China has released a draft revision of the National Food Safety Standard for the food additive Capsicum Orange (GB 1886.105), inviting public comments as part of its regulatory update process. The proposed standard will replace the current GB 1886.105-2016 and introduces a series of technical revisions aimed at strengthening quality specifications, analytical methods, and safety controls for this widely used natural colorant derived from Capsicum annuum L. The scope of the standard has been refined to cover products obtained from chili pepper pericarp and its derivatives through supercritical CO? extraction or solvent extraction using approved solvents such as hexane, acetone, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, isopropanol, and vegetable oils. The draft also updates key compositional information, including molecular formulas, structural characteristics, and relative molecular weights of major carotenoid constituents such as capsanthin, capsorubin, ?-carotene, zeaxanthin, and ?-cryptoxanthin.
From a technical standpoint, the draft introduces revised specifications for critical quality parameters. Total carotenoid content must align with declared values, while capsaicin content is strictly limited to not more than 0.02% to ensure low pungency. Additionally, the combined proportion of capsanthin and capsorubin must not exceed 30% of total carotenoids. The standard further tightens contaminant controls, setting maximum limits for arsenic and lead at 1.0 mg/kg each, and establishes a cap of 50 mg/kg for total residual organic solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, isopropanol), excluding products obtained via supercritical CO? extraction.
The draft also refines product characterization and commercialization provisions, allowing the use of compliant food ingredients and additives such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, antioxidants (e.g., ascorbic acid, vitamin E, rosemary extract), and carriers in finished products, provided they meet existing Chinese food safety standards.
Consumer News Region