Weekly Food News Highlights (2026.09.20—09.26)

Looking back over the past week, which developments in the food industry deserve close attention? Foodmate Network's Weekly Food News Highlights (09.20—09.26) brings you the hot topics in the food industry.

I. Domestic Highlights

1. Notices and Announcements

Information on Food and Cosmetics Not Permitted Entry Nationwide in August 2026 In August 2026, China Customs detected 755 batches of food and 25 batches of cosmetics that failed safety and hygiene items and other tests during port supervision and were not permitted entry. The food and cosmetics not permitted entry listed in the annex have all been returned or destroyed in accordance with the law. (General Administration of Customs)

Notice of the State Council Food Safety Commission Office on Doing a Good Job in Food Safety During the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Period During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, population mobility is high, food consumption is brisk, and group gatherings are numerous, making food safety risks concentrated and prone to occur, which directly affects the people's health and the harmony and stability during the holiday period. Local food (drug) safety commission offices must attach great importance, adhere to bottom-line thinking, strengthen problem orientation, urge relevant departments to effectively raise risk prevention and control awareness, take proactive measures, and focus on eliminating hidden risks, ensuring that the people enjoy a joyful and peaceful holiday. Relevant matters are hereby notified as follows. (State Administration for Market Regulation)

Notice of the State Council Food Safety Commission Office and 28 Other Departments on Launching the 2026 National Food Safety Awareness Week Campaign In accordance with the relevant requirements of the Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Deepening Reform and Strengthening Food Safety Work, the 2026 National Food Safety Awareness Week campaign is scheduled to be launched on September 22. (State Administration for Market Regulation)

Notice of the General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation on the Failure of 44 Batches of Food in Sampling Inspection (Shi Jian Shi Jian Fa [2026] No. 116) Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation organized food safety supervision and sampling inspection of 1815 batches of samples, and detected 44 batches of unqualified samples. (State Administration for Market Regulation)

1. Food Safety · Exposure Platform

Weekly Summary of Public Opinion Information in the Food Industry (2026.09.14-09.20) Public opinion information in the food industry from September 14 to September 20, 2026 includes: the "sulfur-fumigated bamboo shoots" incident; an incident in which "staff sprinkled dandruff onto food" at a pizza outlet in Hangzhou; frequent food poisoning incidents; supermarket employees pouring fish balls that fell on the floor back into the freezer, reported by Taixing, Jiangsu; Youyou's response to excessive total bacterial count and coliform bacteria in pickled chicken feet; a well-known male celebrity-endorsed throat lozenge mired in controversy, with the brand responding; beware when buying star anise! Never touch those with 13 points; several people tested positive for drug use after late-night snacks, the shop owner added poppies to barbecue and braised food! The court has ruled. (Foodmate Network)

Shandong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation Announces Typical Cases of Special Rectification of Prominent Problems in the Field of Food Safety (Sixth Batch) In order to further strengthen food safety supervision, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and resolve prominent problems strongly reflected by the public in the field of food safety, in 2026 the Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, together with relevant departments, carried out special rectification of prominent problems in the field of food safety. A number of typical cases are now selected and announced. (Shandong Market Regulation WeChat account)

Chaozhou Municipal Administration for Market Regulation Releases Typical Cases of the 2026 Concentrated Rectification Campaign Against the Production and Sale of Fake and Inferior Meat Products and Online Food Safety Problems (First Batch) Since the beginning of this year, the market regulation enforcement departments of Chaozhou City have carried out concentrated rectification of the production and sale of fake and inferior meat products and online food problems throughout the city, focusing on cracking down on prominent problems such as the purchase, use, sale and processing of meat products of unknown origin, uninspected or quarantine-failed meat products, meat-source fraud, illegal addition, and the use of food additives beyond scope or limits; strictly cracking down on adulteration such as passing off low-priced meat as high-priced meat and prepared seasoned meat as whole-cut meat; and vigorously rectifying illegal activities such as "ghost takeout," "false advertising," and fraudulent labeling. A number of illegal cases have been investigated and handled. (Chaozhou Municipal Administration for Market Regulation)

