The National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation recently issued a joint announcement, including nine substances such as Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula), Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus), Ling Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum), and Tian Ma (Gastrodia elata) in the catalog of substances that are traditionally both food and medicinal materials. In Chinese traditional dietary culture, some medicinal materials are widely consumed as food, and the current Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China regulates these substances as both food and medicinal materials.
The inclusion of nine substances such as Dang Shen into the food and medicinal substance catalog has been piloted since 2019. The authorities suggest that these substances should be consumed in moderation according to traditional practices, and they are not recommended for special populations such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and infants. When used as health food ingredients, they should be managed according to health food regulations; when used as medicinal materials, they should be managed according to the relevant regulations for medicinal materials.
What new possibilities will the addition of these substances to the food and medicinal substance catalog bring to ordinary people’s tables? How can the public’s increasing awareness of health provide development opportunities for traditional Chinese medicine?
According to the management regulations for the catalog of substances that are traditionally both food and medicinal materials published by the National Health Commission in 2021, the inclusion of substances in the food and medicinal catalog must meet four requirements: there must be a traditional habit of consuming them as food; they must be listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia; safety assessments must not reveal any food safety issues; and they must comply with relevant laws and regulations regarding the protection of medicinal material resources, wild flora and fauna, and ecological protection.
“Food and medicinal substances” are also commonly referred to as Yao Shi Tong Yuan (medicinal and edible materials). Bozhou City in Anhui Province has the largest medicinal material trading center in the country, with over 2,000 types of medicinal materials traded daily, including more than 100 types of Yao Shi Tong Yuan. Zhu Yunming, the market manager of the Bozhou Medicinal Material Trading Center, stated that in recent years, the public’s awareness of health has increased, leading to a significant growth in the sales of Yao Shi Tong Yuan. Zhu said, “As the largest medicinal material market in the country, we are also striving to promote the vigorous development of the national health industry, focusing on the subdivision of the health market and creating a trading base for health and wellness products.”
What are the differences in quality requirements for the same medicinal material when used as medicine versus food? Huai Kai, the secretary-general of the Anhui Medicinal Cuisine Research Association, explained: “As a medicinal material, it is primarily used for treatment, so the content of the medicinal material is more important. For daily health consumption, we pay more attention to its flavor, such as which flavor is better and more suitable for cooking. Additionally, the announcement also specifies the parts used, methods, varieties, and contraindications.”
Huai Kai is also a successor of a time-honored brand and provincial-level intangible cultural heritage medicinal cuisine brand in Anhui. He mentioned that the update of the food and medicinal substance catalog to include nine medicinal materials has also captured business opportunities within the industry. Huai Kai told reporters, “These materials are commonly used in medicinal cuisine, and I believe that with the addition of these varieties, there will be more medicinal cuisine dishes, packaged foods, herbal teas, and other health products or medicinal cuisine products emerging. Many manufacturers in Bozhou are already eager to process and produce health-related herbal teas, pastries, and some pre-prepared medicinal cuisine products.”
However, some TCM experts remind that even if included in the food and medicinal substance catalog, some medicinal materials are not recommended for unrestricted consumption. Xia Yongliang, the deputy director of the TCM Internal Medicine Department at Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and director of the Health Management Center, explained: “Substances that are both food and medicine are often considered ‘non-toxic’ in TCM, meaning they do not harm the body. However, they still have medicinal tendencies; some may be ‘cooling’ and cause diarrhea, while others may be ‘warming’ and lead to ‘heat’ symptoms. For instance, Dang Shen is not suitable for everyone because, in TCM, it is a qi-tonifying herb, sweet in flavor and warm in nature. However, the contraindications for Tian Ma are not very obvious.”
Xia Yongliang stated that using medicinal cuisine to regulate the body also requires consideration of seasonal and individual constitution differences. This year, the sales of sour plum soup at Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine have been booming and have become a hot topic, but according to TCM theory, it is not suitable for consumption in winter and has been temporarily removed from the shelves. The hospital has launched new products for the autumn and winter seasons, some of which are based on prescriptions drafted by Xia Yongliang. “Each of our tea drinks has indications and contraindications. We cannot follow trends. A tea drink suitable for me may not be suitable for you because our constitutions are different. All of these tea drinks cannot replace formal medical treatment,” he said.
During an experience on the internet platform of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it was found that these tea drinks and medicinal pastes have detailed pages with indications and precautions. When purchasing, customers need to answer several questions, such as for “Liver Calming and Lipid Lowering No. 1,” if they select “no” for “Are you overweight or have high blood lipids?” or if they select “yes” for certain sugary pastes in “Do you have diabetes?” they cannot proceed, and a pop-up message suggests “temporarily not recommended for purchase, please consult a hospital.” Chen Yanming, the head of the hospital’s publicity department, explained that these products are made according to TCM agreed prescriptions, which have general applicability for certain populations, but differ from prescriptions tailored for individuals.
Chen Yanming: This formula has a higher general applicability and is mainly used for health maintenance; it is not a prescription drug for treating specific diseases.
Reporter: Are they covered by health insurance?
Chen Yanming: Health insurance does not cover them because they are not used for treating diseases; they are for health maintenance, so the public needs to pay out of pocket. However, our principle is to leverage the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, which are simple, convenient, effective, and affordable. For example, the autumn dryness lung-moistening drink costs just over 1.7 yuan for a package that can be brewed all day, and the winter cold kidney-warming drink costs just over 2 yuan.
With the popularity of sour plum soup, the sales of the internet hospital at Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine have multiplied several times. “Because it had not gained traction before, the volume was very small, about 100,000 to 200,000 per month. In September, it was just under 5 million, a little over 4.9 million, and in October, it was over 5.4 million,” Chen Yanming said.
The “outreach” of sour plum soup seems coincidental, but the hospital’s research on its clientele and business exploration began much earlier. Chen Yanming explained: “Since last year, we have conducted a comprehensive analysis of our hospital’s patient population, essentially creating a ‘profile’ of our patients. We found that 90.2% are between 18 and 65 years old, with 56% being young and middle-aged people aged 18 to 45. We used to think that TCM hospitals mainly served the elderly, but in fact, they also cater to young and middle-aged people. What are the most common diseases? They are back pain, insomnia, menstrual irregularities, anxiety… Young people often feel that their issues are not severe enough to warrant a hospital visit, but if they do not treat them, they may worsen. However, taking time off work to visit a hospital seems unworthy. Therefore, we opened night clinics, which are usually packed every night. If you do not have time to come, you can consult online through the internet hospital. Many young people have not yet reached the stage of needing professional diagnosis and treatment, so we have developed some health products tailored to their characteristics.”
The development of new products continues. Chen Yanming said: “As the year-end approaches, with gatherings and meals, for example, if people eat too much, we will release a digestive formula. Sometimes, due to various social obligations, people have to drink alcohol and may get drunk; we also plan to launch a hangover tea. These are all part of our ongoing efforts. Especially with winter approaching, families will be making soups, and we have developed three soup recipes based on different constitutions: one for stewing beef or lamb, one for chicken, and one for duck…”
Chen Yanming does not shy away from the revenue these products bring to the hospital. In recent months, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine has also welcomed visits from peers across the country for study. However, Chen Yanming emphasized that the hospital values the public’s, especially the younger generation’s, closeness to and recognition of traditional Chinese medicine. “Although there is some profit, we are not in this just to make money. We are striving to create a concept that integrates traditional Chinese medicine into life, making life better,” Chen Yanming said.
Source丨China National Radio Title Image | Xinhua News Agency Editor | Qin Xiaojie Intern | Peng Bo Business Cooperation: aicaojilu
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