|
THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE OF VIETNAM |
THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM |
|
No. 10/2026/TT-BCT |
Hanoi, February 26, 2026 |
CIRCULAR
PROMULGATING NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION FOR REFINED VEGETABLE OILS
Pursuant to the Law on Promulgation of Legislative Documents No. 64/2025/QH15 dated February 19, 2025, as amended by the Law No. 87/2025/QH15 dated June 25, 2025;
Pursuant to the Law on Food Safety No. 55/2010/QH12 dated June 17, 2010;
Pursuant to the Law providing amendments to the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations No. 70/2025/QH15 dated June 14, 2025;
Pursuant to the Law providing amendments to the Law on Quality of Products and Goods No. 78/2025/QH15 dated June 18, 2025;
Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 46/2026/ND-CP dated January 26, 2026 elaborating and providing measures and guidelines for implementation of the Law on Food Safety;
Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 09/2026/NQ-CP dated February 04, 2026 on temporary suspension of effect and change of effective dates of the Government’s Decree No. 46/2026/ND-CP dated January 26, 2026 elaborating and providing measures and guidelines for implementation of the Law on Food Safety and the Government’s Resolution No. 66.13/2026/NQ-CP dated January 27, 2026 on declaration and registration of food products;
Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 22/2026/ND-CP dated January 16, 2026 elaborating and providing measures and guidelines for implementation of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations;
Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP dated January 23, 2026 elaborating and providing measures and guidelines for implementation of the Law on Quality of Products and Goods;
Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 40/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, as amended by the Decree No. 109/2025/ND-CP and the Decree No. 193/2025/ND-CP;
At the request of the Director General of the Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion;
The Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam hereby promulgates a Circular promulgating National technical regulation for refined vegetable oils (QCVN 29:2026/BCT).
Article 1. National technical regulation for refined vegetable oils (Designation: QCVN 29:2026/BCT) is promulgated together with this Circular.
Article 2. Effect
This Circular comes into force from December 01, 2026.
Article 3. Transition
1. Refined vegetable oil products that were self-declared before the effective date of this Circular may continue to be manufactured, traded and imported until the registration of their conformity declarations is completed.
2. Organizations and individuals shall complete such registration of conformity declarations for refined vegetable oil products within the time limit specified in applicable regulations.
Article 4. In cases where any legislative documents referred to in this Circular are amended or replaced, the new ones shall apply.
Article 5. Implementation organization
1. The Director General of Vietnam Industry Agency shall disseminate, organize and provide guidelines for the implementation of this Circular.
2. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Chairpersons of Provincial-level People’s Committees, heads of agencies and units of or affiliated to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, and organizations and individuals involved in the trading and circulation of refined vegetable oil products are responsible for the implementation of this Circular.
3. Difficulties that arise during the implementation of this Circular should be reported to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (via Vietnam Industry Agency) for further guidance or amendment.
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PP. MINISTER Truong Thanh Hoai |
QCVN 29:2026/BCT
NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION FOR REFINED VEGETABLE OILS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. GENERAL
1. Scope of application
2. Regulated entities
3. Definitions and abbreviations
II. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
4. Quality requirements
5. Mycotoxins
6. Metals and heavy metals
7. Pesticide residues
8. Contaminants
9. Food additives
III. SAMPLING AND TEST METHODS
10. Sampling
11. Test methods
IV. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
12. Labelling
13. Declaration of conformity
14. Traceability
V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
VI. IMPLEMENTATION
FOREWORD
QCVN 29:2026/BCT is compiled by the Team in charge of drafting the Circular promulgating National technical regulation for refined vegetable oils, presented for ratification by the Agency for Innovation, Green Transition and Industry Promotion, appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, and promulgated by the Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam under the Circular No. 10/2026/TT-BCT dated February 26, 2026.
NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION FOR REFINED VEGETABLE OILS
I. GENERAL
This Regulation specifies the limits for quality and safety parameters, and the management requirements for refined vegetable oils.
This Regulation applies to manufacturers, traders and importers of refined vegetable oil products within the territory of Vietnam, and other relevant organizations and individuals.
3. Definitions and abbreviations
For the purposes of this Regulation, terms herein shall be construed as follows:
3.1. Edible refined vegetable oil means oil composed primarily of triglycerides (glycerides of fatty acids) obtained exclusively from vegetable sources, which has undergone refining processes (such as neutralization, bleaching, and/or deodoriztion) to remove impurities and to meet safety and quality requirements for direct consumption or for use as a raw material for food processing. It may contain small amounts of other lipids such as phosphatids, unsaponifiable constituents (such as sterols and vitamin E), and low levels of free fatty acids naturally present in vegetable oils.
