Hot Pot Standards Lab
China publishes detailed national (GB/T) and Chongqing local (DB50/T) standards for hot pot ingredients, soup bases and mala levels. Almost none of it exists in English. We translated the ones that matter.
China's standard bodies issue two kinds of documents: GB/T are voluntary national recommendations; GB (without T) are mandatory national safety standards. Chongqing adds its own DB50/T local standards for the regional hot pot industry — the most detailed in the world.
When a restaurant says their maodu is "Premium grade" or a soup base is "authentic Chongqing," these standards define exactly what those words must mean — including mandatory lab tests, papilla density, fat source and traceability records.
The first official standard that defines five discrete mala (numbing-heat) levels for Chongqing-style hot pot soup bases, using sensory evaluation panels trained under GB/T 38495.
- Five levels: 微麻 (Trace) · 轻麻 (Mild) · 中麻 (Medium) · 重麻 (Strong) · 特重麻 (Extreme)
- Mala score measured as the sum of Ma (numbing) score and La (heat) score on a standardised 10-point scale
- Evaluation requires a trained panel of ≥5 judges under controlled conditions (25 °C, neutral palate)
- Labels on commercial soup bases must display the mala level if the product claims a Chongqing style
- Hydroxy-α-sanshool content in Sichuan pepper must comply with GB/T 38495-2020
National standard establishing the sensory threshold method for quantifying the numbing (ma) potency of Sichuan pepper and products containing it. Underpins DB50/T 1288 and mala labelling across China.
- Numbing potency expressed as "Sichuan Pepper Numbing Units" (SPNU) per gram of dried pepper
- Threshold method: trained evaluators identify concentration at which numbing is first perceptible
- Reference compound: hydroxy-α-sanshool (花椒麻素), the primary active molecule in Sichuan pepper
- Five commercial grades defined by SPNU range: Grade 1 ≥1500 SPNU/g down to Grade 5 ≤500 SPNU/g
- Covers whole Sichuan pepper, ground pepper, and oleoresins used in soup base production
The first national-level quality standard for hot pot soup base (底料), covering mandatory ingredient composition, sensory requirements, microbiological limits and labelling obligations.
- Mandatory declaration of the fat source: beef tallow (牛油), vegetable oil (植物油) or mixed — label must specify
- Total fat content ≥ 15 g per 100 g of base for the "tallow-based" (牛油型) category
- Maximum permitted chilli residue: ≤3 g/100 g dried chilli equivalent in finished product
- Microbiological limits: aerobic plate count ≤10 000 CFU/g; coliforms ≤10 MPN/g
- Sensory panel must confirm: characteristic mala aroma, no rancid or foreign odour, colour consistent with declared type
Defines the authentic production method for Chongqing red chilli oil (红油) — the vivid crimson base that colours and flavours traditional Chongqing hot pot. Specifies raw material grades, oil-chilli ratios and infusion temperatures.
- Chilli variety: Erjingtiao (二荆条) from Sichuan or Guizhou, moisture ≤ 12%, colour value ≥ 120 ASTA units
- Oil must be Grade 1 rapeseed oil or beef tallow; temperature during chilli infusion: 120–160 °C
- Three-pour method (三泼辣): chilli infused in three consecutive oil pours at descending temperatures
- Finished red oil: colour value ≥ 80 ASTA, capsaicin ≥ 0.02 g/100 g, moisture ≤ 0.20%
- No artificial colourants, no synthetic flavour enhancers beyond permitted MSG threshold
Specifies quality requirements and production procedures for beef tallow (牛油) used as the base fat in Chongqing hot pot soup bases. Addresses raw material traceability, rendering temperature and rancidity limits.
- Raw material: kidney fat (板油) or omental fat (网油) from inspected cattle only, with veterinary inspection certificate
- Rendering at 80–120 °C wet method or 90–130 °C dry method; wet method preferred for colour retention
- Finished tallow: acid value ≤ 1.5 mg KOH/g; peroxide value ≤ 0.20 g/100 g; moisture ≤ 0.20%
- Colour (Lovibond 133.4 mm cell): red ≤ 3.0, yellow ≤ 30 — pale gold is the quality indicator
- Traceability records required: cattle source, slaughter date, fat batch, rendering batch and QC results
Framework standard defining a tiered quality grading system (Grades 1–3 plus Premium) for pre-packaged hot pot ingredients sold through retail and restaurant supply chains in Chongqing.
- Three tiers: 优级 (Premium), 一级 (Grade 1), 二级 (Grade 2) — each with defined sensory, physical and chemical thresholds
- Sensory criteria: colour, odour, texture and uniformity of cut evaluated by trained panel
- Chemical limits: total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) limits per category (meat, offal, seafood, processed)
- Packaging: grade must be displayed on label alongside net weight and freeze/chill storage requirements
- Traceability: QR code linking to producer, batch, cold-chain log and inspection report mandatory for Premium grade
Dedicated three-part standard suite for maodu (毛肚, beef rumen), the most prized and regulated hot pot ingredient. Part 1 covers sensory grading; Part 2 physical-chemical indices; Part 3 labelling and traceability.
- Three sensory grades based on papilla (绒毛) density, colour uniformity and odour: 优级/一级/二级
- Premium maodu: dense intact papillae covering ≥90% of surface, pale yellow-cream colour, no off-odour
- TVB-N (freshness index) ≤ 15 mg/100 g for Premium; ≤ 20 mg/100 g for Grade 1
- Soaking additives: only approved food-grade tenderisers permitted; alkaline soaking solutions forbidden
- Optimal cook window referenced: 7–12 seconds in 100 °C mala broth for Grade 1 papilla integrity
Mandatory (GB) national standard setting maximum permissible levels for heavy metals, mycotoxins and other contaminants in food, including hot pot ingredients and soup bases.
- Lead (Pb): ≤ 0.5 mg/kg in meat products; ≤ 0.5 mg/kg in fresh vegetables; ≤ 1.0 mg/kg in fungi
- Cadmium (Cd): ≤ 0.1 mg/kg in meat; ≤ 1.0 mg/kg in offal (liver/kidney higher limits)
- Aflatoxin B1: ≤ 5 µg/kg in chilli powder used for soup base — key for mala broths
- Total arsenic: ≤ 0.5 mg/kg in meat; ≤ 0.1 mg/kg in aquatic products used as hot pot ingredients
- Annual revision cycle; the 2022 update tightened cadmium limits for offal products
The foundational mandatory standard governing which additives may be used in Chinese food products, at what maximum levels, and in which food categories — including hot pot soup bases and pre-packaged ingredients.
- Hot pot soup base category (12.10.03): permitted antioxidants include TBHQ ≤ 0.2 g/kg and BHA ≤ 0.2 g/kg
- Colours: only caramel colour (Class III/IV) and red yeast rice pigment permitted; synthetic azo dyes forbidden in soup bases
- Preservatives: only permitted in specific sub-categories; soup bases classified as high-fat products with stricter limits
- Flavour enhancers: MSG (monosodium glutamate) "quantum satis" (no fixed limit) in soup bases
- Annex A lists 2 400+ additives; hot pot producers must cross-check each ingredient against permitted lists
About this data
The provisions listed here are English summaries translated and interpreted by HotPot101.com from official Chinese-language documents published by SAMR (samr.gov.cn) and SACINFO. They are accurate to the best of our knowledge but are not a substitute for the official full-text standards. For regulatory or commercial purposes, obtain the official documents directly from the issuing bodies.
Standards data last reviewed: 2026-09-10. We update when new versions are published.