As an important component of modern food industry, the standardized use and correct labeling of food additives have always been a focus of attention for food production enterprises. However, in practical operation, some enterprises still encounter non-standard labeling of food additives, such as abbreviating "β - carotene" as "carotene" or labeling compound food additives as "baking powder" in general.
Food Partner Network has systematically sorted out the labeling requirements for food additives in food labels based on the latest regulations and standards in 2025, for your reference.
01
The identification basis of food additives in food labels
The labeling requirements for food additives in food labels mainly come from the following laws, regulations, and standards:
Food Safety Law and its Implementation Regulations
General Rules for Pre packaged Food Labeling in National Food Safety Standards (GB 7718-2025)
General Principles for Nutritional Labeling of Prepackaged Food in National Food Safety Standards (GB 28050-2025)
Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (Order No. 100 of the State Administration for Market Regulation)
02
Labeling requirements for food additives in food ingredient lists
① Name requirements
Food additives should be labeled with their common names in GB 2760, GB 14880, or announcements from the health administrative department of the State Council or national food safety standards. Please note:
1) If these standards or announcements specify two or more names for a food additive, each name is an equivalent generic name, and one of them can be selected for labeling. Ice acetic acid (also known as ice acetic acid) can be labeled as "ice acetic acid" or "ice acetic acid".
2) If the names of food additives specified in these standards or announcements cover multiple different types of food additives, they should be labeled according to their actual application. For example, "sorbic acid and its potassium salts (including sorbic acid, potassium sorbate)" can be labeled as "sorbic acid" or "potassium sorbate" according to their usage.
3) If these standards or announcements specify the labeling requirements for food additives on food labels, they should comply with the corresponding regulations. As stipulated in GB 2760, foods containing aspartame (also known as aspartame) should be labeled as either aspartame (containing phenylalanine) or aspartame (containing phenylalanine).
4) The name of food additives does not include their production method, for example, "caramel color (ammonium sulfite method)" should be labeled as "caramel color" in the ingredient list.
5) Source descriptions can be added before the common names of food additives specified in these standards or announcements. Phospholipids can be labeled as "soybean phospholipids".
6) Those that can be used as food additives or food nutrition fortifiers, as well as other ingredients, should be labeled according to their role in the final product. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) can be used as both a seasoning and a food additive. When used as a food additive, it should be labeled as "MSG", and when used as a seasoning, it should be labeled as "MSG".
② Special requirements
When the auxiliary materials contained in food additives do not function in the final product, they do not need to be labeled in the ingredient list. When the antioxidant vitamin E contained in commercialized beta carotene does not function in the final product, it does not need to be indicated in the ingredient list.
Processing aids and enzyme preparations that have lost their activity may not be labeled. If enzyme activity is still maintained in the final product, it should be arranged in the corresponding position on the ingredient list according to the relevant regulations indicated on the food ingredient list, based on the amount of enzyme preparation added during the manufacturing or processing of the food.
Food essence and spices can be labeled with specific names, and can also be classified as "food essence", "food flavor", "food essence flavor", "food essence", "food essence", "food flavor" and "food essence flavor".
③ Marking format
Food additives in the same pre packaged food can be labeled with their specific names, functional category names, and generic names. The food additive "Arabic gum" can be labeled as "Arabic gum" or "thickener (Arabic gum)".
When simultaneously indicating the functional category name and generic name of food additives, if the maximum surface area of the packaging or packaging container is not more than 60cm2, the international code (INS number) can be used instead of the generic name of the food additive.
If the maximum surface area of the pre packaged food packaging or packaging container using the food additive "Arabic gum" is not more than 60cm2, it can be labeled as "Arabic gum" or "thickener (Arabic gum)" or "thickener (414)".
Reminder of changes in new and old requirements: The new version of GB 7718 sets a limit on the maximum surface area of packaging materials or packaging containers marked with international codes (INS numbers), while the 2011 version of GB 7718 does not have this restriction.
According to the Implementation Regulations of the Food Safety Law, national food safety standards can be implemented before the implementation date and the early implementation situation can be publicly disclosed. It is recommended that enterprises that need to adjust their relevant labels should timely carry out the connection work of label replacement.
