How will the implementation of the new national standard for food additives affect the preservative industry?

The National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB 2760-2024) has recently been officially implemented, which involves various preservatives. According to the new national standard, preservatives such as dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt (hereinafter referred to as "dehydroacetic acid") are prohibited in bread, pastries and other products, and preservatives such as ε - polylysine hydrochloride are not allowed to be used in canned foods.
For relevant preservative production enterprises, the impact of the new national standard is inevitable. Sales personnel from some companies have reported that with the implementation of the new national standard, the order volume of sodium dehydroacetate has gradually decreased. Terminal enterprises have changed their product formulas and no longer use sodium dehydroacetate. Many enterprises have switched to using preservatives such as calcium propionate and potassium sorbate.
In the alternative solutions for preservatives, "natural preservatives" have received attention. However, the development of natural preservatives faces the dilemma of high production costs, and currently only top or high-end food companies choose.
Related manufacturers' orders for sodium dehydroacetate decrease
In March 2024, the National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB 2760-2024) was released and implemented on February 8, 2025. The new national standard has adjusted the scope and dosage of some food additives, deleted the usage regulations of preservative sodium dehydroacetate in starch products, bread, pastries, baked goods fillings and surface coatings, and reduced the maximum usage amount in pickled vegetables from the original 1 g/kg to 0.3 g/kg; Preservatives such as ε - polylysine hydrochloride and lactobacillus streptomycin are not allowed to be used in canned foods; The preservative natamycin should not be used in wine.
It is worth noting that the new national standard has made significant adjustments to the preservative sodium dehydroacetate, resulting in a decrease in orders for sodium dehydroacetate from related manufacturers. Recently, a reporter from the Beijing News consulted a biotechnology company in Jiangsu as a purchaser, and its salesperson said that after the new national standard was introduced, many companies adjusted their production formulas, and the order volume of sodium dehydroacetate has been declining, while the sales of other alternative preservatives are still acceptable. A salesperson from a food additive agent in Shaanxi also introduced that the new national standard significantly reduces the scope of application of sodium dehydroacetate, resulting in a decrease in production volume for some sodium dehydroacetate producers and a significant decline in agent orders.
The new national standard promotes industry upgrading
Why did the new national standard make multiple modifications to preservatives? Public information shows that the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center re evaluates a food additive, taking into account the discovery of new evidence on safety, the need for re evaluation, or changes in food consumption structure. When the consumption of a food increases from less to more, it is necessary to consider whether the accumulation of a certain food additive will exceed the safety limit.
Professor Fan Zhihong from the School of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University previously told the Beijing News that the consumption of baked goods has significantly increased in recent years, and the content of food additives needs to be reconsidered. Relatively speaking, the consumption of pickled pickled Chinese cabbage is not much, so the maximum limit is only reduced. Professor Cao Yanping from the School of Food and Health at Beijing Technology and Business University explained that canned food is not allowed to use related preservatives because it is unnecessary. The current technology can fully achieve strong sterilization and sealed packaging on the production line to ensure food safety.
Industry insiders told reporters from the Beijing News that the impact of the new national standard on relevant food companies cannot be underestimated. Companies need to face a series of challenges, such as adjusting product formulas, screening new preservatives, retesting shelf life, accurately calculating costs, and properly digesting original packaging. At the same time, preservative manufacturers must also keep up with changes in market demand, actively invest in research and development, and launch alternative products.
Many food companies have already launched a comprehensive "dehydrogenation" campaign. Liangpinpuzi, Three Squirrels, Dali Food, Peach and Plum Bread, Daoxiangcun, Miss Ma, and others have all stated that they have optimized their product formulas and will no longer add sodium dehydroacetate to their corresponding products. Some companies have also taken down and withdrawn previously produced foods containing sodium dehydroacetate. A canned meat manufacturer recently told a reporter from the Beijing News that all of their canned products are strictly produced in accordance with the new national standards and do not contain any preservatives.
