China’s food safety code throws a curveball at palm oil industry
China’s GB 31664-2025 standard for controlling 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in refined edible oils took effect September 2, 2026. It sets process controls rather than numerical limits. Malaysian palm oil exporters face closer scrutiny and potential dual compliance with China’s process-based and EU quantitative requirements.
China’s National Food Safety Standard, which includes the Code for the Control of 3-MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters in Foods, came into effect on Sept 2, a year after it was issued. According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the standard is not expected to have an immediate impact on Malaysian palm oil exports to China. Nonetheless, the code warrants a review to ensure exporters meet the requirements.
This is because the code — GB 31664-2025 — does not prescribe numerical maximum limits, unlike the European Union (EU) and Türkiye requirements, MPOC’s CEO Belvinder Sron tells The Edge.
“China’s standard, effective Sept 2, 2026, sets out measures to control 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters (GE) during the production and use of refined edible oils,” she says.
China is a major buyer of global palm oil, although it sources most of its supply from Indonesia rather than Malaysia. Nevertheless, it ranked among Malaysia’s top 10 export markets for the commodity, importing 0.9 million tonnes of the country’s palm oil in 2025, making up 5.9% of total palm oil exports.
“The standard signals that Chinese buyers may pay closer attention to contaminant levels when sourcing edible oils. Malaysian suppliers have experience serving markets with stringent requirements. Over the past five years, Malaysia exported an average of 1.30 million tonnes of palm oil annually to the EU,” she adds.
3-MCPD esters and GE are contaminants formed during the high-temperature refining of edible oils and fats. The contaminants drew global attention after the European Food Safety Authority released a 2016 report warning of potential health risks.
To address this, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has capped 3-MCPD levels in palm oil, but while technologies to lower the contaminant exist, industry adoption has proven difficult due to cost and operational challenges. At present, crude palm oil (CPO) washing remains the most widely used method for reducing 3-MCPD, whether carried out at mills or refineries.
The EU standards on 3-MCPD esters and GE came into force on Jan 1, 2021, with Türkiye following suit only in 2026 despite announcing its intention to do so as early as 2023.
“Despite these stricter requirements, Malaysian palm oil exports to Türkiye increased by 33% to 647,000 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. This shows that Malaysian suppliers have continued to expand sales while meeting the requirements applicable to their shipments. That experience puts them in a position to respond if Chinese buyers seek oils with lower contaminant levels,” says Belvinder.
The MPOC is the global promotion and market-expansion arm for Malaysian palm oil. It is funded by the industry and through government grants.
Belvinder explains that the Chinese standard applies to the production and use of refined edible oils, including refined palm oil. It sets out mandatory process-control and management requirements aimed at minimising the formation of 3-MCPD esters and GE during oil refining and subsequent food processing.
“Among the measures specified are the control of chlorinated compounds and other precursors in raw materials and processing inputs, appropriate degumming and de-acidification practices, and control of deodorisation temperature and time. For vegetable oils, the standard recommends deodorisation at relatively low temperatures, for example not exceeding 240°C, to reduce the formation of GE.
“The standard also requires food manufacturers to select edible oils with low 3-MCPD ester and GE content. In the case of infant formula, manufacturers using vegetable oils are required to verify test reports relating to these contaminants. In essence, this standard is primarily a contamination-control and process-management standard,” she explains.
She notes that Malaysian palm oil refiners, particularly those already supplying highly regulated international markets, have substantial experience in implementing mitigation measures for 3-MCPD esters and GE.
Nevertheless, she adds that the MPOC is reviewing the new Chinese requirements in detail to assess their implications for Malaysian exporters and to ensure that the industry remains well positioned to meet evolving food safety requirements in key markets.
Qua Kiat Seng, a palm oil industry veteran with experience in refining, foods, oleochemicals and personal care in Malaysia and Europe, agrees that a close study of the code is necessary, and says his initial reading implies a regulatory divergence between the EU and China.
“The EU first enforced maximum levels for 3 MCPD esters and GE in 2021, and has since tightened them further with new limits phased in from 2026–2027. China, meanwhile, has introduced GB 5009.191-2024 (testing, effective August 2024) and GB 31664-2025 (process controls, mandatory from September 2026). Malaysian and other exporters must now prepare for dual compliance: strict EU quantitative limits and China’s process-based requirements,” he says.
“The regulatory divergence: EU quantitative vs China process-based standards may complicate dual compliance strategies. You may need to audit processing conditions on top of limits,” Qua explains that process control rather than limits is something new which needs to be studied closely.
On whether more countries could follow suit in raising similar food safety standards on palm oil, MPOC says the Malaysian palm oil industry stands ready to meet evolving requirements.
“Food safety is important, and the Malaysian palm oil industry has been working for many years on mitigation, process control and analytical capability for these contaminants. What is important is that regulatory requirements are science-based, transparent and applied consistently across edible oils and fats. 3-MCPD esters and GE are process contaminants associated with high-temperature refining of edible oils.
“We are seeing greater regulatory attention internationally. The EU already has maximum levels for these contaminants and has further updated requirements for certain foods, while Türkiye has strengthened its guidance and control framework for refined oils. This is part of a broader global move towards tighter food-safety assurance. Malaysia’s palm oil industry is prepared to meet evolving requirements through effective mitigation at the refinery level, reliable analytical testing, traceability and appropriate documentation for export markets,” says Belvinder.
The world’s top three importers of palm oil are India, China and Pakistan, according to the US Department of Agriculture. India has been Malaysia’s biggest buyer of palm oil since 2014.
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Source : The Edge Malaysia