Additionally, it is also possible to establish a labeling system for food additives. At this point, directly used food additives should be labeled in the food additives section; Non directly used food additives are not labeled in the food additive category; Nutritional fortifiers, essence for food, and basic agent substances in gum based candies can be marked outside the item of food additives in the ingredient list.
For example, ingredients: water, whole milk powder, chocolate (cocoa liquid, white granulated sugar, cocoa butter, phospholipid, polyglycerol ricinolate, edible essence, lemon yellow), thin cream, vegetable oil, glucose syrup, food additives (propylene glycol fatty acid ester, carrageenan, guar gum, cochineal tree orange), maltodextrin, food flavor.
Special attention should be paid to the uniform labeling format of food additives on the same pre packaged food label.
03
Labeling requirements for food additives in composite ingredients
Food additives in composite ingredients should be labeled based on their functional role in the final product.
The General Rules for Pre packaged Food Labeling in National Food Safety Standards (GB 7718-2025) specifies that when composite ingredients have national standards, industry standards, and local standards, and their added amount is less than 25% of the total food quantity, their original ingredients may not be labeled; The composite ingredients added to the composite ingredients do not need to be unfolded to indicate their original ingredients.
However, it should be noted that if the food additive in the composite ingredient plays a functional role in the final product (such as coloring, anti-corrosion, etc.), the additive should be labeled.
When using classification labeling, the principle of whether food additives play a functional role in the final product still determines whether to label. For example, various soy sauces added to food products can be classified and labeled as "soy sauce", but if the food additive "caramel color" used in soy sauce plays a functional role in the final product, it should be labeled as "caramel color", and the recommended labeling form is "soy sauce (containing caramel color)".
04
Labeling requirements for compound additives in food ingredient lists
Compound food additives should be labeled with all the food additives that play a role in the final product. It can be indicated one by one according to the actual amount added; It is also possible to use a way to indicate the compound properties of food additives, that is, to indicate the name of the compound additive, and then use parentheses to expand and indicate each food additive afterwards. As shown in the figure below.
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05
Other labeling requirements for food additives on food labels
① Prohibit claiming to demand
The General Rules for Pre packaged Food Labeling in National Food Safety Standards (GB 7718-2025) stipulate that food additives, pollutants, and substances that are not allowed to be added to food or should not be present in food according to laws, regulations, and standards shall not be claimed using terms such as "none" and "does not contain" or their synonyms;
Do not use words such as' do not add ',' do not use ', and their synonyms. It is not allowed to claim "no preservatives" or "zero preservatives" on food labels that do not allow the use of any preservatives, "zero additives" on food labels that do not allow the use of any food additives, or "no preservatives added" or "zero preservatives added" on food labels.
New and old requirements change reminder: The new version of GB 7718 has added a requirement to prohibit the use of words such as "do not add", "do not use" and their synonyms.
② Requirements for Food Flavor Labeling
The General Principles for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food in the National Standard for Food Safety (GB 7718-2025) and the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (Order No. 100 of the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration) stipulate that if only essence and spices for food are used to prepare certain ingredients or food flavors, only patterns other than the relevant ingredients or real photos of food can be used, and the words "the pattern is only for taste reference" should be conspicuously marked near the pattern. At this time, if the flavor of the ingredient is reflected in the food name, the words "a flavor" and "a flavor" should be added in the name.
③ Requirements for labeling nutritional fortifiers
The General Principles for Nutritional Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 28050-2025), a national standard for food safety, stipulates that when pre packaged foods use nutrient fortifiers, the content of the fortified nutrients and their percentage to the reference value of nutrients should be indicated in the nutrient composition table.
When indicating nutrients other than those listed in Table 1 of GB 28050 (names and order of energy and nutrients, expression units, rounding intervals, and "0" threshold values) that are allowed to be fortified in GB 14880 and related announcements, their order of arrangement should be after the nutrients listed in Table 1 of GB 28050.
06
Summary
The labeling of food additives on food labels must comply with both label and food additive management requirements. Food Partner Network specifically reminds that when designing food labels, it is necessary to fully consult the relevant labeling methods for labels and food additives, and label food additives in compliance while using them in compliance. It is recommended that enterprises establish a label review mechanism to avoid compliance risks caused by non-standard labeling.
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