In 2023, the CNHFA studied Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, actively responded to changes occurring both domestically and internationally, and embraced the responsibility of promoting high-quality development in China’s nutritional and health food industry. While strengthening the development of the internal team, the CNHFA maintained efficient communication externally, understood the industry’s demands promptly, and addressed core problems effectively. With the strong support of government departments, industry experts and member enterprises, the following work has been completed according to our plan.
1.Strengthening the Mutual Promotion of Association Business and Party-building Work
The Party branch of the CNHFA has conducted nearly 20 party-building activities:
We organised studies on specific topics.
We organised three field trips.
We conducted one party lecture.
We formed the “Youth Learning and Reflection” study group with the SAMR’s Department of Special Food Safety Supervision and Management as well as Centre for Food evaluation of the General Administration of Market Regulation and conducted party building activities three times throughout the year.
2.Establishing Rules and Regulations as the Guidelines for Work
The CNHFA convened the seventh meeting of the second Governing Council and the seventh meeting of the Standing Council, as well as the eighth meeting of the second Governing Council and the eighth meeting of the Standing Council.
The CNHFA has 15 branches that operate under the guidance of rules and regulations.
The CNHFA has completed the leadership transition of three branches: Food Safety News and Communication Committee, Foods for Special Medical Purpose Sub-Committee, and Precision Nutrition Specialised Committee.
The CNHFA has initiated the transition of the Regulatory Standards Working Committee
3.Conducting Policy Research Giving Full Play to the Role in Connection
The CNHFA undertook seven thematic research projects, four of which have passed review and the reports have been finalised.
The CNHFA conducted a study to simplify the registration process of first-time imported health food products.
The CNHFA undertook projects to promote the application of the FSMPs’ logo.
The CNHFA launched a research project on nutritional meal replacements.
The CNHFA organised more than 10 seminars for government, enterprises and experts.
The CNHFA organised 24 meetings on regulatory work.
The CNHFA participated in the 2023 National Food Safety Promotional Week organised by the Food Safety Office of the State Council and 28 other departments. The CNHFA also declared and organised three activities. Among them, “College Students’ Food Safety and Nutrition Walk in China” and the “China Food Consumers’ Conference” were listed as key activities at the national level, and “Sending You a Little Blue Flower” event series was recognised as one of the theme day events by the SAMR’s ministries and commissions.
4.Strengthening Standard Building to Promote Industry Self-Regulation
National Standards: Good Manufacturing Practice for Health Food (GB 17405-1998) has been opened for comments and is expected to be officially released in early 2024.
The CNHFA participated in the formulation and revision of national standards for special food, infant formulae for special medical purposes, and requirements for limiting excessive packaging of commodities.
Association standards: 17 working meetings on association standards were held throughout the year. Seventeen association standards were set up, one association standard was revised, 174 association standards were accepted in the interim, 23 association standards were technically reviewed, and 23 association standards were issued.
The CNHFA has piloted the development of association standards for quality management in clinical trials involving nutritional and health foods, along with relevant real-world studies.
The “1 general rule + 190 individual theories” initiative, aimed at creating a system of association standards for raw materials used in health foods, is nearing completion; currently, 20 standards have been published, and another 166 are under review for feedback.
The CNHFA has implemented quality control and follow-up measures for association standards, such as the “Norms for Grading the Rate of Live Bacteria in Probiotic Foods”; by the end of the year, 17 probiotic products had been sampled.
5.Operating Brand Activities Especially Two Special Food Conferences
The CNHFA organised the 7th and 8th China Special Food Conferences, comprising a total of 42 events.
There have been a total of more than 4,600 delegates participated in the conferences, including 19 academicians, 12 ministerial leaders, more than 100 heads of relevant departments such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission and the SAMR, more than 300 industry experts, and more than 200 industry business leaders.
Seven significant achievements have been unveiled, including Expert Recommendations on Personalised Nutrition Development and the Chinese Dictionary of Commonly Used Special Foods.
Three research studies were initiated, encompassing the Code of Practice for Quality Management of Food and Nutrition Clinical Trials (Association Standard) and the Guidelines for Scientific Feeding of Infants and Young Children in China.
Six cooperation framework agreements were established.
Four collaborative government-business events were successfully organised, facilitating numerous matchmaking opportunities.
The GFUN Talks for Professional Managers have been successfully conducted for eight consecutive years.
The Talks on the Four Novelties series has been executed.
6.Carrying Out International Exchanges with the Signing of Cooperation Agreements
Four e-newsletters have been published in English.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed with four international industry organisations, namely the US Pharmacopoeia Committee, the Infant Nutrition Council, the International Probiotics Association, and the Global Organisation for EPA and DHA Omega-3s.
