Notifications for Bangladesh (14 notifications)

This draft standard specifies the essential requirements and methods of test for different types of hard candy i.e. hard-boiled candy and lozenges, that may be filled or unfilled and/or coated or uncoated. It also incorporates the product ingredient lists; guidelines for food additives and food preservatives used for the product; hygienic and legal requirements; and the packaging and marking provisions for the product. Various food safety parameters (e.g. heavy metals and microbiological limit) have been proposed.

This draft standard specifies the essential requirements and methods of test for different types of chewing gum. It also incorporates the product ingredient lists; guidelines for food additives and food preservatives used for the product; hygienic and legal requirements; and the packaging and marking provisions for the product. Various food safety parameters (e.g. heavy metals and microbiological limit) have been proposed.

The draft Food Safety (Food Contact Materials) Regulation, 2024 of Bangladesh contains guidelines to ensure food safety concerning materials that come into contact with food. Issued by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority under the Food Safety Act, 2013, it defines key terms such as food-grade materials, migration limits, simulants, and labelling standards. The regulation applies to production, processing, storage, import, and sale of food-contact materials. It mandates to ensure hygienic packaging, quality control, and list of suggestive materials for specific food product categories. It provides standards for paper, glass, metal, and plastic packaging. Compliance is monitored through inspections, and violations may result in penalties. The regulation replaces the Food Safety (Food Contact Material) Regulation, 2019.

The draft Food Safety (Food Recall) Regulations, 2023 describes a set of rules and guidelines established for recalling of food by Bangladesh Food Safety Authority to ensure the safety and quality of food products in the market. These regulations are designed to protect consumers from consuming potentially harmful or contaminated food items. The food recall regulations generally include the following key components: (1) Identification of hazardous products; (2) Responsibility of food business operators and authority; (3) Recall plan and reporting procedure; (4) Operation of recall system; (5) Recall communications; (6) termination and follow-up procedures after recall, etc. Food recall regulations play a crucial role in safeguarding public health by addressing and rectifying potential threats posed by unsafe or contaminated food products in the marketplace.

The draft Food Safety (Sample Collection, Testing, and Analysis) Regulations, 2023 describes a set of rules and guidelines emphasizing the protection of public health and ensuring the safety and quality of food products through systematic and standardized processes for sample collection, testing, and analysis. The scope of the regulations are specifying the types of food products, establishments, and processes covered by the sample collection, testing, and analysis requirements. According to the Food Safety Act, 2013 Food Analyst is responsible to conduct the collection, testing and analysis of food samples. The responsibilities of food analysts and communications among the food analyst, sample collector and laboratories are clearly described in the regulations. The procedures of sample collection and issuance of certificate of tested parameters of certain foods are indicated explicitly as well.

The draft Food Safety (Advertisement and claims) Regulations, 2024 refer to a set of rules to ensure that advertising and claims about food products are accurate, truthful, and not misleading to consumers. These regulations aim to protect public health by preventing false or deceptive marketing practices related to food products. The advertisement and claims regulations generally include the following key components: (1) condition in respect of advertisements, (2) condition for publication of food claim, (3) condition for nutritional claims (4) claim of non-addition sugar, additives, (5) health claims, etc. Overall, these regulations serve to promote transparency and accountability in the food industry, helping consumers makes informed choices about the foods they purchase and consume.

The draft Food Safety (Residues of Veterinary and Fishery Drug) Regulations, 2024 aim to ensure the safety of food products by regulating the presence of residues from veterinary drugs and fishery drugs. These regulations establish maximum residue limits (MRLs) for these substances in various food products, such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. By setting these limits, the regulations seek to prevent harmful residues from entering the food supply and posing risks to consumer health. Compliance with these regulations is enforced through testing, monitoring, and inspection of food products, with penalties for non-compliance. Overall, these regulations play a crucial role in safeguarding public health and maintaining the integrity of the food supply chain.

The draft regulation on Determination and Control of Microbiological Contaminants describes the maximum allowable limit of microbial contaminants in different food staffs with some general provisions regarding tolerable levels of microbial contaminants in food, use of specifications and restrictions, stages of the appliance of the Microbiological Criteria, general guideline for sampling, testing of food samples, sampling plan and interpretation. These regulations contain nine schedules where schedule 1 to 8 elaborates schedule containing the name of the food, the scientific name of the microorganism, the number of food samples, the number of acceptable samples based on the presence or level of the microorganism, the tolerable level of the specific microorganism present in the sample and the test method for determining the presence or tolerance level of a specific microorganism in meat and meat products, fruits vegetables and their products, spices and herbs, egg and egg products, ready to eat food, fish and fishery products, milk and milk products, potable water respectively. Additionally, schedule 9 describes the reference test methods.