3.2. Single-source refined vegetable oil means edible refined vegetable oil obtained from raw materials derived from a single plant species. The single-source refined vegetable oil may contain food additives in accordance with regulations of law on food safety, provided that such addition does not alter the nature of the raw material source.
3.3. Blended refined vegetable oil means edible refined vegetable oil produced by blending two (02) or more refined vegetable oils in specified proportions. The oils used for blending shall be refined vegetable oils and shall comply with the corresponding requirements specified in this Regulation.
3.4. Refined peanut oil (groundnut oil) means oil obtained from peanut kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.5. Refined coconut oil means oil obtained from the kernel of the coconut which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.6. Refined cottonseed oil means oil obtained from the seeds of several species of Gossypium spp. which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.7. Refined maize (corn) oil means oil obtained from the maize (corn) germ which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.8. Refined palm oil means oil obtained from the mesocarp of the fruit of the oil palm which has undergone physical or chemical refining, meets the quality requirements specified for refined vegetable oils, and is suitable for use as food or as a raw material for food processing.
3.9. Refined palm kernel oil means oil obtained from the kernel of the fruit of the oil palm which has undergone physical or chemical refining, meets the quality requirements specified for refined vegetable oils, and is used as food or as a raw material in the food processing industry.
3.10. Palm olein means the liquid fraction obtained from the fractionation of palm oil.
3.11. Palm stearin means the solid fraction with a high melting point obtained from palm oil through fractionation.
3.12. Palm superolein means a liquid fraction obtained through a specially controlled crystallization process to achieve an iodine value of ≥ 60.
3.13. Refined rapeseed oil means oil obtained from the seeds of Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa L., Brassica juncea L., and Brassica tournefortii Gouan which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.14. Refined safflower oil means oil obtained from the safflower seeds which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.15. Refined sesameseed oil (sesame oil) means oil obtained from the sesame seeds which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.16. Refined soya bean oil (soybean oil) means oil obtained from the soya beans which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.17. Refined olive oil means oil obtained from virgin olive oil by refining methods that do not lead to alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.18. Refined olive-pomace oil means oil obtained by refining crude olive-pomace oil by methods that do not lead to alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.19. Refined rice oil (rice bran oil) means oil obtained from the bran of rice (the outer layer of the brown rice kernel) which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.20. Refined sunflowerseed oil means oil obtained from the sunflower seed kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.21. Refined macadamia oil means oil obtained from the macadamia kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.22. Refined avocado oil means oil obtained from the avocado pulp which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.23. Refined flaxseed oil (linseed oil) means oil obtained from the flaxseed which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.24. Refined almond oil means oil obtained from almond kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.25. Refined grapeseed oil means oil obtained from the seeds of the grape which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.26. Refined sacha inchi oil means oil obtained from sacha inchi kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.27. Refined tea seed oil means oil obtained from tea seed kernels which has undergone refining processes without alteration of the original glyceride structure.
3.28. PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) means a group of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.
3.29. PAH4 (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – 4) means a representative group of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds – benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), and chrysene (Chr) – commonly used as markers for total PAH contamination in food.
3.30. TFAs (Trans fatty acids) means unsaturated fatty acids containing at least one carbon–carbon double bond in the trans configuration, i.e. fatty acids with a double bond in the trans form. They may be formed during thermal processing such as high-temperature refining (e.g. deodorization) or repeated heating during frying.
3.31. 3-MCPD (3-monocloro-1,2-propandiol) means a chlorinated propanediol compound that may be formed during the refining of vegetable oils and may occur in two forms: free 3-MCPD and esterified forms with fatty acids (3-MCPD fatty acid esters).
3.32. GEs (Glycidyl esters) means esters of glycidol with fatty acids, mainly formed during high-temperature processing (particularly during deodorization) of vegetable oils, and occurring as esterified derivatives of glycidol with fatty acid residues.
Limits for quality parameters for refined vegetable oils are specified in Table 1.
Table 1 – Limits for quality parameters
|
Parameters |
Limits |
Unit |
| Moisture and volatile matter at 105°C |
≤ 0,2 |
% by weight |
| Insoluble impurities |
≤ 0,05 |
% by weight |
| Soap content |
≤ 0,005 |
% by weight |
| Acid value |
≤ 0,6 |
mg KOH/g |
| Peroxide value |
≤ 10 |
meq O2/kg |
Limits of mycotoxin contamination in refined vegetable oils shall comply with the National technical regulation on the limits of mycotoxin contamination in food (QCVN 8-1:2011/BYT) enclosed with the Circular No. 02/2011/TT-BYT dated January 13, 2011 of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam promulgating National technical regulations on the limits of chemical contamination in food.
