Classification
Product TypeIngredient
Product FormPowder / beadlets (supplement-grade)
Industry PositionNutraceutical ingredient (carotenoid)
Market
In Taiwan, lycopene is primarily used as an input ingredient for tablet/capsule foods and, when marketed with specific health-care effects, for products regulated as “health food” under the Health Food Control Act. Market access for commercial shipments is import-driven and depends on passing TFDA’s imported food/related product inspection process and meeting applicable food/labeling rules. If a lycopene-containing product is labeled or advertised with health-care effects, a TFDA health food permit and compliant labeling/advertising become central to commercialization. Enforcement risk is concentrated around border inspection outcomes, additive/ingredient compliance, and claim substantiation/permit scope.
Market RoleImport-dependent supplement and functional-food ingredient market (domestic formulation/branding; regulatory gatekeeping via TFDA import inspection and health food permit rules when claims are made)
Domestic RoleIngredient used by domestic brand owners and OEM/ODM manufacturers for tablet/capsule foods and health food products (where registered/approved).
Specification
Physical Attributes- Light/oxygen-sensitive carotenoid ingredient; packaging and storage practices typically focus on limiting oxidation and photodegradation for supplement-grade stability.
Compositional Metrics- Common commercial specification themes include assay/purity, isomer profile (all-trans vs. cis), residual solvent limits (if extracted), and contaminant controls aligned to applicable Taiwan food/health food requirements.
Supply Chain
Value Chain- Overseas ingredient supplier → Taiwan importer of food-related products → TFDA import inspection (document review and possible sampling/analysis) → warehousing/distribution → domestic OEM/ODM formulation (capsules/tablets) and branding → retail/e-commerce (claims-dependent regulatory pathway).
Temperature- Typically handled as a stable dry ingredient at ambient conditions, but protected from heat and sunlight to preserve potency/color quality.
Atmosphere Control- Oxygen exposure control (sealed, barrier packaging) is commonly emphasized for carotenoid stability in storage and downstream manufacturing.
Shelf Life- Shelf-life outcomes depend on formulation format (powder/beadlets/oil dispersion), packaging barrier properties, and storage conditions across importer and contract-manufacturing steps.
Freight IntensityLow
Transport ModeSea
Risks
Regulatory Compliance HighMarket entry can be blocked if a lycopene-containing product is positioned or advertised as “health food” or with specific health-care effects without obtaining the required health food permit; even with a permit, health claims must not exceed the approved scope and cannot claim medical efficacy.Decide early whether the product will be marketed as general food (no health-care effect claims) versus permitted health food; align labeling/advertising to the chosen pathway and keep claim substantiation/permit documents audit-ready.
Border Inspection MediumCommercial shipments of imported foods/food additives/related products are subject to TFDA border inspection (document review and, depending on risk selection, on-site inspection and/or sampling analysis), which can cause delays or rejection when product information, labeling, or test results do not conform.Pre-align customs classification, product information declarations, labels, and certificates of analysis with the importer’s TFDA inspection checklist; run pre-shipment label/spec conformance reviews.
Food Safety MediumSupplement and health food compliance scrutiny includes risks around adulteration/counterfeiting and nonconforming additive/contaminant findings; Taiwan’s import-violation monitoring highlights food additives and residues among frequent testing and noncompliance categories.Use qualified suppliers with robust COAs and traceable lot documentation; implement incoming testing plans proportionate to risk (identity, assay/purity, contaminants) and maintain deviation/recall readiness.
Standards- GMP expectations for health food manufacturing (health foods must be manufactured in accordance with good manufacturing practices; imported health foods must conform to origin GMP).
FAQ
When would a lycopene supplement need a “health food” permit in Taiwan?If the product is labeled or advertised as “health food” or with specific health-care effects, it must be registered and a health food permit must be issued before it can be manufactured or imported as health food in Taiwan.
What is the core TFDA requirement for importing lycopene as a food/supplement ingredient for commercial sale?Commercial imports of foods and related products (including food additives) generally require an application for TFDA import inspection and declaration of product information in line with the customs commodity code/classification, and TFDA may conduct document review and sampling/lab testing under its import inspection rules.
What traceability/recordkeeping expectation applies to imported food ingredients in Taiwan?Competent authorities may require importers to provide records and documents for imported products when necessary, and import-related records for imported products (and genetically modified food raw materials) are required to be retained for five years under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.