According to Food Additives National Standard (GB2760-2014) of the People's Republic of China, GABA can be used as food additive ingredients for synthesis of various essences and spices.

GABA is allowed as raw material of spice to produce synthetic essences for food use on P170 of GB2760-2014 (table B.3 allowed food with synthetic spices, serial number 1096, FEMA number 4288). Food spices refer to spices added to foods, which can be divided into 2 types. One is that food spices as raw material are prepared to produce synthetic essences for food flavoring, and secondly, some can be directly used in food flavoring. Food essences and spices don’t include sweet, sour, salty substances, and flavor enhancer. According to GB2760-2014, GABA as a food additive is only used to synthesize of food essences, such as fruity essences, meaty essences, not for food use as nutrition.