The Chinese government has introduced a series of measures designed to prevent heath food manufacturers making exaggerated claims about their products.

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In a bid to prevent the use of confusing language in health food names and labelling, the use of foreign languages and pinyin Chinese have been banned, as has the custom of naming products after human organs.


“You cannot use words tainted with vulgarity, feudalism or superstition,” the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration said in rules posted on its website. “You cannot use technical language or dialect words which are hard for consumers to understand.”


“Names must reflect the actual properties of the product, be concise, easy to understand and in line with Chinese language customs,” the watchdog said. “You cannot use false, exaggerated or absolute language, such as ‘the most effective, fastest acting, latest generation’.”

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