Food Regulations
E.G. SOMAPALA
Former Government Analyst
INTRODUCTION
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Why you need Regulations?
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1.
2.
3.
To protect consumer
To protect industry
To control imports
Food Act No. 26 of 1980
Food (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 1991
Food (Amendment) Act No. 29 of 2011
FEATURES
a)
An Act to regulate and control the
Manufacture,
Importation,
Sale
&
Distribution of Food
b)
To establish a Food Advisory Committee
c)
To repeal the Food & Drugs Act of 1949
Part II – Administration
FOOD ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(a) ex-officio members:
1.
Director General of Health Services
– Chairman
2.
Director –in charge of Food Control
Administration – Secretary
3.
Two Deputy Directors-General of
Health Services in charge of public
Health Services
4.
Two Asst, Directors of the Dept. of
Health services in charge of Food
Control Administration
5.
Govt. Analyst or his nominee
6.
Director General of Customs or his
nominee
Director General of Consumer
Affairs Authority or his nominee
Director General of SLSI or his
nominee
7.
8.
9. Director General of Department of
Commerce or his nominee
10. Director General of Dept. of Animal
production and Health or his nominee
11. Chief Medical Officer of Health of
Colombo Municipal Council
12. City Analyst of CMC
13.Food Commissioner or his nominee
14. Nutritionist from MRI
15. Legal Officer of the Ministry of the
Minister to whom the subject of
Health is assigned
Food Advisory Committee contd.
(b) nominated members:
1. An officer nominated by the secretary to the Ministry of the Minister to
whom the subject of Local Govt. and Provincial Councils
2. A Food Technologist nominated by the Minister
3. A Food Microbiologist nominated by the Minister
4. A Food Scientist nominated by the Minister
5. A member nominated by the Minister who shall represent commercial
interests relating to food
6. A member nominated by the minister who shall represent industrial interest
relating to food
7. Two members nominated by the Minister to represent the interests of
consumers relating to food
IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD ACT NO. 26 OF 1980 IN SRI LANKA
MINISTER OF HEALTH
FOOD ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CHIEF FOOD AUTHORITY
(DG of Health Services)
1.Technical Sub Committee
2. Regulation sub committee
3. labeling & Advertising sub committee
FOOD AUTHORITY
(MOH, DPDHS, LOCAL GOVT.)
AUTHORIZED OFFICERS
(MOH, F&DI, PHI, FI)
Food Seizure
& Detain
Food Sampling
Formal
Approved Analyst
Addl. Approved Analyst
Report
Legal Proceedings
Inspection
Informal
Quality control & advisory
Report
Chief Food Authority
Food Authority
–
-
Director General of Health Services
Municipal council/MOH
Local Govt./MOH
Excise Commissioner for excisable foods
Director General of customs in Port
Authorized Offices (AO)
MOH, F & DI
PHI, FI
Veterinary Surgeon for Meat only
Officer authorised by the Ex.Com. or DG Customs
AO shall exercise the powers of Police Officer in terms of Code of
Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979
Duties of AO
1.
Inspection of premises/vehicles, open and examine any receptacle or
package.
2.
Seize and detain (inform the relevant Food Authority)
3.
Sampling – formal or informal
4.
When AO is MOH, DG of Customs, Commissioner General of Excise
they can examine books, records and documents and make copies.
5.
No person shall obstruct AO
6.
No person shall make misleading on false statements to AO
Authorized Officers contd.
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Refusal to take sample is an obstruction
Every vendor shall disclose the name, address and such other particulars
to AO
No person shall remove, alter, tamper or otherwise interfere in any manner
with any food seized by AO
Any seized food may be kept or stored in the same building or removed to
any other place a his discretion
AO shall inform the relevant Food Authority of any seizure madeunder the
Act
Seized articles may be destroyed if Authority is satisfied that there has
been contravention of any provisions of the Act/Regulations. The owner
should consent in writing to the destruction
Otherwise inform the Magistrate Court and follow up
Food (Labelling & Advertising)
Regulations 2005
1.
Package or container is labeled in accordance with the
regulations
2.
Label with two languages (with certain exceptions)
3.
Label indelibly printed or painted or affixed on the main panel
(Supplementary label may be affixed for imported foods)
4.
(i) Main panel:
a)
b)
c)
Common Name - two languages
Brand/Trade Name one or more languages
(Shall not mislead the public)
Net contents in international symbols
eg: g or kg, ml or l
Contd….
(ii) Main or any other panel – anyone or more of the three
languages
a)
Food Additives by name or INS number
b)
Instructions for storage/use, if any
c)
Name & address of manufacturer, packer or distributor in Sri
Lanka
d)
Batch No. or Code No. or decipherable code marking
e)
The date of expiry – exp date/Â.ª.âµ¼
f)
The date of manufacture
g)
Bulk imports & repacking – date of manufacture, date of
repacking
h)
List of ingredients in descending order
i.
ii.