Nanjing Kindergarten Involved in Food Hygiene and Safety Issues, Official Notice: Principal and Deputy Principal in Charge Removed from Office, 11 Relevant Responsible Persons Disciplined Recently, netizens reported that the kindergarten affiliated with Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology was involved in food hygiene and safety issues. The new district immediately set up a joint investigation team to carry out a comprehensive investigation in accordance with the law. By retrieving and reviewing the surveillance video of the kindergarten canteen kitchen, and conducting inquiries and investigations of relevant personnel, it was ascertained that there were serious problems in the hygiene management of the kindergarten canteen kitchen. At the same time, the investigation team conducted a comprehensive retrospective and investigation of the follow-up handling of the situation in which a number of children at the kindergarten showed vomiting symptoms after lunch on June 30. (Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Management Committee)

1. Hot Domestic Food News

Q&A on the Labeling and Marking of Infant Formula Foods The State Administration for Market Regulation has released Q&A on the labeling and marking of infant formula foods. (State Administration for Market Regulation)

National Standard for Milk Protein Released, Opening a New Chapter for the Industry On September 22, 2026, the National Food Safety Standard Milk Protein (GB 31688-2026) was officially released, marking that this key raw material has its own dedicated standard specification. The standard will be officially implemented on August 18, 2027. Foodmate Network will discuss the current situation and future of this dairy raw material from three dimensions: the definition and process of milk protein, application scenarios, and the core content of the new national standard. (Foodmate Network)

Compliance Guide for the New Prepackaged Food Labeling Rules: Categorized Labeling of Ingredients The National Food Safety Standard General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025) clarifies the scope of application and labeling methods for categorized ingredient labeling, and the applicable categories must not be arbitrarily expanded. Based on the requirements of the new standard and regulations, Foodmate Network has sorted out the basic requirements and common misunderstandings of categorized ingredient labeling for industry reference. (Foodmate Network)

"Two Highs" Jointly Release Typical Cases of Punishing Online Food Safety Crimes in Accordance with the Law On September 22, 2026, during the National Food Safety Awareness Week, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate jointly released a batch of typical cases of punishing online food safety crimes in accordance with the law, demonstrating the clear attitude and firm determination of the judicial organs to severely punish such crimes in accordance with the law, clarifying the law through cases, purifying the online food market environment, and effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the people. (Supreme People's Court WeChat account)

State Administration for Market Regulation Conducts Special Sampling Inspection of Mooncakes; Mooncake Safety Overall Stable On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the State Administration for Market Regulation organized a special supervision and sampling inspection of mooncakes. The sampling results showed a qualification rate of 97.67%, and the safety of mooncake products is generally stable. This special sampling inspection covered supermarkets, wholesale markets, catering businesses and popular online platforms in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) across the country, randomly sampling 300 batches of traditional mooncakes, restaurant-made mooncakes and emerging ice cream mooncakes, involving 216 mooncake manufacturers and 118 brands including Beijing Daoxiangcun, Guangzhou Restaurant, Shanghai Yuanzu, Zhejiang Zhiweiguan, Taoli Bread, and Hong Kong Maxim's. (Shi Shuo Xin Yu WeChat account)

National Health Commission Releases 50 New National Food Safety Standards and Amendments In accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Law, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued Announcement No. 6 of 2026, releasing 50 new national food safety standards and amendments. The newly released standards are oriented toward preventing risks, protecting health and promoting development, and refine the control requirements for the entire food safety chain. They are not only an important guarantee for consumers' health rights and interests, but also a "hard yardstick" for regulatory enforcement and an important basis for enterprises' compliant production. (National Health Commission)

Interpretation Materials for the National Food Safety Standard Milk Protein (GB 31688-2026) Interpretation materials for the National Food Safety Standard Milk Protein (GB 31688-2026). (China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment)

GB 22570—2026 Officially Released! Applicable Population Expanded to 72 Months of Age with a 1-Year Transition Period On September 22, 2026, the National Health Commission, together with the State Administration for Market Regulation, released the National Food Safety Standard Complementary Food Nutritional Supplements and Preschool Children's Nutritional Supplements (GB 22570—2026), replacing the 2014 version of the standard. It will be implemented on August 18, 2027, with a transition period of 1 year. The new version of the standard expands the upper age limit of application to 72 months of age, and makes corresponding revisions to product classification, raw materials, nutritional indicators, testing methods, labeling and marking, etc. Foodmate Network has sorted out and interpreted the changes between the old and new standards for industry reference. (Foodmate Network)

