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Standards & Compliance

China Food Safety Standards

All products meet or exceed China National Food Safety Standards.

Standard Scope Applies To
GB 2762 Maximum levels of contaminants in food Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, As)
GB 2763 Maximum residue limits for pesticides Raw potato material
GB 2716 Vegetable oil quality Par-frying oil
GB 19295 Safety standard for quick-frozen (IQF) products Finished fries
GB 7718 Prepackaged food labeling Packaging labels
GB 28050 Nutrition labeling Nutritional information
GB 14881 General hygiene standard for food production Facility & equipment

International Compliance

Framework Scope Status
CODEX Alimentarius International food standards (CXS 320-2020 — Frozen French Fries) ✅ Compliant
HACCP (CODEX-based) Hazard analysis and critical control points ✅ Certified
FSSC 22000 (v6) GFSI-benchmarked — ISO 22000 + ISO/TS 22002-1 PRPs + additional requirements ✅ Available on request
ISO 22000:2018 Food safety management systems ✅ Certified
ISO 9001:2015 Quality management systems ✅ Certified
BRC Global Standard (Issue 9) GFSI-benchmarked — food safety + quality culture, supplier audits, site standards ✅ Available
EU MRLs (EC 396/2005) Pesticide residue limits for EU markets ✅ Compliant
US FDA 21 CFR US food safety regulations ✅ Compliant

Country-by-Country Import Requirements

Market Key Certifications Required Import Documentation Labeling Requirements Special Considerations
EU (EU 27 + UK) HACCP, BRC (preferred), ISO 22000, Organic (optional) Health Certificate (CN → EU model), Certificate of Origin, BRC certificate copy, EU MRL compliance declaration EU FIC (Regulation 1169/2011): ingredient list, allergen declaration, nutrition table, lot number, frozen storage instructions (−18°C) UK: separate UKCA mark after Brexit; Northern Ireland still follows EU rules; acrylamide monitoring per EU 2017/2158
United States HACCP, FSMA-compliant food safety plan, facility registration FDA Prior Notice (submitted ≥2 hrs before arrival), FSVP importer declaration, COA, Phytosanitary 21 CFR 101: Nutrition Facts panel, ingredient declaration (descending order), allergen declaration (FALCPA), net weight (metric + imperial) FSMA Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) requires importer to verify compliance; FDA may request samples at port
United Kingdom HACCP, BRC (strongly preferred), ISO 22000 Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, BRC certificate, COA UK FIC: same as EU FIC but with UK-specific nutritional reference values; "Freezing" and "Keep at −18°C" mandatory No longer accepts EU Health Certificate — must use UK-specific model; border controls under UK Border Target Operating Model
Japan HACCP, Halal (if Muslim market), ISO 22000 Import notification form (Quarantine Station), Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, GMO-free declaration Food Labeling Act: product name, ingredient list, allergen (7 mandatory items), net weight (g), storage method, country of origin Japan Food Sanitation Act requires pesticide MRL compliance; positive list system — all pesticides must be approved; import notification required for every shipment
South Korea HACCP, ISO 22000, Halal (optional) MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) import declaration, Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Heavy metal test report Food Labeling Standards: product name, manufacturer, net weight, ingredient list, nutrient facts, allergen (5 mandatory + 6 optional items), storage instruction, "Frozen" marking Heavy metal limits are stricter than China GB in some cases; radiation testing certificate required (all imported food); pre-import inspection may be required
Middle East (GCC — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain) Halal certification (mandatory), HACCP, ISO 22000 SFDA (Saudi) / ESMA (UAE) registration, Halal certificate (recognized body), Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, COA GSO labeling standards: Arabic + English bilingual labels, product name, ingredients, storage instruction (≤ −18°C), producer name and address, net weight (metric), production and expiry dates, nutritional facts, Halal mark Saudi Arabia: SFDA registration can take 4–8 weeks for first-time importers — must be initiated before shipment. UAE: Emirates Authority for Standardization (ESMA) registration required. Port-of-entry laboratory testing for heavy metals and microbiology is common.
Southeast Asia (Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia) HACCP, Halal (Malaysia & Indonesia), ISO 22000 (preferred) BPI import clearance (Philippines), phytosanitary certificate, Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, import permit Country-specific labeling: ASEAN labeling guidelines generally require product name, net weight, ingredient list, storage condition, producer details, expiry date. Halal logo mandatory for Malaysia/Indonesia. Philippines: BPI (Bureau of Plant Industry) clearance required for each shipment — processing time 2–4 weeks. Thailand: FDA import license required. Indonesia: BPOM registration, Halal certification mandatory.
Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana) HACCP, ISO 22000 (preferred), Halal (if Muslim population) Phytosanitary certificate (mandatory for plant products), Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Fumigation certificate (wood packaging), COA South Africa: labeling per R429 (Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act) — product name, ingredient list, allergen declaration, net weight, expiry date, country of origin. Nigeria: NAFDAC registration may be required. Kenya: KEBS import inspection. Wood packaging must be ISPM-15 compliant (heat-treated or fumigated). Phytosanitary certificate is the single most commonly rejected document. African market import documentation is frequently audited by Chinese customs authorities.
Oceania (Australia, New Zealand) HACCP, ISO 22000 Health Certificate (bilingual English + Chinese), Certificate of Origin, BICON import permit (Australia), COA, pesticide residue test FSANZ labeling code: mandatory nutrients (energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbs, sugars, sodium), percentage daily intake (%DI or PIS), country of origin labeling, allergen declaration (10 mandatory) Australia: BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions) system — import conditions vary by processing level; par-fried product may have different requirements than raw fries. Biosecurity import levy applies.
Canada HACCP, CFIA-compliant labeling CFIA import notification, Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin, COA CFIA labeling: bilingual (English + French) mandatory, Nutrition Facts table (format per SFCA), ingredient list, allergen declaration, net quantity, "Keep Frozen" statement Product of China labeling required; Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) applies; SFCR (Safe Food for Canadians Regulations) requires preventive control plan.

