China Publishes Action Plan on Edible Oil Inspections

The Chinese government has published an action plan on edible oil inspections in a bid to standardize production and ensure quality and safety, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported. Prompted by domestic food safety incidents in 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) outlined how local and national authorities would work together to enforce regulations across the edible oil value chain, including production, sales and transportation, the USDA said.

The action plan aimed to standardize production and ensure the quality and safety of edible oils, with inspections focusing on: Adulteration; Use of additives beyond designated limits; False labelling and failure to label genetically modified (GM) products as required; and Transportation.  Specific actions conducted by SAMR as part of the national plan would include: the supervision and inspection of production processes; online and offline joint inspection; transportation of bulk oils and special sampling.
The regulations apply to domestically-produced and imported products, as well as products sold through online and offline channels.  Local officials will step up inspection and enforcement actions from April-December 2025, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) report.