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China food expo |New Sterilized Milk Standard Elevates Quality, Set to Draw Industry Attention at Asia Food Expo

2025.10.13

The China food expo noticed recently implemented first amendment to China's "National Food Safety Standard for Sterilized Milk" marks a significant shift for the dairy industry. The revised standard clearly stipulates that sterilized milk—commonly known as pure milk—must use raw cow or goat milk as the sole ingredient, effectively closing the door on the use of reconstituted milk.

 

 

Why the Change? Preserving Freshness and Nutrition
Reconstituted milk, often referred to as "milk made from milk powder," is produced by diluting and restoring dairy powder with water. As explained by Wang Jiaqi, Chief Scientist of the Milk Product Quality and Safety Risk Assessment Innovation Team at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, this type of raw material undergoes multiple thermal processing stages, which can damage heat-sensitive nutrients such as active proteins and vitamins. The revision aims to preserve the freshness, purity, and nutritional value of sterilized milk from the source.

Under the updated standard, manufacturers are not only required to use raw milk exclusively, without any additives, but must also clearly label ingredient information on packaging, ensuring greater transparency for consumers.

Raising Dairy Quality in Line with Global Practices
“This revision represents a major step forward in enhancing the quality of dairy products in China and serves as a concrete measure to promote high-quality development in the dairy sector,” Wang noted. He emphasized that this move aligns with practices adopted by most developed countries and international organizations, which also require sterilized milk to be made solely from raw milk.

Impact on Industry and Dairy Farmers
A common concern is whether using only raw milk will raise production costs. According to Wang, monitoring data from 2020 to the present shows that the average procurement price of domestic raw milk has been comparable to—and at times even lower than—the cost of imported milk powder. Therefore, the shift is not expected to significantly affect production costs or retail prices.

More importantly, the updated standard is set to benefit domestic dairy farming. In the past, some manufacturers preferred using imported milk powder for cost reasons, which squeezed the market share of local fresh milk and impacted farmers’ income. As researcher Liu Changquan from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences pointed out, the new standard will increase the demand for raw milk, encouraging dairy companies to build closer ties with farmers. This will help stabilize milk prices, protect farmers' earnings, and guide the industry toward strengthening local milk source development.

Supporting a Maturing Dairy Industry
Backed by national policy support, China's dairy production capacity has grown considerably. In 2024, the country’s total milk output reached 41.555 million tons, ranking fourth globally. According to Li Shengli, Chief Scientist of the National Dairy Industry Technology System, while the use of reconstituted milk may have been a stopgap solution during earlier stages of milk shortage, the standard’s revision today reflects an active effort to align with consumer upgrading and lead the sector toward high-quality development.

Clearer Labels, Smarter Choices
Following the implementation of the new standard on September 16, products labeled as “pure cow milk” or “pure goat milk” must be made from 100% raw milk. Consumers can also distinguish product types by checking the product standard codes: GB 25190 indicates sterilized milk (pure milk), while GB 25191 refers to formulated milk.

It is important to note that reconstituted milk is not entirely banned—it may still be used in formulated milk and fermented milk (yogurt), provided it is clearly labeled as “reconstituted milk” in a prominent location on the packaging.

Conclusion: A Leap in Quality—See the Latest at Asia Food Expo
The update of the sterilized milk standard reflects not only the continuous improvement of China’s food regulations but also a qualitative leap for the dairy industry. By meeting consumers’ growing demand for high-quality products and promoting sustainable industrial development, this standard supports a healthier and more transparent dairy market. This topic, along with other dairy innovations, will be featured and further discussed at the China food expo, offering industry stakeholders valuable insights into the future of food quality and safety.

 

Source: msn
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