Four Substances Added to the List of Substances Traditionally Used as Both Food and TCM in China

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly issued an announcement adding four substances to the list of substances traditionally used as both food and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Announcement No. 4 of 2024, was issued on August 26, 2024, the four substances are:

• Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch;
• Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f) Ker-Gawl;
• Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr; and
• Citri grandis exocarpium.

Table 1 Details of four new substances traditionally used as both food and traditional Chinese medicine

Name	Botanical name	Latin name	Family	Part	Safety limit (mg/kg)a,b
Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.	Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.	Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.	Orobanchaceae	Tuberous root	Lead (Pb) ≤ 1.0 Cadmium (Cd) ≤ 0.5 Arsenic (As) ≤ 1.0 Mercury (Hg) ≤ 0.2
Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f) Ker-Gawl.	Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f) Ker-Gawl.	Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f) Ker-Gawl.	Asparagaceae	Tuberous root	Lead (Pb) ≤ 1.0 Cadmium (Cd) ≤ 0.5 Arsenic (As) ≤ 0.5 Mercury (Hg) ≤ 0.1
Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.	Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.	Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.	Asparagaceae	Tuberous root	Lead (Pb) ≤ 1.0 Cadmium (Cd) ≤ 0.5 Arsenic (As) ≤ 1.0 Mercury (Hg) ≤ 0.1 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) ≤ 400
Citri grandis exocarpium	Citrus grandis‘Tomentosa’	Citrus grandis‘Tomentosa’	Rutaceae	Outer rind	Lead (Pb) ≤ 1.0 Cadmium (Cd) ≤ 0.1 Arsenic (As) ≤ 0.5 Mercury (Hg) ≤ 0.1
	Citrus grandis‘Tomentosa’	Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck

Note:

The levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and sulfur dioxide are determined according to the methods specified in GB5009.12, GB5009.15, GB5009.11, GB5009.17, and GB5009.34, respectively. Pesticide limits should comply with relevant regulations set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA).

The safety limits are determined based on dried products. For fresh products, the limits are converted based on moisture content from the dried products.

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Further Information

NHC Announcement No. 4 of 2024