Understanding the New Q&A on Infant Formula Labeling: Which Changes Do Not Require Registration Modification, and Which Ones Must Be Discontinued if Not Changed On September 20, the State Administration for Market Regulation released the Q&A on the Labeling and Marking of Infant Formula Foods (hereinafter referred to as the "Q&A"), which through 6 questions and answers (involving the marking of production date and shelf life, allergen prompts, milk source labeling, registration changes, labeling of production allocated within the group, and the transition period for sales, etc.) further clarifies how the labeling and marking of infant formula foods (hereinafter referred to as infant formula foods) should be compliantly marked in accordance with the National Food Safety Standard General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025) and the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") released in 2025. Foodmate Network has sorted out the key points of concern to enterprises in the "Q&A" for the reference of infant formula food production and operation enterprises. (Foodmate Network)

755 Batches of Unqualified Food Detected by China Customs Nationwide in August 2026 Were Not Permitted Entry, from These Countries or Regions On September 20, the General Administration of Customs released information on food and cosmetics not permitted entry nationwide in August 2026. In August 2026, China Customs detected 755 batches of food and 25 batches of cosmetics that failed safety and hygiene items and other tests during port supervision and were not permitted entry. (Foodmate Network)

II. International Highlights

1. International Alerts

Quarantine Pests Detected in China's Exported Chili Peppers On September 22, 2026, according to the Primorsky Territory Branch of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance: officials of the branch, during phytosanitary inspection of chili peppers weighing about 180 kg imported from China and laboratory testing of samples, detected a quarantine pest in the samples: tomato brown rugose fruit virus. (Foodmate Network)

Quarantine Pests Detected in China's Fresh Pineapples Exported to Russia On September 16, 2026, according to the Zabaikalsky Territory Branch of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance: officials of the branch, during phytosanitary inspection of a batch of fresh pineapples weighing about 0.9 tons imported from China and laboratory testing of samples, detected a quarantine pest in the samples: Kuwana mealybug. (Foodmate Network)

Russia Reports Results of Sampling Inspection for Quarantine Pests in Imported Chinese Vegetables On September 21, 2026, according to the Amur Region Branch of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance: from January 2026 to September 21, officials of the branch, during testing of vegetable products imported from China, found 24 cases of vegetables contaminated with quarantine pathogens. (Foodmate Network)

EU Notifies Non-Compliance of China's Exported Green Tea and Poultry Meat Products According to the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), on September 17 and 18, 2026, the EU notified the non-compliance of China's exported green tea and poultry meat products. Foodmate Network reminds export enterprises to strictly carry out product exports in accordance with the requirements of importing countries, pay attention to the presence of various pathogenic bacteria in products, ensure the safety of food and related products, and avoid export risks. (Foodmate Network)

EU Notifies Non-Compliance of China's Exported Food Supplements and Feed Additives According to the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), on September 22, 2026, the EU notified the non-compliance of China's exported food supplements and feed additives. Foodmate Network reminds export enterprises to strictly carry out product exports in accordance with the requirements of importing countries, ensure the safety of food and related products, and avoid export risks. (Foodmate Network)

EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Notification (Week 38 of 2026) According to the official EU website, in the Week 38 notification of 2026, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notified 12 cases concerning Chinese food and related products. According to the notification, unqualified dried black dates were sold to Belgium and the Netherlands. Foodmate Network reminds export enterprises to strictly carry out product exports in accordance with the requirements of importing countries, pay attention to the presence of various pathogenic bacteria in products, check pesticide residues in products, pay attention to the migration amount of various substances in food contact materials, ensure the safety of food and related products, and avoid export risks. (Foodmate Network)

1. International Food

Global Crab Trade Continues to Shift Toward the Asian Market On May 27, 2026, the FAO GLOBEFISH released an analysis of the global crab trade, pointing out that in 2025 the global crab trade was affected by changes in market access, tariffs and logistics. Increased supply from major producing areas such as Russia, Canada, Norway and Alaska did not bring about a significant price decline, and the United States and China still absorbed a large amount of market supply. (Frozen Food Guide WeChat account)