Metal contents in refined vegetable oils are specified in Table 2.
Table 2 – Limits for metal contamination
|
Metals |
Limits |
Unit |
| Copper (Cu) |
≤ 0,1 |
mg/kg |
| Iron (Fe) |
≤ 1.5 |
mg/kg |
Limits for total lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) in refined vegetable oils shall comply with the National technical regulation on the limits of heavy metal contamination in food (QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT) enclosed with the Circular No. 02/2011/TT-BYT dated January 13, 2011 of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam promulgating National technical regulations on the limits of chemical contamination in food.
Maximum pesticide residue limits in refined vegetable oils are stipulated in the Circular No. 50/2016/TT-BYT dated December 30, 2016 of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam promulgating maximum pesticide residue limits in food.
Contaminant contents in refined vegetable oils are specified in Table 3.
Table 3 – Limits for contaminants
|
Contaminants |
Limits |
Unit |
| 3 – MCPD: Total 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters (expressed as 3-MCPD) |
|
|
| Oil group: coconut, maize (corn), rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, palm kernel and olive oils, and blends composed solely of oils from this group |
≤1.250 |
µg/kg |
| Other vegetable oils |
≤ 2.500 |
µg/kg |
| GE |
|
|
| For use in foods intended for children (under 36 months of age) |
≤ 500 |
µg/kg |
| For direct consumption or for use as a raw material |
≤ 1.000 |
µg/kg |
| PAH |
|
|
| Benzo[a]pyren |
≤ 2 |
µg/kg |
| PAH4 (Benzo[a]pyrene + Benzo[a]anthracene + Benzo[b]fluoranthene + Chrysene) |
≤ 10 |
µg/kg |
| TFA |
≤ 2 |
g/100g of total fat |
| Erucic acid (C22:1) (applicable to refined rapeseed oil) |
≤ 2 |
% of total fatty acids |
Food additives permitted for use in refined vegetable oils shall comply with provisions of the Circular No. 24/2019/TT-BYT dated August 30, 2019 of the Minister of Health introducing regulations on management and use of food additives; the Circular No. 17/2023/TT-BYT dated September 25, 2023 of the Minister of Health amending and abrogating some legislative documents on food safety promulgated by the Minister of Health; the Circular No. 08/2024/TT-BYT dated May 24, 2024 of the Minister of Health partially abrogating legislative documents promulgated by the Minister of Health.
III. SAMPLING AND TEST METHODS
Sampling shall be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Circular No. 04/2025/TT-BKHCN dated May 31, 2025 of the Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam providing amendments to the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 12, 2012 of the Minister of Science and Technology prescribing declaration and methods of assessment of conformity with technical regulations and standards, as amended by the Circular No. 02/2017/TT-BKHCN dated March 31, 2017.
In case of state inspection, sampling shall be conducted in accordance with regulations on state inspection in force.
The satisfaction of technical requirements laid down in this Regulation shall be determined adopting any of the following test methods:
11.1. Test methods for quality of animal and vegetable fats and oils
11.1.1 Methods for determination of moisture and volatile matter
TCVN 6120:2018 (ISO 662:2016) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of moisture and volatile matter content.
AOCS Ca 2c Moisture and volatile matter, air oven method.
11.1.2. Methods for determination of insoluble impurities
TCVN 6125:2020 (ISO 663:2017) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of insoluble impurities content.
AOCS Ca 3a Insoluble impurities.
11.1.3. Method for determination of soap content
AOCS Cc 17 Soap in oil, titrimetric method.
11.1.4. Methods for determination of acid value
TCVN 6127:2010 (ISO 660:2009) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of acid value and acidity.
ISO 660:2020 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of acid value and acidity.
AOCS Cd 3d Acid value of fats and oils.
11.1.5. Methods for determination of peroxide value
TCVN 6121:2018 (ISO 3960:2017) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of peroxide value – lodometric (visual) endpoint determination.
TCVN 9532:2012 (ISO 27107:2008) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of peroxide value – Potentiometric end-point determination.
AOCS Cd 8 Peroxide value, acetic acid-chloroform method.
AOCS Cd 8b Peroxide value, acetic acid-isooctane method.
11.2. Test methods for food safety of animal and vegetable fats and oils
11.2.1. Methods for determination of lead content
TCVN 6353:2007 (ISO 12193:2004) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of lead by direct Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy.
AOCS Ca 18c Lead, AAS with graphite furnace.
ISO 21033:2016 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
AOCS Ca 17 Trace elements in oil by ICP-OES.
TCVN 8427:2010 (EN 14546:2005) – Determination of Cd and Pb by AAS after dry ashing.
