2. Product Categories

4 Mins to read

Share
Dark
Light

2. Product Categories

4 Mins to read

Share
Dark
Light

Article summary

Did you find this summary helpful?

Thank you for your feedback

Beers, RTDs, Whisky
China

This section provides the regulatory definition of the food category in scope, or the appropriate food category for the product in scope. Additionally, it provides the food products that belong to this food category along with the definition and specific information on each of these types of food products.

2.1 Category Name & Definition

General Food

Definition

"Food" means all finished products and raw materials for human consumption or drinking, as well as articles that are traditionally medicine and food homologous substances, but do not include articles for the purpose of healing.

According to the “Food Safety Law of P.R.C” [1], food is divided into General Food and Special Food. There are 32 categories, including 29 categories for General Food and 3 categories for Special Food. Except for the 3 special foods - Infant and Young Children Formula, Special Food for Medical Purpose Use, and Health Food (with functional claim or nutrition supplements) - other foods are General Food.

Alcoholic beverage is categorized as General Food.

2.2 Product & Definition

1) Beer

Food Classification: Liquor and alcoholic beverage - Fermented wine - Beer.

Definition

GB/T 17204-2021 Terminology and classification of beverages and alcoholic beverages [2]:

Alcoholic beverages are beverages with an alcohol content of more than 0.5 %vol.

Notes:
Includes all kinds of wines, such as fermented wine, and prepared wine.
Includes non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic wine.

According to GB 2758-2012 National Standard for Food Safety of Fermented Wine and its integrated wine [4]:

Fermented wine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermentation or partial fermentation with grain, fruit, and milk as the main raw materials.

Note: Includes all kinds of fermented alcoholic beverages such as fruit wine, grain wine, and beer.

According to GB/T 4927-2008 Beer [5]:

Beer is a carbonated, sparkling, low-alcohol fermented wine with malt and water as the main raw materials and hops (including hop products) fermented by yeast.

Note: Includes all types of beer including non-alcoholic beer (dealcoholized beer).

Specifications/Target Age

General population, 18 years and above.

Additional Information

According to the “Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Juvenile” [7], it is prohibited to indulge or instigate a juvenile to drink alcohol; and it is prohibited to sell alcohol to a juvenile (A juvenile refers to a citizen under the age of 18).

2) Ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages (such as Chuhai)

Food Classification: Liquor and alcoholic beverage - Alcoholic beverages - Integrated alcoholic beverage.

Definition

According to GB/T 17204-2021 Terminology and classification of beverages and alcoholic beverages [2]:

Alcoholic beverages are beverages with an alcohol content of more than 0.5 %vol.

Notes:
Includes all kinds of wines, such as fermented wine, and prepared wine.
Includes non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic wine.

Integrated alcoholic beverage - An alcoholic beverage made from fermented liquor, distilled liquor, edible alcohol, etc., and added with edible raw materials and/or food additives to be prepared and/or reprocessed.

Specifications/Target Age

General population, 18 years and above.

Additional Information

3) Whisky

Food Classification: Liquor and alcoholic beverage - Distilled liquor and its integrated liquor - Whisky.

Definition

According to GB/T 17204-2021 Terminology and classification of beverages and alcoholic beverages [2]:

Alcoholic beverages are beverages with an alcohol content of more than 0.5 %vol.

Notes:
Includes all kinds of wines, such as fermented wine, and prepared wine.
Includes non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic wine.

According to GB 2757-2012 National Standard for Food Safety Distilled liquor and its integrated liquor [3]:

Distilled liquor is a beverage liquor made by fermentation, distillation, and blending with grain, potato, fruit, and milk as the main raw materials.

According to GB/T 11857-2008 Whisky (partially valid) [6]:

Whisky is a distilled wine made from malt and grain by saccharification, fermentation, distillation, aging, and preparation.

On September 20, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) initiated a public consultation on the "Quality Requirements for Spirits - Part 1: Whisky (Draft for Approval)" [8] (Please note that only the final officially released version shall be considered for implementation). In this draft, the definition of whisky has been amended (please note that only the final officially released version shall be considered for implementation): "Whisky - Distilled wine made from grain by saccharification, fermentation, distillation, aging, or with or without preparation."

Specifications/Target Age

No indication of a special population. The target is the general population who is 18 years and above.

Additional Information

According to the “Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Juvenile” [7], it is prohibited to indulge or instigate a juvenile to drink alcohol; and it is prohibited to sell alcohol to a juvenile (a juvenile refers to a citizen under the age of 18).