Country of origin for imported foods
Any other declarations required by regulations
Letter Size
a)
b)
c)
d)
Common name minimum height 3 mm and shall be not less than
1/3 of brand name
When common name consisted of more than one word, the
words shall be in identical type and size and similarly displayed
25 g or 30 ml or less size packs – letter size shall not be less
than 1.5 mm (exceptions may be allowed by Chief Food
Authority for packages not exceeding 25 sq.cm.)
Net content & Date of Expiry letter size
Minimum Height
Area
1 mm
Bottles closures containing aerated
waters and liquid with not exceeding
1.5 mm
120 cm2
3 mm
120 – 240 cm2
6 mm
240 – 600 cm2
9 mm
exceeding 600 cm2
e)
Date of Expiry :
Exp/Expiry/Best Before/Use Before
f)
g)
Oil Source has to be declared
Blended “X” Vegetable Oil
X – more than 75% of single constituent
When none of the oil exceeds 75%
“Blended Vegetable Oil”
- Constituents shall be declared on the label
h)
Use the word “butter”
Sugar/Chocolate confectionery – at least 4%
Butter fat of total fat
Flour confectionery – entirely of butter fat
i)
Artificial Products
Eg:
Artificial Vinegar
Artificial Cordial
Similar words in
close proximity
No pictorial representations
i)
Irradiated foods should have the international logo for irradiation
Special Claims
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
“Food is recommended, prescribed or approved by Medical Practitioner,
Association or any Professionals” – not allowed – in label or advertisement
False/misleading claims
Word “Pure” – no additives of any kind
Word “Natural” – Unmixed, unadulterated
No additives, unprocessed,
(pasteurization, chilling, freezing allowed
- It should be biological material
Source of nutrient – shall have 1/3 of recommended daily dietary
allowance
Source of Protein – Contribute 12 g protein per day.
20% of Energy value of food is provided by protein
Vegetable oil label with “no cholesterol” should carry a statement
“Vegetable oil does not contain cholesterol” in close proximity to the above
Fortified/enriched with Vitamin C
- not less than 40 mg of Ascorbic acid per 100 g of the product.
Special Dietary Use
i.
ii.
iii.
Low Sodium - declare the sodium content in mg per 100 g
Energy provide
- one day consumption shall provide 300 K cal.
- Declare the K cal contribution per 100 g of ford
(beneficial/protective)
(a) Dietary Fats for heart diseases – not allowed
(b) Medicinal properties for invalids – not allowed (cure or
prevent illness)
(c) Food use for any illness – not allowed
(d) Food to be an aid for slimming, weight control or weight
reduction – not allowed
(e) Diabetic food – 60 % of the carbohydrate content normal food
Food (Colouring Substances) Regulations
2006
Added colouring substances not permitted in the
following foods.
Any raw or unprocessed meat, poultry fish,
fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, bread, cream, liquid
milk, condensed milk, powdered milk.
Exceptions
Flavoured milk, yoghurt, butter (natural), cheese
(natural)
Permitted Colouring Substances
Colour
Common Name
INS Number
Red
Carmoisine
Poncean 4R
Erythrosine
Allura red
122
124
127
129
Yellow
Sunset Yellow FCF
Tartrazine
110
102
Blue
Indigo Carmine(Indigotine)
Brilliant Blue FCF
132
133
Green
Green FCF
143
Permitted Natural Colours
Curcumin
100(i) Riboflavin 5’ Phosphate
101(i)
Cochineal
120
Riboflavin 5’Phosphate,Na 101(ii)
Chlorophyll s
140
Chlorophylls copper cpx 141(i)
Caramel class I
150 a Caramel class III
150c
Carotenes
160 a(ii) Caramel class IV
150d
Annatto Extracts 160 b
Paprika oleoresin (Capsanthin or Capsorubin)
160 c
Lycopene
160 d
Carotenal;Beta-Apo-8
160e
Carotenoic acid,Methyl or Ethyl ester of Beta-Apo-8’
160f
Flavoxanthin
161 a Canthaxanthin
161g
Betanin(Beet red) 162
Anthocyanins
163(i) Grape Skin Extract
163(ii)
Titanium Dioxide
171
Food (Packaging Materials and
Articles) Regulations - 2010
1. Import, manufacture, transport, advertise for sale, expose for sale,
sell, package, store, use or distribute any food packaging material
or article if;
(a) it is injurious to health
(b) deteriorates the organoleptic characteristics of food
(c) changes the nature, substance and quality of food
2. Manufacture/import any material/article intended for packaging of
food
Shall have printed
(a) “FOR FOOD USE” or relevant words or designated symbol
(b) special conditions to be observed in the use
(c) name & address or registered trade mark of manufacturer
Packaging materials contd.
