Home page

Definitions and Regulation of Health Foods in Various Countries and Regions

Release Date:

2026-04-24 09:17

Health foods, known in many countries and regions as dietary supplements, food supplements, natural health products, health supplements, or complementary medicines, are foods that claim to provide specific health‑promoting functions or to supplement vitamins and minerals, occupying a position between ordinary foods and pharmaceuticals. Given their unique status, regulatory frameworks for health foods vary significantly across jurisdictions. To help stakeholders better understand the current regulatory landscape for health foods worldwide, FoodPartner Network has compiled a concise overview of the definitions and regulatory regimes in various countries and regions.

I. Definitions and Dosage Forms of Health Foods in Various Countries/Regions

The definitions of health foods vary across countries and regions, though they generally share commonalities. Below, we illustrate the definitions and dosage-form requirements for health foods in selected countries from Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

II. Regulation of Health Foods in Various Countries and Regions

In most countries and regions, the regulation of health foods is based on a registration, filing, or licensing system; products may only be marketed and distributed after obtaining the relevant official approval. However, some jurisdictions adopt a more lenient regulatory approach, treating such products as ordinary foods.

III. Summary

The definitions of health foods and their dosage forms are similar across countries and regions, but regulatory requirements vary significantly; therefore, a case-by-case analysis must be conducted in light of the specific policies of the target market.

Disclaimer: The data in this article are sourced from publicly available reports across various media outlets, and all images are obtained from the internet, official social media accounts, e-commerce platforms, and other sources. If any of your images have been used inadvertently, please contact us, and we will remove them promptly.

Article reprinted from: Consumer Industry Insights Station, Toutiao

None

[Latest] Quick Reference to 168 New Food Ingredients: A “Compliance Arsenal” for Developing Health‑Focused Beverages

None

[Latest] Quick Reference to 168 New Food Ingredients: A “Compliance Arsenal” for Developing Health‑Focused Beverages

Related News