A Comparative Study Of Cross-strait Food Additive Standard And Management

Food additive is the basis for the development of modern food processing technology, and more and more focus was put on the safety and efficacy of food additive. With the development of cross-strait economy and trade cooperation, the approval of cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), and food safety agreement in2008, the communication and mutual trust of cross-strait food and food additives industry was enhanced strongly. In recent years, the food safety incidents relating to food additives happened occasionally, and banned food additives were detected frequently in food trade, it is necessary to study the difference of food additive standard systems and management systems between the cross-strait.Based on the collection of cross-strait standards,laws and regulations on food additives, this article conduct the comparative study on the standard system of cross-strait food additive with the food additives colorants for example, and according to the management organization, the management system and the existing issue of management,another comparative study on the food additive management systems of cross-strait is carried out,too. The results of the study are as follows:1. The standard system profile of cross-strait food additives, which both consist of usage standard, product quality specification standard, label standard and basic standard,are similar, but the content and layout are striking different.2. According to the comparative study of food colorant standard, the significant difference of cross-strait food additives can be seen on the name, the type, quantity, scope, limit of allowable usage, the product quality specification index, the label requirement and the standard format. In terms of the colorant’s name, the name of synthetic colorants are not the same except the quinoline yellow, In the aspect of allowable usage type, scope and limit, various types but rigorous scope and limit in the mainland areas while less types but easy scope and limit in Taiwan. Standard format in Mainland area, in this field,with rigorous standard format, rich content, clear classification of product quality specification index and technical index which is more strict than Taiwan area, while Taiwan’s standard with simple standard,less technical index and easy requirements. What’s more, the label of Taiwan region is more general than mainland region where refine clear in this aspect. In the product quality standard coverage, neither of cross-strait areas reach one hundred percent, however, the coverage is lower and the standards which related to compound food additive are weaker in mainland.3. The significant differences of food additive management system due to the different political system of cross-strait. In mainland region,under the unified coordination of National Food Safety Committee, relating to13department and each department supervise according to link section, thus, management is dispersed and easy appears supervision loopholes, while fewer Administrative supervising departments which consists mainly of3departments but lack of a comprehensive coordination body in Taiwan region.Based on the above studies, combined with the current issues of food additive standard and management, this article put forward specific recommendations on three levels:the government level, the enterprise level and the social public level, in order to improve the quality of cross-strait food additives, standardize market across the Taiwan Strait, strengthen trade cooperation and guarantee the life safety of people in both cross-strait.