Taiwan’s new regulations on aloe vera use in food, supplements to kick in next January

Published 2022년 4월 12일

Tridge summary

The Taiwan FDA has introduced new regulations limiting the use of aloe vera in food products to prevent safety concerns. The regulations mandate the use of Aloe Ferox leaves, with the skin completely peeled, and limit the presence of aloin, a potent laxative, to less than 10 ppm. Products containing aloin must carry caution labels, unless tested to contain less than 1 ppm. The regulations also warn that companies not complying with these regulations could face significant fines. Similar restrictions are under consideration in Europe and South Korea due to the potential toxicity and carcinogenicity of hydroxyanthracene derivatives present in aloe vera.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

This follows the European Commission’s similar ban on aloe extracts and other hydroxyanthracene derivatives announced last year. Under Taiwan’s new regulation, aloe vera raw materials used in food must be derived from the leaves of the species of Aloe Ferox. In addition, the skin of the leaves must be completely peel before it could be processed for use. Another change is that aloin – derived from the sheath cells of the leaves, should not be present in more than 10 part per million (ppm) in a food product. Precaution statements, such as “not for use in pregnant women” should also be labelled on the products, unless the product has been tested to contain less than 1ppm of aloin. Aloin, a bioactive found in aloe vera, is said to be a strong laxative which can cause stomach cramps. The Taiwan FDA had made the announcement on the “Use Restrictions and Labelling Requirements of Aloe as a Food Ingredient” on March 17. “Aloe vera leaves contain the bioactive aloin, which belongs to ...

Source: Food Navigator Asia