Shangdong FDA Push for “Key Element” Inspection on Cosmetic Manufacturers

FDA in Shangdong Province launched a mission recently to target the key elements in the manufacture of cosmetics. Details of the mission were specified in its latest “notification of supervision and inspection of key elements in manufacture of cosmetics and healthcare food”, which calls for all subordinate departments and frontline inspectors to conduct thorough examination of what are generally regarded as the key elements of cosmetic manufacturing, such as safety and security measures, storage and ingredient management.

The mission will be carried out in line with the cosmetic hygiene standard and GMP requirements. The main attention will be focused on storage, ingredient management, preventative measures against flammable hazards, dangerous reagents and management of pressurized equipment.

Records will be made and audited at the end of each inspection and specific schedules and inspection methods have also been clarified to lessen its impact upon production routine.

The mission is expected to be executed in a speedy fashion as stressed in the notification and aims at enhancing the level of safety management in manufacture of cosmetic by exposing and eliminating hidden dangers within manufacturing plants and corresponding procedures.

The regulatory management of cosmetic industry as in any other industries in China is founded on an overarching regulatory framework, known as the “regulation of hygiene supervision of cosmetics” supplemented by a variety of standards and measures. Competent authorities such as the FDA will also publish notifications from time to time in order to offset any developments made at an industry level that are not addressed in the overarching regulation.