3.Raw materials used in the manufacture of
packaging material shall be certified by the
manufacturer OR in compliance with
International standards to say food grade
quality raw materials are used in the
manufacture.
Food Packaging contd.
4. Plastic laminates used for food packaging:
all components of laminating including
adhesives and ink shall be of food
grade/international standards
5.Enamel or glazed earthware (capable of
imparting Pb,As,Cd or any other toxic
substance) not allowed unless it passes the
leaching test
Food Packaging contd.
5. Packaging material or article made of enamel or
glazed earthware is not allowed, if it is capable
of imparting Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium or any
other toxic substance to food.
During storage the leachate ( Fill with 4% Acetic
acid and keep for 24 hours) shall not exceed the
0.2 mg/kg(ppm)
Food Packaging contd.
6. Packaging materials made of Polyvinyl
chloride shall not contain more than 1
mg/kg of vinyl chloride monomer.
Food shall not contain more than
0.05mg/kg of vinyl chloride.
Food Packaging contd.
7. No vinyl chloride plastics in coatings
applied to fresh fruits
No acrylonitrile bottle/ box/ container for
packaging/ storing/ delivering/ expose for
sale.
Packaging – other prohibitions
package/container used for non-food product
2.
Sugar/flour in sack previously used for other purposes
3.
Edible oil/fat in bottle or metal container previously used for other
purposes (tankers and silos exempted)
4.
Plastic containers previously used for other purposes (however with an
extra food grade wrapper it is possible)
5.
Rice in gunny bag or polysack previously used for other purposes
6.
Bottled drinking water containers (however containers not less than 18L
previously used for water only may be reused)
7.
Recycled plastic packages, appliances, containers
Exception:
box or crate previously used for vegetables can use for fruits and viceversa
1.
Packaging – other prohibitions
1.
Any coin, toy or other article in food exposed for sale
exemptions:
- article for measuring the recommended quantity (sterile)
- label completely enclosed in an interior wrapper with no
direct contact with food
- reduced iron powder for oxygen absorption; this shall not
contaminate food; this shall be labeled
“OXYGEN ABSORBER”
“DO NOT EAT CONTENTS” and
“CONTAINS IRON
POWDER”
Food (Bread standards) Reg. 1994
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Standards for bread:
white bread(sliced or not) shall be the
product by baking a yeast leavened dough
prepared from “white bread” wheat flour
and water with or without the addition of
optional ingredients and permitted colours;
Bread contd.
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Any part of the bread the moisture content
shall not exceed 40%.
Acid insoluble ash shall not exceed 0.1%
Ingredients: wheat flour, baker’s yeast,
edible common salt, water
Bread Optional Ingredients.
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Optional Ingredients:(revised in 2011)
sugar
milk & milk products
tapioca flour, rice flour, kurakkan flour, corn
flour, soya flour, potato starch and any
other edible flours and edible oil seeds.
Bread: optional ingredients contd.
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Gluten – not exceeding 2% by mass of flour
Malt products – not exceeding 2% by mass
of flour
Vitamin B1 – nicotinic acid or nicotinamide
hydrochloride not exceeding 0.25% by
mass of flour
Food(Bread standards)-new
addition in 2011
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In the preparation of a bread, where any
optional flours referred is added and the
percentage of the added optional flour is
not less than 10% m/m, the name of the
such optional flour may be named in the
bread
Food (shelf life of imported food
items) 2011
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All items of food imported to Sri Lanka shall
at the point of entry posses a minimum
period of sixty percentum(60%) of
unexpired shelf life.
This is not applicable to fresh fruits,
vegetables & potatoes
Shelf life contd.
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Period is calculated based on the date of
expiry declared by the manufacturer
Similar words for date of expiry:
“end of shelf life”
“best before”
“use by”
“use before” or similar words
Definition for shelf life
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Period of time between the date
manufacture and its usability by the
consumer, during which time the product is
safe for human consumption and is of
satisfactory quality in terms of nutritional
value, flavour, texture and appearence
Food( Formaldehyde in fish)
Regulations 2010
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Any fish in Sri Lanka which contains
Formaldehyde levels exceeding
5mg/kg(ppm) is not permitted to
import, transport, distribute, store, sell or
expose for sale
F00d(Melamine in Milk & Milk
Products) Regulations 2010
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Maximum level permitted is 1.0 mg/kg
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A health certificate shall be produced from
National Food Safety Authority of the
country of origin
THANK YOU