National Technical Regulation for six groups of liquid milk products effective from September 1, 2026

The Regulation promulgated together with Circular No. 09/2026/TT-BCT prescribes limits on physicochemical and safety indicators as well as management requirements for six groups of liquid milk products on the market, including:

1. Fresh milk group: pasteurized/sterilized raw fresh milk; pasteurized/sterilized fresh milk; pasteurized/sterilized skimmed fresh milk;

2. Reconstituted milk, recombined milk and mixed milk;

3. Evaporated milk;

4. Sweetened condensed milk;

5. Evaporated skimmed milk with added vegetable fat;

6. Sweetened condensed skimmed milk with added vegetable fat.

The Regulation does not apply to infant formula products for children up to 36 months of age, formula for special medical purposes for infants, or functional foods.

This Regulation applies to organizations and individuals engaged in the production, trading, and import of liquid milk products in Vietnam, as well as other relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in the management and quality inspection of these products.

The Circular also explains several important concepts related to liquid milk product groups:

• Pasteurized/sterilized raw fresh milk: a product processed entirely from raw fresh milk without the addition of any other ingredients, including food additives.

• Pasteurized/sterilized fresh milk: a product processed from raw fresh milk, which may contain added sugar or other ingredients such as fruit juice, cocoa, coffee, etc., provided that fresh milk accounts for at least 90% of the product mass.

• Pasteurized/sterilized skimmed fresh milk: a product made from fresh milk with the fat removed, which may contain added sugar or other ingredients, provided that the proportion of skimmed fresh milk remains at least 90%.

In addition, the Regulation clarifies the following concepts:

• Reconstituted milk: a liquid product obtained by adding water to milk powder, evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk in order to restore the appropriate ratio of water and dry matter.

• Recombined milk: a product made by combining milk fat and milk solids-not-fat, which may contain added water, sugar, or other ingredients.

• Mixed milk: a product whose main components are milk or milk-derived ingredients, to which other ingredients may be added but not for the purpose of replacing milk components.

For the evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk groups, the Regulation also specifies processing methods. These products are produced by removing part of the water from fresh milk or by adding water to milk powder; the fat or protein content may be adjusted by adding or removing milk components, provided that the ratio of whey protein and casein in milk is not altered.

The Regulation also refers to several international standards systems used in product analysis and testing, including:

• AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Collaboration);

• ISO (International Organization for Standardization);

• EN (European Norms).