHINA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Food additive Erythritol 
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 Erythritol 
Language(s):  Chinese  Number of pages:  7 
 http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2011/sps/CHN/11_0679_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This standard applies to food additive crystal erythritol using 
glucose as main raw material, fermented with  Candida lipolytica or Moniliella pollinis or 
Trichosporonoides megachiliensis., and then thro ugh techniques including purification etc.  
It specifies the technical requirements and testing methods for food additive erythritol. 
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Protection of human 
life. 
9. 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) The specification of Erythritol decided at the 53rd JECFA (1999). 
[ ] 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 G/SPS/N/CHN/360 
Page 2  
 
   If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  Most of the requirements are consistent.  The format of the 
standard and the requirements for erythritol cont ent and lead are different.  The erythritol 
content in Codex standard is not less than 99%  while in this standard is 99.5% to 100.5%. 
The lead (as pb) in Codex standard is not more  than 0.5mg/kg and in this standard is not 
more than 1mg/kg.  The test methods for some items are different between these two 
standards.  The reason for these differences is that the standard was prepared according to 
the format of national food safety standard and based on the product and test ability in China. 
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:   Chinese 
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  15 May 2011   
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handl e 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: