China’s National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) has opened a public consultation on three proposed new food raw materials: Sanghuangporus mycelium, aloe vera gel and Rhodotorula toruloides oil.

The consultation began on August 31, 2026, and comments may be submitted through September 30, 2026.

Sanghuangporus mycelium is produced using Sanghuangporus vaninii through cultivation, fermentation, membrane filtration and drying. The proposed recommended daily intake is no more than 5 grams per day, calculated on the basis of a crude polysaccharide content of 55 g/100 g. If the polysaccharide concentration is higher, the recommended intake would need to be adjusted proportionally.

The proposed ingredient would not be suitable for infants and young children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or individuals allergic to edible fungi. Labels and instructions would also need to identify the populations for whom the ingredient is unsuitable and specify the applicable intake limit.

Aloe vera gel is also included in the consultation. The material is derived from aloe vera leaves and produced through processing steps including removal of anthraquinones, washing, peeling, slicing, heating, rinsing, draining and sterilization.

Under the proposal, aloe vera gel would not be suitable for infants and young children, pregnant women or breastfeeding women. The proposal would also replace information concerning aloe vera gel contained in the former Ministry of Health’s Announcement No. 12 of 2008.

The third proposed ingredient, Rhodotorula toruloides oil, is produced using the microorganism Rhodotorula toruloides OMK-87 through fermentation, filtration, drying, extraction, decolorization, deodorization and filtration.

The proposed maximum daily intake is 2.5 grams. The oil must contain at least 10% nervonic acid, along with specified minimum levels of oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid. Foods intended for infants and young children would be excluded from its proposed scope of use.

What this means for the dietary supplement industry

The consultation is particularly relevant to international ingredient suppliers and finished-product companies evaluating new opportunities in China’s functional food and health products market.

Sanghuangporus, a medicinal fungus with a long history of interest in Asia, may attract attention from companies developing mushroom, polysaccharide and immune-health products. The proposed 5 g daily intake and defined polysaccharide benchmark provide an early indication of how Chinese regulators may structure its future use.

Rhodotorula toruloides oil could also be commercially significant because of its nervonic acid content. Nervonic acid has attracted increasing interest for brain, neurological and healthy-aging formulations, and a new microbial source could provide manufacturers with an additional ingredient platform if the proposal ultimately receives approval.

The aloe vera proposal is also noteworthy because CFSA is not simply introducing a new material but proposing to replace the regulatory information established under the former Ministry of Health’s 2008 announcement.

Companies interested in these ingredients should remember that the consultation does not constitute final authorization. The proposals may still be revised before China’s National Health Commission determines whether the ingredients will be formally approved as new food raw materials.

For overseas ingredient manufacturers, developments such as these are worth monitoring early. Once a new food raw material is formally approved, companies that have already assessed sourcing, specifications, formulation opportunities and regulatory positioning may be better prepared to pursue commercial opportunities in China.

CIRS group is an HPA global regulatory strategic partner.

(Source: cirs-group.com & HPA-Global)

https://www.cirs-group.com/en/food/china-cfsa-collect-public-opinions-for-3-new-food-ingredients

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