Macao, China

The Administrative Regulation No 5/2024 - Standards on the Use of Food Additives in Foodstuffsis a food safety standard that guides and regulates the use of food additives by food producers and traders, including the principles of the use of food additives, the scope of use, the types of food additives permitted in food, the maximum levels of use, and the food categories in which maximum levels of certain food additives are used. This administrative regulation does not apply to spices when used for flavouring purposes, processing aids, permitted colouring matter intended for marking sign or use on citrus peels, and foods intended for specific dietetic use, with the exception of certain products for infants and young children. In this administrative regulation, listed food additives are permitted to be used in foodstuffs, and their use in food shall follow the principle of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Moreover, the Administrative Regulation No. 30/2017, the Administrative Regulation No. 12/2018 and the Administrative Regulation No. 7/2019 are repealed.

In order to fully guard against the risk of radioactive contamination of food safety caused by the discharge of nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima in Japan, to protect the health of local consumers and ensure the food safety of imported food, the Macao S.A.R. decided to suspend import of live and fresh food products, food products of animal origin, sea salt and seaweed, including edible fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy produce, fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, meat and edible offal, preparations of meat, of fish, of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates, birds’ eggs, edible products of animal origin, etc., originating in 10 prefectures and regions of Japan, including Fukushima Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo Metropolis, from 24 August 2023.

In order to ensure food safety and better supervise pesticide residues in food, amendments have been introduced to theAdministrative Regulation No. 11/2020 Maximum residue limits of pesticides in foodstuffs), expanding its scope of coverage on pesticides and categories of foodstuffs. The Administrative Regulation No. 02/2023, a food safety standard that regulates the levels of pesticide residues in food, amends the Administrative Regulation No. 11/2020 to replace the provisions of the attached tables and revise the appendix to include Table 1 (List of maximum levels of pesticide residues in foodstuffs) and Table 2 (List of maximum limits of exogenous residues of pesticides in foodstuffs). This administrative regulation establishes the maximum residue limits and extraneous maximum residue limits of pesticides presenting in foodstuffs, as well as the list of pesticides exempted from maximum residue limits, as stipulated in the annexes to the regulation. In this administrative regulation, "pesticide" is defined as any substance intended for preventing, destroying, attracting, repelling, or controlling pests during the production, storage, transport, distribution, and processing of food, or which may be administered to animals for the control of ectoparasites, including substances intended for use as plant-growth regulators, defoliants, desiccants, fruit thinning agents or sprouting inhibitors, and substances applied to crops either before or after harvest to prevent deterioration during storage and transport, and excluding fertilizers, plant and animal nutrients, food additives and veterinary drugs. According to the administrative regulation, maximum residue limits and extraneous maximum residue limits of pesticides in foodstuffs shall comply with the standards stipulated in the annexes.

The Regulamento Administrativo n.º 11/2020 Limites máximos de resíduos de pesticidas em géneros alimentícios (The Administrative Regulation No. 11/2020 Maximum residue limits of pesticides in foodstuffs) is a food safety standard that regulates the levels of pesticide residues in food and agricultural commodities. This administrative regulation establishes the maximum residue limits and extraneous maximum residue limits of pesticides presenting in foodstuffs, as well as the list of pesticides exempted from maximum residue limits, as stipulated in the annexes to the regulation. In this administrative regulation, "pesticide" is defined as any substance intended for preventing, destroying, attracting, repelling, or controlling pests during the production, storage, transport, distribution, and processing of food, or which may be administered to animals for the control of ectoparasites, including substances intended for use as plant-growth regulators, defoliants, desiccants, fruit thinning agents or sprouting inhibitors, and substances applied to crops either before or after harvest to prevent deterioration during storage and transport, and excluding fertilizers, plant and animal nutrients, food additives and veterinary drugs. According to the administrative regulation, maximum residue limits and extraneous maximum residue limits of pesticides in foodstuffs shall comply with the standards stipulated in the annexes.

The Regulamento Administrativo n.º 7/2019 Normas relativas à utilização de conservantes e antioxidantes em géneros alimentícios (the Administrative Regulation No. 7/2019 Standard for Uses of Preservatives and Antioxidants in Foodstuffs) is a food safety standard that guides and regulates the uses of preservatives and antioxidants by food producers and traders, including the principles of the use of preservatives and antioxidants, the scope of use, the types of preservatives and antioxidants permitted in food, the maximum levels of use, and the food categories in which maximum levels of certain preservatives and antioxidants are used. In this administrative regulation, "preservative" is defined as a type of food additive that is used to prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting against deterioration caused by microorganisms; "antioxidant" is defined as a type of food additive that is used to prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting against deterioration caused by oxidation. This administrative regulation does not apply to foods intended for specific dietetic use, with the exception of certain products for infants and young children. In this administrative regulation, listed preservatives and antioxidants are permitted to be used in foodstuffs, and their use in food shall follow the principle of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).