BEIJING, March 18 — The National Institute for Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a public consultation notice on the National Standard: Determination and Labeling of Glycemic Index (GI) of Foods, proposing a unified framework for GI testing methods and labeling requirements across China.

The draft standard integrates three existing standards to form a comprehensive regulatory basis, including ISO 26642:2010 (Food products — Determination of the glycaemic index and recommendation for food classification), WS/T 652-2019 (Chinese health industry standard for GI determination), and T/CNSS 012-2019 (Chinese labeling specification for GI).

Key Technical Provisions

1. Subject Selection Criteria

The draft clearly defines inclusion and exclusion criteria for test subjects. Specifically, it sets requirements for age and body mass index (BMI) and excludes individuals with a Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) of ≥ 2.5.

2. Quality Control Requirements

To ensure the accuracy and reliability of GI testing, the draft specifies quantitative variability limits: the coefficient of variation (CV) for laboratory blood glucose measurement shall be less than 3.6%, the CV for fasting blood glucose of subjects shall be no more than 5%, and the CV for individual reference food tests shall not exceed 30%.

3. Definition of Available Carbohydrates

The draft clarifies the scope of "available carbohydrates" by excluding resistant starch, dietary fibers (such as inulin and fructooligosaccharides), and certain sugar alcohols (e.g., erythritol) from this category.

GI Classification

The draft establishes clear GI classification criteria: low GI is defined as ≤ 55, medium GI falls within a specified range, and high GI is set above a specified threshold.

Labeling Requirements

1. Applicable Product Categories

GI labeling is only applicable to specific categories of prepackaged foods, including cereals and grain products, dairy products, and other additional specified categories as outlined in the draft.

2. Dual Requirements for "Low GI" Claims

For a product to be labeled as "low GI," the draft imposes dual requirements: its GI value must meet the defined threshold (≤ 55), and it must comply with the specified nutrient content limits.

3. Nutrient Thresholds (Appendix E)

The draft sets clear limits for certain nutrients, including fat, saturated fat, and sodium. For some food categories, a minimum dietary fiber content is also required. Taking biscuits as an example, the draft specifies: fat ≤ 25 g/100 g, saturated fat ≤ 10 g/100 g, sodium ≤ 400 mg/100 g, and dietary fiber ≥ 3 g/100 g.

The draft stipulates that GI values must be determined using the methods defined in the standard, and testing must be conducted by qualified institutions. Additionally, the tested product must be consistent with the commercially marketed product in terms of formulation and processing.

The draft notes that any changes in product formulation may require re-testing of GI values, and all GI labeling must follow the standardized format specified in the draft.

Currently, the draft standard is open for public comments to solicit feedback from all sectors of society.

Reference

https://www.chinanutri.cn/tzgg_6537/tzgg_102/202603/t20260318_315598.html