Food grade hyaluronic acid raw materials have been widely used in various beverages and health care products in overseas markets. In Japan, hyaluronic acid is not only used in health food, but also widely used in common foods such as beverages, gummies, and jams. In the United States, hyaluronic acid is primarily used as a dietary supplement.

In May 2008, the Ministry of Health approved sodium hyaluronate as a "new resource food", which is limited to use as a raw material of health food, and the consumption amount should be less than 200 mg/ day;

Based on the approved use in other countries and international organizations, in the Announcement on 15 kinds of "Three New Foods" such as cicada flower fruite Entity (Artificially cultivated) issued on January 7, 2021 (Announcement No. 9 of 2020), the National Health Commission once again approved sodium hyaluronic acid as a new food raw material. Announced the expanded use of sodium hyaluronate for milk and dairy products, beverages, alcohol, cocoa products, chocolate and chocolate products (including cocoa butter chocolate and products), confectionery, frozen beverages.

The announcement document also pointed out that infants, pregnant women and breastfeeding women should not be consumed, and the labels and instructions of related products should clearly mark the unsuitable population, and mark the recommended dosage ≤200 mg/ day.

As of September 12, 2024, the number of approved health foods containing sodium hyaluronate in China was 62, including 61 domestic and 1 imported.

Function claim

The health care function mainly focuses on improving skin moisture and increasing bone density. See the following figure for details

Analysis of dosage form distribution

The dosage forms of approved health food are concentrated in powder/granules, tablets, capsules and oral liquid. Among them, powder products received the largest number of approvals, 21.

In the 62 approved health foods, sodium hyaluronate is often not as a single health food raw material, and is usually mixed with other raw materials.

In the products with health function to improve skin moisture, the raw materials commonly used with sodium hyaluronate are collagen, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.

Among the products whose health function is to enhance bone density, the raw materials commonly used in combination with sodium hyaluronate are chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride/sulfate, calcium carbonate, etc.

Signature ingredients analysis The signature ingredients of a product are the characteristic ingredients contained in the main raw materials that are stable in nature, can be accurately quantified, and have a clear correlation with the function claims of the product. Due to the difference in the composition of the health food compound containing hyaluronic acid/sodium hyaluronate, the signature ingredients of the product with two functions of improving skin moisture and enhancing bone density are mainly analyzed as shown in the following table.