New EU Customs Law Released: These 6 Points Food Enterprises Must Understand On September 19, 2026, the EU released Regulation (EU) 2026/2108, which took effect on September 20 and will be formally applicable from September 21, 2027. At that time, the original EU Customs Law (EU) 952/2013 will be repealed. This reform has a significant impact on food e-commerce enterprises targeting the EU market, mainly in three aspects: rising compliance costs, restructuring of import liability, and stricter penalty mechanisms. (Foodmate Network)

Russia's Pork Exports to China Hit a Record Since the Lifting of Restrictive Measures Sputnik News Agency, Moscow, September 20 — According to the analysis results of Sputnik News Agency on China Customs data, Russia's pork exports to China reached US$13.3 million in August, a new high in several years. (Sputnik News Agency)

Global Oilseed Market: US Soybeans Fluctuate at High Levels, Chinese Purchases Form Key Support Foreign media news, September 20: As of the week ending September 18, 2026, the global oilseed market rose and fell mixed, with Chicago soybean futures returning above US$13, mainly reflecting that rainfall in parts of North America slowed the oilseed harvest, soybean crushing data was lower than expected, and the market placed high hopes on the meeting between Chinese and US leaders next week. However, weak international crude oil futures and a rising US dollar index put certain pressure on the oilseed market. (Beer Industry Information Network)

In August This Year, China's Wine Imports from Russia Nearly Doubled Month-on-Month Sputnik News Agency, Moscow, September 20 — According to the analysis results of Sputnik News Agency on China Customs data, in August this year China's imports of Russian wine increased by 0.7 times month-on-month, reaching US$58,600. (Sputnik News Agency)

Malaysia's Imported Food Safety Assurance Program Enters a Phase of Stricter Supervision; Lack of Certificates May Result in Return! On September 8, the Food Safety and Quality Division of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia released the Guidelines for the Imported Food Safety Assurance Program, setting out specific implementation provisions for the newly added "Imported Food Safety Assurance Program" in the Food Regulations 1985. The imported food safety assurance program will be officially implemented from March 1, 2027. To help enterprises understand the compliance points, Foodmate Network, combining its earlier interpretation with this official guideline, has sorted out the certification and accreditation, document submission and buffer paths that enterprises are most concerned about, for the reference of food enterprises exporting to Malaysia. (Foodmate Network)

III. Food Science and Technology

Announcement of the Acceptance Results of the Third Batch of Henan Province Science and Technology Tackling Plan Projects in 2026, with 60 Projects in the Food Field On September 22, the Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology announced the acceptance results of the third batch of provincial science and technology tackling plan projects in 2026, of which 60 are in the food field, with a publicity period of 5 working days (September 22 — September 29, 2026). (Foodmate Network)

Announcement of the Joint Innovation Projects and Funding Arrangements of the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City High-tech Zone Science and Technology Innovation Joint Project of the 2026 Hainan Province Key R&D Special Program in the Food Field On September 18, the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Administration issued a notice: after procedures including public application, formal review, expert review, administrative decision-making, and project publicity, 18 projects of the 2026 provincial key R&D special program Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City High-tech Zone Science and Technology Innovation Joint Project were approved, with funding arrangements of RMB 28.62 million. Among them, there are 7 projects in the food field. (Foodmate Network)

Announcement of Acceptance of the 2026 Major Projects and Industrial Planning Improvement Projects of the Third Phase of the Henan Science and Technology R&D Plan Joint Fund (Industrial Category) in the Food Field On September 18, the Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology announced the acceptance status of the 2026 major projects and industrial planning improvement projects of the third phase of the science and technology R&D plan joint fund (industrial category), of which 3 are in the food field, with a publicity period of 5 working days (from September 18 to September 24, 2026). (Foodmate Network)

Announcement of Proposed Projects of the 2026 Industrial Science and Technology Innovation Project of Hainan Province (Top 20 Private Enterprises in R&D Investment, Provincial-Owned State-Owned Enterprises and Joint Fund Direction of Central Enterprises Stationed in Hainan) in the Food Field On September 22, the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology announced the proposed projects of the 2026 industrial science and technology innovation project (top 20 private enterprises in R&D investment, provincial-owned state-owned enterprises and joint fund direction of central enterprises stationed in Hainan), of which 6 projects in the food field are proposed for approval and support. (Foodmate Network)

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