China Publishes Four National Standards for Health Supplement Ingredients

China Publishes Four National Standards for Health Supplement Ingredients

China has introduced four recommended national standards for health supplement ingredients, covering broken Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, astaxanthin, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and spirulina. Approved on September 28, 2026, the standards are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027.

The standards establish more comprehensive technical frameworks for ingredient identification, quality assessment and contaminant control. The initiative is expected to support greater consistency in raw material quality management and provide clearer technical references for the health supplement industry.

1. Overview of the Four Standards

Standard Number	Ingredient	Approval Date	Effective Date
GB/T 48276-2026	Broken Ganoderma lucidum Spore Powder	September 28, 2026	April 1, 2027
GB/T 48335-2026	Astaxanthin	September 28, 2026	April 1, 2027
GB/T 48277-2026	Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)	September 28, 2026	April 1, 2027
GB/T 48275-2026	Spirulina	September 28, 2026	April 1, 2027

These standards provide more detailed quality benchmarks for four ingredients used in the health supplement sector.

2. Background to the New Standards

The four ingredients were included in China's relevant health food ingredient catalogue in November 2020. Before the publication of these standards, the technical framework primarily relied on supporting requirements associated with the ingredient catalogue, without a dedicated, systematic national standard for each ingredient.

The new standards were developed under the relevant national technical standardization framework for special dietary and health-related food products, with regulatory guidance from China's market supervision authorities.

The standards address ingredient-specific quality characteristics and establish clearer reference points for testing, including relevant marker compounds, impurities, heavy metals and microbiological indicators, as applicable to each ingredient.

3. Key Quality Requirements by Ingredient

Broken Ganoderma lucidum Spore Powder

Standard: GB/T 48276-2026

The standard focuses on the identification and quality control of characteristic components, together with limits for relevant contaminants, including heavy metals and microbiological indicators.

Astaxanthin

Standard: GB/T 48335-2026

The standard specifies requirements for astaxanthin content and addresses relevant impurities, heavy metals and microbiological indicators.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Standard: GB/T 48277-2026

The standard establishes requirements for the main component content and relevant quality indicators, including applicable impurity and heavy metal controls.

Spirulina

Standard: GB/T 48275-2026

The standard covers key characteristic components, including phycocyanin and beta-carotene, alongside controls for relevant contaminants such as heavy metals and microorganisms.

4. Recommended National Standards: Implementation and Industry Impact

The four standards are recommended national standards, designated by the prefix GB/T, rather than mandatory national standards. Before their scheduled implementation date of April 1, 2027, businesses should continue to follow the applicable existing requirements for health food ingredient filing.

After implementation, companies may voluntarily adopt the standards as references for ingredient quality control, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.

The publication of these standards represents a step toward more consistent quality assessment for selected health supplement ingredients in China. Clearer testing criteria may help raw material manufacturers improve quality management and provide a more consistent technical basis for ingredient evaluation.

For suppliers and buyers, the standards also highlight the importance of ingredient identification, validated testing methods, contaminant monitoring and traceable quality documentation.

5. Outlook for the Health Supplement Raw Material Industry

As quality requirements evolve, manufacturers and suppliers of health supplement ingredients will need to pay close attention to applicable standards, analytical methods and documentation requirements.

For international B2B businesses, reliable ingredient specifications, certificates of analysis (COAs), traceability and consistent quality control remain important considerations when evaluating suppliers.

Suprepharmagroup follows developments in pharmaceutical and health-related raw material markets, with a focus on quality awareness and reliable B2B supply for international customers.

The introduction of these four standards provides a clearer reference framework for quality management in China's health supplement ingredient sector and may support further standardization across the supply chain.