Imported Food Naming Repeatedly Rejected? Analysis of Three Core Principles for Compliant Naming in 2026

Why Imported Food Naming Has Become the Top Customs Clearance Risk in 2026

In Q1 2026,the number of food import detention cases at the Shanghai Port due to non-compliant product name declarations increased by 40% year-on-year.Many enterprises have found that even if their products meet quality standards,the entire shipment may face return or destruction just because a word in the name crosses a regulatory red line.Such hidden costs are often more fatal than tariffs.Zhongshen has found in practice that many customers only understand naming rules as "easy to say and remember",but ignore the complex regulatory system behind it.

From the Food Safety Law to the General Rules for Prepackaged Food Labels,and then to General Administration of Customs Order No.249,food naming involves more than a dozen regulations.What’s more complicated is that there are subtle differences in enforcement standards across different ports.The same product may clear customs smoothly in Shanghai but be held up in Shenzhen due to naming issues.This uncertainty makes importers walk on eggshells.The value of Zhongshen lies in translating vague regulatory requirements into actionable operational standards,completing naming compliance review before shipment,rather than reacting passively after the goods arrive at the port.

Document Pre-verification Stage: Three Filters for Naming Compliance Review

Before the goods leave the port of shipment,Zhongshen will activate the naming pre-verification mechanism.The core of this link is not simply checking whether the name sounds good,but establishing three filters.

First Filter: Regulatory Red Line Screening

The 2026 updated Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling has clearly expanded the scope of prohibited words.Zhongshen’s review system will first scan whether the name contains medical terms,function claims,or absolute expressions.For example,words like "lower blood fat,lower blood sugar,anti-cancer" are illegal in the Chinese market even if they are legally allowed in the country of origin.Once,a client Mr.Ma imported Italian olive oil with the original name "Blood Pressure Control Olive Oil"; direct translation led to the entire shipment being detained by Huangpu Customs.Zhongshen suggested adjusting the name to "Mediterranean-style Olive Oil" during the pre-verification stage,and adding compliant Chinese instructions on the foreign label.

Second Filter: Raw Material Authenticity Verification

The ingredients mentioned in the product name must actually exist in the ingredient list and meet the required content standards.The 2026 new regulations require that if a high-value ingredient is highlighted in the product name,the content of that ingredient in the finished product must reach at least 25%.Zhongshen once handled a case: Mr.Song imported "truffle chocolate",but the actual truffle content was less than 5%,which was deemed misleading to consumers by the customs.We helped him change the product name to "Chocolate Product (with Truffle Flavor)" and redesign the label to avoid return.

Third Filter: Matching Port Enforcement Standards

Different ports may have slightly different interpretations of the same regulations.Zhongshen has established a database of recent law enforcement cases from various ports.For example,for the word "organic",the Shanghai Port requires Chinese organic certification,while some ports accept EU certification.We will provide targeted naming suggestions based on the destination port selected by the client during the pre-verification stage,instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Port Customs Declaration Stage: Accuracy and Relevance of Product Name Declaration

The product name declaration in the customs declaration stage is not simply copying the product name,but needs to meet the customs classification requirements.In 2026,the customs has stricter reviews of HS codes for food products,and the matching degree between the product name and the code directly affects the inspection rate.

Requirements for Completeness of Declaration Elements

Customs declaration elements usually include: product name,ingredients,content,processing technology,packaging specifications,etc.When filling out the customs declaration form,Zhongshen will decompose the product name into standardized elements.For example,a Thai coconut water cannot be simply declared as "coconut water",but should be specified as "100% Pure Natural Coconut Water (No Added Sugar),UHT Sterilization Process,330ml Canned".Although this detailed declaration is cumbersome,it can reduce the inspection rate from an average of 30% to less than 5%.

Correspondence Between Chinese and English Product Names

Many customers ignore the logical consistency between Chinese and English product names.The 2026 new customs system will automatically compare Chinese and foreign labels,and if there is a mismatch,it will directly transfer to manual inspection.Zhongshen’s operating specification is: the Chinese product name must fully and accurately reflect the core information of the foreign product name,and key attribute words cannot be added or deleted arbitrarily.Once,Mr.Xia imported Japanese "matcha latte",but the Chinese label was simplified to "matcha drink",which was deemed false declaration by the customs.We helped supplement the complete information before the shipment was released.

Customs Inspection Stage: Naming Traps in Label Review

Customs inspection is the final barrier for naming compliance,and it is also the link where problems are most likely to occur.In 2026,the inspection and quarantine department has increased the sampling rate of imported food labels to 20%,focusing on whether the product name is standardized.