The draft regulation for labelling of packaged food is to protect consumers' health and safety by providing them with accurate and essential information about the food products they purchase. These regulations are put in place to ensure that food manufacturers and distributors comply with specific standards when it comes to labelling their products. The drafting process of this regulation is mainly done by comparing the existing regulation with internationally followed guidelines by CODEX and regulations from India and European Union (EU). The regulations include labelling, general conditions of labelling of packaged food, labelling requirements such as The name of the food, List of Ingredients, Declaration regarding Food Additives, Quantitative Ingredients Declaration, Special conditions for labelling of packaged food creating allergies or Intolerances, Nutritional Information, Declaration of name and complete address of manufacturer or FBO, Country of Origin for Imported Foods, Date Marking, etc.

The draft regulation on fortification mainly deals with mandatory and voluntary food fortification. The General Principle is according to the CODEX CAC/GL 9-1987. In addition to that, the regulation also contains the technological aspect, packaging and labelling requirements, micronutrient compliance, registration and statutory action for food fortification.In Schedule I the level of micronutrient in food mandatorily to be added is specified and in Schedule II the level of micronutrient in food for voluntary food fortification is specified.

In accordance with the Food Safety Act 2013 (Act No. 43 of 2013), sections 13(2C), 31 and 87, the draft regulation is about food, specially processed or formulated for specific nutritional or dietary purposes rather than normal consumption. This regulation is developed bearing in mind the overall need for such standards for the broader categories based on Bangladesh's needs and in line with Codex Guidelines on "Guidelines for use of Nutrition and Health claims". Existing domestic regulations, international standards, and best practices have been reviewed meticulously. In this regulation, the name of the foods is categorized as Health Food/Food or Dietary supplements, Food for Special Dietary Uses (FSDU), Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), Prebiotic and Probiotic Foods. There are different types of approved ingredients as applicable to different categories of foods as specified through Schedule I, II, and III. In Schedule IV there are different types of approved prebiotics and probiotics ingredients. Schedule V deals with additives and their maximum allowable limit.

In accordance with Food Safety Act 2013 (Act No. 43 of 2013), section 13 (4), the draft regulation is about the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) of pesticide and plant growth regulators in food. Maximum Residue Limits stipulated in Schedule-1 and Schedule-2 are in most cases stated in terms of a specific whole raw agricultural commodity as it moves in trade. In Schedule-1 MRL of 163 Pesticide molecules are considered. The widely used plant growth regulator Ethephon's MRL is stated in Schedule‑2. Portion of commodity to which the maximum residues limits (MRL) applies are described in Schedule-3. The Pesticide residues in food shall comply with the MRLs set forth in the draft Food Safety (Pesticides Residues and Other Chemical Residues) Regulations, 2023. In cases other than those specified in the list Schedule-1 and Schedule‑2, the pesticide residues in food shall not exceed the limits as stipulated in the latest edition of Codex Alimentarius Commission or the internationally recognized standards.

Food and feed contamination can potentially jeopardize human and/or animal well-being and may also adversely affect the overall quality of the food or feed. There are multiple factors and mechanisms through which food and feed can become contaminated. This draft Food Safety (Chemical Contaminants and Toxins) Regulation 2023 has been formulated for controlling use of contaminants in food and feed. This regulation contains maximum levels of contaminants and toxins (heavy metals, radionuclides, nitrates, PCBs, Dioxin, mycotoxins and other toxin) in food and feed. It consists of seven schedules which contain name of the contaminants, name of the article of food and maximum levels for that particular food articles. In order to establish maximum levels of chemical contaminants and toxins in relation to the manufacturing, handling, importation, promotion, or distribution of any food item not specified in schedule-1 to schedule-7, it is required to adhere to the maximum level specified in the most recent version of Codex CXS 193-1995 or an internationally acknowledged standard.

The draft regulation on the use of food additives mainly describes the maximum allowable limit of various additives in different foods. In this regulation the name of the foods are organized according to CODEX Food Category. There are 16 food category in schedule I and II including dairy products, cereals, fruits and vegetables, beverages, meat and poultry, bakery, confectionary etc. In schedule III there are different types of additives and their maximum allowable limit. In schedule IV there is GMP table including functional class of additives e.g. preservatives, emulsifier, bulking agent, stabilizer etc.