According to the official notice issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may also be produced in powder form.
Previously, both ingredients could only be formulated as tablets, granules and hard and soft capsules.
The measure aims to create “senior-friendly” health food products in response to China’s aging population.
“This move aims to implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council regarding the Healthy China strategy and the development of the silver economy, further promote the dual-track operation of health food registration and filing, optimize the supply of aging-friendly products and cultivate new drivers of economic development,” the SAMR notice stated.
The powder and oral liquid formats, for instance, can bypass the challenges of chewing tablets and capsules.
“The announcement provides important guidance for enterprises to develop health foods that are more suitable for the chewing, swallowing and nutrient absorption of the elderly, further enriching consumer choices and meeting market demand,” the SAMR wrote.
This also aligns with the wider policy trend of boosting the silver economy, which was first highlighted by China’s State Council in 2024.
One of the latest policies announced was “Several Measures on Cultivating Elderly Care Business Entities and Promoting Silver Economy” drafted by eight ministries and unveiled during a press conference on Jan. 13.
Some of the measures include encouraging the research and development of technologies and products for elderly care and dedicating specialized areas for the elderly to shop on both e-commerce platforms and supermarkets.
As of 2024, one in five (22%) Chinese was aged 60 and above, based on data from the National Health Commission (NHC). By 2040, nearly three in 10 (28%) of China’s population will be over the age of 60, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
For filing track
These formats are allowed so long as the products are made available in China via the filing track.
Health foods in China have to undergo either the filing or registration track before they are permitted for sale. The former is applied to low-risk ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, as well as raw materials that are listed in the Health Foods Raw Materials Directory.
The filing track is a streamlined process that reduces approval time and allows new products to enter the market more quickly, while the registration track is applied to ingredients not listed in the Directory.
CoQ10, melatonin and three other ingredients were added to the Directory in March 2021.
Ingredients for formulation
The regulator also expanded the list of ingredients that can be formulated with CoQ10 and melatonin.
For instance, CoQ10 products in the form of powder, tablets, granules and hard and soft capsules can be formulated with maltodextrin and fruit and vegetable powder, but the types of fruit and vegetables used must be specified.
CoQ10 in the form of an oral liquid can also be made with fructose, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGEs), caprylic/capric triglyceride, the food starch sodium octenyl succinate and white sugar.
Melatonin, when made into an oral liquid, can be combined with xylitol, citric acid, sucrose and food preservatives potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.