Special Requirements for Chinese Labels

According to the revised version of GB 7718-2026,the Chinese product name of imported food cannot directly use foreign transliterations,and must adopt national standards,industry standards or common names.Zhongshen will intervene during the label design stage to ensure that the Chinese product name conforms to the cognitive habits of Chinese consumers.For example,the Greek "feta cheese" cannot be directly transliterated as "Feida",but should be labeled as "Feta Cheese (Goat Milk Cheese)" and clearly indicate the milk source in the ingredient list.

Warning Statements and Restrictive Conditions

The product names of certain special foods must be accompanied by warning statements.The newly added "food with high caffeine content" category in 2026 requires the label "Not suitable for children and pregnant women" next to the product name.Zhongshen will identify these special requirements in advance and embed warning information during label design to avoid delays in rectification after the goods arrive at the port.

Actual Case: One Naming Rectification Avoided 1 Million in Losses

At the beginning of 2026,Ms.Hua imported a batch of children’s nutrition bars from Australia,with the original name "Smart Brain Development Bar",which was directly translated into Chinese as "Smart Brain Development Bar".After the goods arrived at the port,the customs believed that the name implied brain-enhancing functions and required a health food approval document,otherwise such expressions could not be used as ordinary food.

Ms.Hua faced two options: either return the shipment or apply for an approval document (taking at least 18 months).After Zhongshen intervened,we proposed a third solution: adjust the Chinese product name to "Australian Children’s Nutrition Bar (with DHA Algae Oil)",convey the product value through the nutrition label and ingredient description on the label instead of directly using functional words.At the same time,we helped modify the packaging design,changing "Brain Development" to "With DHA for Children",which retained the original meaning and complied with Chinese regulations.

The entire rectification process took 7 working days,and the additional cost was less than 3% of the original shipment value.If the shipment had been returned directly,Ms.Hua would have lost approximately 1.2 million yuan in payment,freight and tariffs.The typical significance of this case is that naming compliance is not a simple word game,but a deep understanding and flexible application of the regulatory system.

Core of Zhongshen’s Naming Compliance Service

Zhongshen’s naming review service is not a simple proofreading,but a risk prediction system based on 20 years of port operation experience.We maintain a dynamically updated internal "Imported Food Naming Risk Word Database",which covers law enforcement cases from various ports across the country in the past three years,and can identify potential problems in advance.

Our operating process is: issue a "Naming Compliance Pre-verification Report" within 24 hours after receiving the customer’s product information,clearly mark high-risk words and provide alternative solutions; provide a "Chinese and Foreign Label Correspondence Check Form" during the label design stage; conduct a "Declaration Element Completeness Review" before customs declaration.This system controls the customs clearance abnormal rate caused by naming issues to less than 1%,which is far lower than the industry average of 15%.

More importantly,Zhongshen’s naming suggestions always balance compliance and market communication.We understand that customers need a name that is easy to remember and has selling points,so we will look for the maximum creative space within the regulatory framework,instead of simply and rudely asking to change the name.This kind of service that abides by the bottom line and follows methods can truly help customers reduce risks and improve efficiency.

Seven Forbidden Zones for Imported Food Naming in 2026

Based on recent law enforcement cases,Zhongshen has summarized the seven most sensitive categories of words in current supervision:

• Medical Terms Category: anti-cancer,blood pressure lowering,blood fat lowering,blood sugar lowering,anti-inflammatory,antibacterial,etc.Even if they are legal function claims in the country of origin,they will cross the red line when entering the Chinese market
• Absolute Expressions: superlatives,best,number one,top,premium,etc.which violate both the Advertising Law and the Food Safety Law
• False Raw Material Impression: mentioning high-value raw materials such as truffles,bird’s nest,shark fin,etc.in the name,if the actual content is less than 25%,it constitutes fraud
• Uncertified Markings: words such as organic,green,pure natural,etc.cannot be used without support from Chinese certification systems
• Infant Misleading: ordinary food names containing the word "infant" but without special diet registration are illegal
• Geographical Indication Abuse: Champagne,Bordeaux,Scotland,etc.cannot be used for products not from the original producing area
• Unapproved New Raw Materials: ingredients such as CBD,NMN,etc.cannot appear in the product name if they are not included in the Chinese New Food Raw Material Catalogue

These seven categories of words form the "high-voltage lines" for imported food naming in 2026.Zhongshen suggests that customers must submit the name to a professional institution for pre-verification before confirming it,and never take risks based on subjective judgments.A compliant name may not be eye-catching,but it can ensure that the goods enter the market safely and quickly,which is the core goal of import business.