Standardizing Functional Food Regulations Across Asia

The Second Working Meeting of the Asia Innovation-Ready Food Regulatory Systems Initiative, held September 14–15, brought together experts from the Global Food Regulatory Science Society, the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Damin Food. Participants including Academician Chen Junshi and Professor Samuel Godefroy focused on the disparity in how regional authorities classify non-nutrient substances.

GABA currently faces a fractured regulatory reality, ranging from its status as a Foods with Function Claim in Japan to its classification as a novel food elsewhere. Similarly, the project evaluated whether the traditional consumption of goji berries provides sufficient safety evidence when the fruit is processed into standardized extracts. The working group produced a concrete safety assessment model, a claim substantiation framework, and a blueprint for the Global Food Innovation Regulatory Network. These tools are designed to streamline market access for manufacturers while providing consumers with consistent, science-backed information regarding the benefits of functional ingredients.