11.2.2. Methods for determination of arsenic content
TCVN 10912:2015 (EN 15763:2009) Foodstuffs – Determination of trace elements – Determination of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead in foodstuffs by inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after pressure digestion.
TCVN 8427:2010 (EN 14546:2005) Foodstuffs – Determination of trace elements – Determination of total arsenic by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) after dry ashing.
TCVN 9521:2012 (EN 14627:2005) Foodstuffs – Determination of trace elements – Determination of total arsenic and selenium by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) after pressure digestion.
TCVN 6354:1998 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of arsenic. Silver diethyldithiocarbamete method.
11.2.3. Methods for determination of copper and iron content
TCVN 6352:1998 (ISO 8294:1994) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of copper, iron and nickel contents – Graphite furnace atomic absorption method.
AOCS Ca 18b Trace metals, AAS with graphite furnace.
ISO 21033:2016 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
AOAC 990.05 Copper, iron, and nickel in edible oils and fats. Direct graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometric method.
AOAC 999.11 Determination of lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc in food by AAS.
11.2.4. Methods for determination of 3-MCPD and GE contents
TCVN 12081-1:2017 (ISO 18363-1:2015) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of fatty-acid-bound chloropropanediols (MCPDs) and glycidol by GC/MS – Part 1: Method using fast alkaline transesterification and measurement for 3-MCPD and differential measurement for glycidol.
ISO 18363-2:2025 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of fatty-acid-bound chloropropanediols (MCPDs) and glycidol by GC/MS. Part 2: Method using slow alkaline transesterification and measurement for 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD and glycidol.
ISO 18363-3:2024 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of fatty-acid-bound chloropropanediols (MCPDs) and glycidol by GC/MS. Part 3: Method using acid transesterification and measurement for 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD and glycidol.
ISO 18363-4:2021 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of fatty-acid-bound chloropropanediols (MCPDs) and glycidol by GC/MS. Part 4: Method using fast alkaline transesterification and measurement for 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD and glycidol by GC-MS/MS.
AOAC 2018.03 Determination of 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters by GC-MS.
11.2.5. Methods for determination of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
TCVN 14438:2025 (BS EN 16619:2015) Food analysis – Determination of benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, chrysene and benzo[b]fluoranthene in foodstuffs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
ISO 15753:2016 Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
TCVN 10482:2014 (ISO 22959:2009) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by on-line donor-acceptor complex chromatography and HPLC with fluorescence detection.
11.2.6. Methods for determination of Trans fatty acids (TFAs)
TCVN 9673:2013 (ISO 15304:2002) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Determination of the content of trans fatty acid isomers of vegetable fats and oils – Gas chromatographic method.
ISO 24363:2023 Determination of fatty acid methyl esters (cis and trans) and squalene in olive oil and other vegetable oils by gas chromatography.
AOCS Ce 1g Trans fatty acids by silver-ion exchange HPLC.
11.2.7. Method for analysis of erucic acid
TCVN 9675-4:2017 (ISO 12966-4:2015) Animal and vegetable fats and oils – Gas chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters – Part 4: Determination by capillary gas chromatography.
Refined vegetable oil products shall be labeled in accordance with the Government’s Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP dated January 23, 2026 elaborating and providing measures and guidelines for implementation of the Law on Quality of Products and Goods, and other relevant legislative documents.
For single-source refined vegetable oils, the product name shall include the word “oil” together with the Vietnamese name of the plant species used as the main raw material and may be accompanied by the term “refined”.
For blended refined vegetable oils, the product name shall include the phrase “blended vegetable oil” and the percentage (%) by weight or by volume of each oil in the blend. The name or image of any specific plant species shall not be used as the product name or as a representative image of the product.
Refined vegetable oil products domestically manufactured or imported for sale in Vietnam shall have their conformity declarations made in accordance with regulations of law in force.
Methods for assessment of conformity for refined vegetable oil products shall comply with regulations of law in force.
Refined vegetable oil products manufactured, traded and imported shall be traceable through product labels or other appropriate methods in accordance with regulations of law on assurance of the quality of goods placed on the market, and other regulations of law in force.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
Organizations and individuals engaged in trading and circulation of refined vegetable oils shall be responsible for products and shall ensure that the products they manufacture, trade or import comply with the technical requirements set out in this Regulation and other relevant laws.
Vietnam Industry Agency affiliated to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam shall play the leading role and coordinate with relevant authorities in instructing and organizing the implementation of this Regulation.
Vietnam Industry Agency shall, based on management requirements, review, report, and propose to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam amendments to this Regulation.
If any legislative documents and regulations referred to in this Regulation are amended or replaced, the new ones shall apply.