Labeling Requirements Comparison

Label Element China (GB 7718) EU (FIC 1169/2011) US (21 CFR 101) Japan (Food Labeling Act) Middle East (GSO)
Product name ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory (Arabic + English)
Ingredient list (descending order) ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Allergen declaration ⚠️ Recommended ✅ Mandatory (14 allergens) ✅ Mandatory (major 8) ✅ Mandatory (7) ✅ Mandatory
Net weight ✅ Mandatory (metric) ✅ Mandatory (metric) ✅ Mandatory (metric + imperial) ✅ Mandatory (g) ✅ Mandatory (metric)
Nutrition facts ✅ Per GB 28050 ✅ Mandatory (per 100g/ml) ✅ Mandatory (per serving) ⚠️ Optional (recommended) ✅ Mandatory (GSO format)
Storage instructions ✅ "≤ −18°C" mandatory ✅ "Keep frozen" mandatory ✅ "Keep frozen" mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Production date ✅ Mandatory ⚠️ DD/MM/YYYY or lot code ⚠️ Lot code acceptable ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory (DD/MM/YYYY)
Expiry / best before ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ⚠️ Open date ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Manufacturer details ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ⚠️ Distributor/importer acceptable ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Country of origin ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Lot / batch number ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory ✅ Optional ✅ Mandatory ✅ Mandatory
Language Chinese National language(s) English Japanese Arabic + English
Halal logo Optional (only if certified) Optional Optional Optional ✅ Mandatory (GCC)

Lab Testing Requirements at Import

Market Required Lab Tests (Border Inspection)
EU Pesticide residue panel (EC 396/2005), heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Hg), acrylamide (if applicable), microbiology
US FDA sampling: microbiology (Salmonella, E. coli), pesticide residues, heavy metals (targeted)
Japan Pesticide residue panel (positive list system), heavy metals, microbiology (E. coli, coliforms), GMO test
Korea Heavy metals (Pb ≤ 0.1, Cd ≤ 0.1, Hg ≤ 0.01 mg/kg), pesticide residues (multi-residue), microbiology, radiation (all imports)
Saudi Arabia Heavy metals, microbiology (Salmonella, Listeria), pesticide residues, aflatoxins (if applicable), Halal audit
ASEAN (ex. Singapore) Heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbiology, Halal (Indonesia/Malaysia)

Export Regulatory Requirements

By destination:

Market Key Requirements
EU Health Certificate, BRC or equivalent, EU MRL compliance, traceability
US FDA registration, FSMA compliance, Prior Notice
Middle East Halal certification, Health Certificate
Southeast Asia Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin
Africa Phytosanitary, Fumigation (if wood), Certificate of Origin

Product Labeling Requirements

Label Element China GB Standard
Product name GB 7718
Ingredients list GB 7718 (descending order)
Net weight GB 7718
Allergen declaration GB 7718 / EU FIC
Nutrition facts GB 28050
Storage instructions GB 19295 (≤ −18°C)
Production date & shelf life GB 7718
Manufacturer details GB 7718

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