Delegations were organised and send to New Zealand, Denmark, Switzerland and other countries to attend the annual meeting of the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) and the Symposium on Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children.
More than 20 ambassadors from more than 10 countries and international business and association partners were invited to participate in the Sino-foreign Cooperation and Exchange Meeting.
The First International Conference on Translational Applications of Frontier Science and Technology was held.
7.Developing Branches in a Regular Way with Fruitful Results
The Weight Management Specialised Committee held the Third National Weight Management Conference in Hangzhou, China, where the book “Obesity Treatment” was released.
The Weight Management Specialised Committee conducted the Prevention and Control of Obesity and Obesity-induced Infertility public service campaign on May 11, 2023. The campaign covered 24 provinces and direct-administered municipalities, which benefiting a total of 12 million people.
The Foods for Special Medical Purpose Application Specialised Committee organised the Annual Conference on the Clinical Application of FSMPs in Chongqing, China.
The Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children Specialised Committee led the drafting of the Exploratory Progressive Feeding Guidelines for Infants and Young Children in China.
The Maternal and Child Nutrition Specialised Committee organised the 2023 Second International Symposium on Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Well-being, which was watched by more than 4,800 delegates via live streaming.
The Maternal and Child Nutrition Specialised Committee organised the 2023 First National Conference on Maternal and Infant Nutrition in Yancheng.
The Precision Nutrition Specialised Committee held an specialised committee expansion meeting in Shenzhen.
The theme activity - “Food Talks” has been conducted for three consecutive years, with the theme of “Safeguarding Health by Healthy Consumption and Professional Knowledge”, and collected more than 30 pieces of material, which were displayed and disseminated on the official website of the CNHFA.
The “Little Blue Flower in Bloom” educational activities have been carried out.
8.Strengthening Full Media Matrix Construction to Carry Out Multi-dimensional Publicity
Nearly 700 news were posted on the website in English and Chinese.
Five issues of the China Special Food Fashion magazine have been released, with a total of 420 pages, including 11 industry research articles, 10 popular science articles in the Food Talks column, 11 introduction articles for soft candies, 15 association standards and other related content, totalling more than 130 articles.
48 issues and nearly 300 official posts have been published.
Nearly 120 pieces of popular science short videos and introductions on member organisations were published on the official WeChat subscription channel CNHFA Food Talks.
10 issues of the Membership Bulletin have been disseminated to member organisations.
The 2023 Review of Hot Spots in China’s Special Food Industry has been publish with Xinhua.net for four consecutive years.
9.Organising Professional Training to Improve Capacity for Public Nutritionists
The evaluation of the vocational skills for public nutritionists has been conducted for four consecutives years, and two national examinations have been organised.
Seven customised programmes for public nutritionists were conducted with member organisations, such as By-health, Perfect, Nature’s Sunshine, Herbalife, H&H Group, Baoying and Nestle, with a cumulative total of 25,616 people assessed through these programmes throughout the year.
A service platform for special food safety managers was established and officially launched with China Market Regulation Newspaper.
Specialised co-operation has been established to provide companies with services such as mother and child health instructors and special medical food application instructors.
10.Paying Attention to Members’ Needs with Active Engagement in Public Services
Nearly 50 organisations joined us as new members.
More than ten certificates of various types have been issued for member organisations.
Public service activities have been conducted. For example, the CNHFA provided special funds, all the new students admitted to a university in Xiao Liang Township, Li County, Gansu Province.
An agreement was signed with the Rural Revitalisation Bureau of Maqin County on the twinning of social organisations of national and eastern provinces (including direct-administered municipalities) with key counties in Qinghai Province for national rural revitalisation.
Charity and public service activities were conducted in Gansu’s Li County, Heilongjiang’s Fuyuan City, Tibet’s Dingjie County and other places under the cooperation with the Advertisement Regulation Department, Food Production Department, and the Centre for Food evaluation of the SAMR, the Tibet Market Regulation Bureau and CNHFA’s member organisations.
The CNHFA will resolutely align its strategies and actions with the CPC Central Committee's decision-making and directives to fully, precisely, and comprehensively implement the new development concepts. We aim to accelerate the creation of new developmental patterns and maximize the role of the industry organization as a pivotal bridge and leader in the industry. Our activities will encompass a range of functions, from engaging in regulatory work and providing regulatory advice to disseminating scientific knowledge and implementing self-regulation practices. These efforts are designed to continually enhance the CNHFA’s roles as an industry guide, policy coordinator, and comprehensive service provider. We are dedicated to serving our members effectively, elevating the quality and efficiency of the special food industry, and contributing to its high-quality development.
