Recent Policy Updates in Food Safety: What’s Changing in 2025?

South Africa: Regulations for Meat Analogue Products

• On 18 July 2025, South Africa officially published new regulations for meat analogue (plant-based meat) products under Government Gazette Notice R. 6436. Government of South Africa+2SAnews+2

• Key points of the regulation:

  • Products labeled with terms like “meat alternative” or “plant‑based protein” must contain at least 9% protein. SAnews+1

  • Prohibited use of certain names: you cannot use “beef-style,” “chicken-style,” or other names referencing specific animal species. SAnews+2Devdiscourse+2

  • Permitted product descriptors include names like burgers, patties, sausages, nuggets, mince, etc., as long as they don’t reference animal species. Government of South Africa+1

• Implications:

  • Plant-based producers will likely need to reformulate products or re-label them to comply.

  • Clearer naming rules should help protect consumers from misleading labeling.

  • Importers of meat analogues must ensure their products meet these standards, or face border‐control issues.

Centre For Food Safety – News You Can Trust

International: Codex Alimentarius Commission Adopts New Food Standards

• The 48th session of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 2025 adopted several important new or revised standards. World Health Organization

• Notable updates include:

  • General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA): Over 500 additive provisions were reviewed; some were revoked, and others (e.g., certain annatto-based colorants) were newly adopted for specific food types. World Health Organization

  • Code of Practice for Aflatoxin in Peanuts: The Codex updated its guidelines to include more detailed recommendations across the food chain (pre-harvest, storage, transport) — and now explicitly covers by-products used in animal feed. World Health Organization

  • Lead Limits in Spices and Herbs: New maximum levels adopted for lead in dried bark (e.g., cinnamon) and culinary herbs. World Health Organization

  • Pesticide Residue Testing: New guidelines for reference materials (used in pesticide residue laboratories) were adopted to improve stability, purity, and reliability of long-term testing. World Health Organization

• Implications:

  • Countries aligning with Codex will need to update national additive and contaminant regulations.

  • Food producers exporting globally may face new compliance burdens, especially for spices, herbs, and peanuts.

  • Laboratories testing pesticide residues will have clearer, more robust reference guidelines, improving data quality.

Food Contact Materials (FCM) — Global Regulatory Shifts

• China (2025): New national standards for food contact materials (FCMs) will come into effect, addressing migration of phthalates, nitrosamines, and other chemical compounds from packaging into food. SGSCorp

  • Effective from 16 September 2025. SGSCorp

• Japan (2025): Revised its “Specifications and Standards for Foods, Additives, etc.” (under its Food Sanitation Law) to include stricter safety requirements for packaging materials, such as copper alloys. SGSCorp

  • These changes take effect on 1 June 2026, but packaging made before that date can still comply with older standards until 1 June 2027. SGSCorp

• Azerbaijan (2025): Adopted new sanitary standards for materials in contact with food (Decision No. 56/2025), largely based on EU legislation (EC Regulation 1935/2004). SGSCorp

• Bangladesh (proposal): Is consulting on draft regulations for FCMs, including migration limits and labeling. SGSCorp

• India (2025): Issued a Quality Control Order for cookware, utensils, and food-contact cans, updating national standards and extending compliance timelines for smaller enterprises. SGSCorp

• Implications:

  • Food manufacturers and packaging suppliers globally need to track FCM regulatory changes to ensure compliance in their markets.

  • Stricter migration limits could increase testing costs, but also reduce chemical risk to consumers.

  • These changes reflect a broader trend: food packaging safety is increasingly regulated as part of food safety rather than just materials regulation.

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Regional Reform in Africa

• During the 25th session of the FAO/WHO Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA25) in early 2025, African countries recommitted to strengthening food safety frameworks, harmonizing standards, and boosting trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). fao.org

• Botswana (2025): The Ministry of Health, together with WHO, pushed for stronger food safety through science-based regulation, emphasizing policy reform, better coordination, and use of global frameworks. WHO | Regional Office for Africa

• Implications:

  • African nations are likely to accelerate food-safety capacity building, harmonizing national laws with Codex and other international benchmarks.

  • Regional trade via AfCFTA may increasingly rely on common food safety standards, facilitating cross-border food commerce.

  • Governments may invest more in regulatory infrastructure, lab capacity, and training to strengthen food-safety enforcement.

Alternative Proteins: Government Support & Public-Private Policy

• According to a 2025 GFI (Good Food Institute) report, public investment in alternative proteins (plant-based, cultivated meat, fermentation) is increasing substantially. The Good Food Institute

  

• This trend suggests that governments are not only regulating these products (e.g., in South Africa) but also actively supporting innovation in sustainable protein.

  

• Implications:

  • The alternative-protein sector could benefit from grant funding, research incentives, and favorable policy environments.

  • Regulators will likely balance innovation with consumer protection, meaning emerging products must meet both safety and nutritional standards.

  • Traditional meat producers may face competition, but also opportunities to diversify into new protein categories.

Conclusion: What to Watch in 2025

Food safety policy in 2025 is being reshaped around three core themes:

1. Regulation of new protein types — especially plant-based meat — is becoming more formal and standardized.

2. Packaging and food-contact materials are gaining sharper regulatory focus, with chemical migration and material safety now front and center.

3. Global harmonization through bodies like Codex and regional efforts in Africa is driving more consistent safety standards across markets.

For food businesses, regulators, researchers, and consumers alike, 2025 represents a pivotal year: policies are aligning to address both innovation and risk. Staying informed, proactively engaging in policy dialogues, and strengthening compliance systems will be key to thriving in this evolving landscape.

References

• Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa (2025) Regulations for Meat Analogue Products. Government Gazette R. 6436, 18 July 2025. Available at: gov.za Government of South Africa

• SAnews (2025) South Africa publishes new regulations on meat analogue products. Available at: sanews.gov.za SAnews

• FAO / WHO (2025) CCAFRICA25 concludes with food safety and trade resolutions. Available at: fao.org fao.org

• WHO / Botswana (2025) Botswana commits to stronger food safety through science and policy reform. Available at: afro.who.int WHO | Regional Office for Africa

• WHO / FAO (2025) 48th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission – new food safety standards adopted. Available at: who.int World Health Organization

• SGS (2025) China announces new mandatory standards for food contact materials. Available at: sgs.com SGSCorp

• SGS (2025) Japan revises specifications and standards for food contact materials. Available at: sgs.com SGSCorp

• SGS (2025) Azerbaijan issues sanitary standards for food contact materials. Available at: sgs.com SGSCorp

• SGS (2025) Bangladesh consults over draft law on food contact materials. Available at: sgs.com SGSCorp

• SGS (2025) India delays implementation of standards for cookware and food-contact cans. Available at: sgs.com SGSCorp

• Good Food Institute (2025) Global public investment in alternative proteins. Available at: gfi.org The Good Food Institute