日前，為規范保健食品的命名，國家食品藥品監督管理局發布了《保健食品命名規定（試行）》，規定保健食品名稱不得使用“高效、速效、第幾代”等虛假、夸大和絕對化的語言；不得使用消費者不易理解的專業術語及地方方言；不得使用外語和漢語拼音。

Health foods and tonics are popular in China

Chinesehealth foodswill no longer be allowed to make exaggerated claims about their effects or have names that are too long, too confusing or "feudal", according to new government rules.

The use of foreign languages and the romanised form of Chinese called "pinyin" are banned and health foods cannot be named after human organs, the State Food and Drug Administration said.

"You cannot use words tainted with vulgarity, feudalism or superstition," the watchdog said in rules posted on its Web site (www.sda.gov.cn).

"You cannot use technical language or dialect words which are hard for consumers to understand," it added.

"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'," it added.

Health foods and tonics are popular in China, often claiming to contain special medical herbs which can help with everything from baldness and impotence to lack of concentration.

The quality and safety of China's food and drug products have come under scrutiny around the world since reportedly tainted pet food caused the death of cats and dogs in the United States.

Public fears grew in China in 2004 when at least 13 babies died of malnutrition in Anhui after being fed fake milk powder with no nutritional value.

（Agencies） 

Vocabulary:

health foods:保健品

（實習生江巍 英語點津陳蓓編輯）