Cao Yanping stated that the new national standard has also sounded the alarm for some small and medium-sized manufacturers, prompting them to improve their hygiene production technology and update more advanced sterilization equipment. Wang Bei, Vice Dean of the School of Food and Health at Beijing Technology and Business University, stated in a media interview that adjusting the scope of use of sodium dehydroacetate, although posing certain challenges to food companies, has also promoted industry technological innovation, improved food safety levels, and met consumers' demand for healthy food.
Can natural preservatives be a substitute?
After dehydrogenation, relevant food companies must adopt new anti-corrosion alternatives. The sales personnel of the above-mentioned biotechnology company stated that based on current orders, many food companies choose to use traditional preservatives such as potassium sorbate and calcium propionate, and combine them with improved processing technology to ensure food quality.
Dalian Yinuo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of related preservatives, stated that the company will intensify the research and development of new alternatives after the new national standard is introduced. For fermented bread, when the company uses more encapsulated sorbic acid products in the market, it combines microencapsulation technology to gradually release them during the baking process, avoiding direct contact with yeast, which can ensure stable antibacterial effect without affecting bread making.
Among the alternative solutions, natural fermentation preservatives have attracted considerable attention. The sales personnel of the above-mentioned biotechnology companies revealed that many companies have started using natural preservatives, such as lactobacillus and glucose fermentation products. Ms. Ma also stated that the preservatives currently used by the company include calcium propionate, encapsulated sorbic acid, streptococcal acid, and cleaning labels such as whey fermentation powder.
Data shows that natural food preservatives are made by extracting effective preservative ingredients from animals, plants, microorganisms, etc. According to different extraction targets, they can be divided into animal derived natural preservatives, plant derived natural preservatives, and microbial derived natural preservatives. Among them, natural preservatives derived from microorganisms are also known as "biological preservatives". Cao Yanping mentioned that in terms of manufacturing methods, there are two methods for making food additives: chemical method and biological method. Common substances such as benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are currently produced through chemical synthesis methods, while streptomycin and natamycin are produced through biological methods.
Whether it is potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, or natural preservatives, there are still certain drawbacks in the production process of baked goods such as pastries. Dalian Yinuo stated that the antibacterial effect of sorbic acid preservatives is similar to that of sodium dehydroacetate, but if used directly, it will inhibit yeast activity, interfere with dough elasticity, and ultimately may affect dough fermentation. If the amount of propionic acid products added is large, it may cause the bread to produce a strange odor, and it is also easy to cause the bread tissue to become rough, accelerating the aging of the bread. As for natural preservatives such as lactobacillus, their antibacterial effect is easily affected by factors such as temperature and pH. Therefore, in practical use, it is necessary to choose and match according to the specific type of baked product.
Many people believe that natural preservatives are safer. Cao Yanping pointed out that the effectiveness and safety of natural preservatives vary depending on the type, usage environment, and food system, and cannot be generalized. Natural preservatives may not necessarily be safer and should be evaluated based on specific circumstances. In addition, the hygiene and safety of food cannot rely solely on preservatives, but also require strict control of hygiene conditions throughout the entire production process from raw materials to finished products, including equipment, personnel, and sterilization. Therefore, attention should be paid to whether the construction of the entire system meets the requirements, rather than simply comparing the advantages and disadvantages of preservatives.
In addition, compared with the price of traditional chemical synthetic preservatives, the price of biological preservatives is significantly higher. A reporter from the Beijing News consulted with three manufacturers and found that the price of sodium dehydroacetate ranges from 12 yuan/jin to 13 yuan/jin, the price of potassium sorbate ranges from 9 yuan/jin to 10 yuan/jin, and the price of streptococcal lactate ranges from 80 yuan/jin to 90 yuan/jin.
Dalian Yinnuo personnel admitted that the development of natural preservatives is facing the dilemma of high production costs. Due to the high technical barriers such as strain screening and purification processes, it is difficult to reduce production costs. The sales personnel of the above-mentioned biotechnology companies also stated that currently only some top or high-end food companies choose to use biological preservatives as preservatives.