GACC 280 号令 (GACC Decree No. 280) (promulgated 2025-10-14, effective 2026-06-01) is China's new top-level regulation governing the registration of overseas food production establishments, fully replacing 248 号令 (Decree No. 248, 2021-04-12). The companion GACC 27 号公告 (GACC Announcement No. 27) (2026-03-18) takes effect simultaneously. This slice focuses on the regulatory positioning of single-cell protein (SCP) feed + Chongqing's first export case.
- 280 号令入口 (Decree No. 280 entry): http://gdfs.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/2480148/6775328/index.html
- 27 号公告入口 (Announcement No. 27 entry): http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/2026-03/18/article_2026031809353159843.html
- 重庆案例 (Chongqing case): http://gdfs.customs.gov.cn/chongqing_customs/515855/515858/6067290/index.html
- 拉取日期 (Pull date): 2026-07-20 (Tavily extract)
Core Provisions of Decree No. 280
Registration Framework (vs. Decree No. 248)
| Dimension | 248 号令 (Decree No. 248, old) | 280 号令 (Decree No. 280, new) |
|---|---|---|
| Location of the China registration number marking | "内、外包装" ("inner and outer packaging") | "食品包装" ("food packaging", simplified) |
| Registration validity | 5 years | 5 years |
| Renewal mechanism | Active renewal application required 3-6 months before expiry | Automatic 5-year renewal (except high-risk categories) |
| Three registration routes | Single route | Competent-authority recommendation / enterprise self-registration / list-based registration |
| Categories excluded from automatic renewal | None | Meat and meat products, edible bird's nests and bird's nest products (only 2 categories) |
Three Registration Routes
- 官方推荐注册 (Registration via competent-authority recommendation) — requires a recommendation letter from the competent authority + an audit/inspection report
- 企业自行注册 (Enterprise self-registration) — no recommendation letter required; apply directly
- 清单注册 (List-based registration) — based on cooperation agreements (import/export food safety cooperation agreements) + AEO mutual recognition agreements, etc.
第二十九条 (Article 29 — Key Provision)
> "相关国家（地区）与中国就进口食品境外生产企业注册管理另有约定的，按照双方约定执行。" > > "Where a relevant country (region) and China have otherwise agreed on the registration administration of overseas food production establishments, the agreement between the two parties shall prevail."
→ Leaves room for bilateral agreements such as China–EU / China–Singapore / China–US (SCP feed imports and exports may follow this special pathway)
Announcement No. 27: Streamlining of the Recommendation-Based Registration Catalogue
From 18 Categories → 17 Categories → Dynamic List
- 移除 (Removed): 6 categories of primary edible agricultural products, including oilseeds, coarse grains, fresh-keeping vegetables, dried beans, seasonings, and unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans
- 聚焦 (Focus): core high-risk categories such as meat, aquatic products, dairy products, bird's nest products, and foods for special dietary uses
- 动态调整 (Dynamic adjustment): 海关总署 (GACC, General Administration of Customs of China) dynamically adjusts the recommendation-based registration catalogue based on risk monitoring and import sampling results
Categories Excluded from Automatic Renewal (Only 2)
- 肉与肉制品 (Meat and meat products)
- 燕窝与燕窝制品 (Edible bird's nests and bird's nest products)
→ These 2 categories must apply for renewal to Customs through the exporting country's competent authority 3-12 months before registration expiry
Regulatory Positioning of Single-Cell Protein (SCP) Feed
Product Definition
- 单细胞蛋白 (Single-Cell Protein, SCP): yeast, bacterial, mold, and algal cell biomass produced by fermentation
- 分类 (Categories): yeast protein / bacterial protein / algal protein
- 代表性产品 (Representative product): 乙醇梭菌蛋白 (Clostridium autoethanogenum protein — China's industrialization breakthrough)
- 应用 (Applications): food, feed, pharmaceuticals
Policy Positioning
- 归类 (Classification): feed category (including novel protein ingredients)
- 是否属于推荐注册 17 类 (Within the 17 recommendation-registration categories?): ❌ No (it falls under primary edible agricultural products / feed ingredient processing — follows "enterprise self-registration" or "list-based registration")
- 关键窗口 (Key window): Decree No. 248 remains in force before 2026-06-01; Decree No. 280 is formally implemented from June 1
- 现状 (Status quo): 90,000 overseas food production establishments in 170+ countries (regions) are already registered; 290+ overseas competent authorities use the registration system
Chongqing's First Export Case (2024-08-28)
恺迪苏（重庆）有限公司 (Kaidisu (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.):
- Passed 涪陵海关 (Fuling Customs) inspection on 2024-08-28
- 17 吨 (17 tonnes) / 20 万元 (RMB 200,000) of single-cell protein feed
- 出口目的国 (Export destinations): Poland, United States
- 生产方式 (Production method): microorganisms "consume" natural gas → inactivation and drying → single-cell protein feed
- 优势 (Advantages): low resource consumption, high protein content, broad application prospects in aquaculture feed
- 注册路径 (Registration pathway): Fuling Customs' "pre-review + online processing" model + cloud-issued certificates + 7×24 appointment-based inspection
- 意义 (Significance): Chongqing's first single-cell protein feed producer to complete registration
Practical Challenges
> "要想把握优势，实现出口，我们还需要解决注册登记等问题。" — 恺迪苏技术部经理 谭力 > > "To seize this advantage and actually export, we still need to resolve issues such as registration." — 谭力 (Tan Li), Technical Department Manager, Kaidisu
→ Even for a domestically produced novel feed ingredient, the registration process for a first export remains the main bottleneck
Cross-Border Implications for China's Pet Food Industry
- 🇨🇳 新蛋白原料开放 (Novel protein ingredients opened up): SCP is not in the recommendation-based registration catalogue → lower import barriers; domestic pet food can use SCP
- 🌾 鱼粉替代 (Fishmeal substitution): SCP can replace fishmeal in aquaculture feed, easing China's dependence on fishmeal imports
- 🐶 高端宠粮潜力 (Premium pet food potential): SCP's high protein content and strong sustainability align with European/US pet food trends (YumEarth / Wild Earth / Bond Pet Foods already use SCP)
- 🇪🇺🇺🇸 出口路径 (Export pathways): Chinese SCP can be exported to the EU/US, but requires EU FIP registration + FDA GRAS determination
Slice Navigation
- GACC Customs Announcement No. 257 three-tier risk (CN-2): see
cn-customs-feed-risk-2025-257/01_announcement_257_overview.md - GACC 22-country pet food processor list (CN-3): see
cn-gacc-22-countries-pet-food-processor-list/01_overview.md
Source: pdf-raw/cn-approvals/gacc-decree-280-and-scp-20260720.txt · GACC Decree No. 280 + Announcement No. 27 + Chongqing SCP export case (Tavily extract 2026-07-20)