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Regulatory requirements for food additives in Malaysia

 Last Update: 2022-12-30
 Source: Internet
 Author: User

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In Malaysia, a food additive is any substance intentionally added directly to a food in small amounts to affect the preservation quality, texture, consistency, appearance, odor, taste, alkalinity or acidity of the food, or indirectly added at certain stages of processing, storage or packaging, but excluding vitamins and minerals
.
Previous issues of Food Partner Network have introduced the food additive management requirements of the United States, the European Union, Japan and other countries/regions, and this issue introduces the food additive management requirements in Malaysia for your reference
.

Food Additives Regulatory Authority in Malaysia

The Ministry of Health Malaysia is responsible for controlling and approving the use of
food additives in food.
As food additives are widely used in food processing, the Ministry of Health Malaysia continuously monitors food additives to ensure that the use of food additives meets the requirements
set out in the Food Regulations 1985.

Malaysian Food Additives Regulatory Regulations

Food additives in Malaysia include preservatives, colors, flavor enhancers, antioxidants, food conditioners, processing aids and sweeteners
.

Malaysia's Food Regulations 1985 set out the definition of food additives, the requirements for use in specific foods and the list of
food additives approved for use.
In addition, Malaysia's Guidelines for the Safe Use of Processing Aids also lists processing aids approved for use in food
.

Food additive compliance requirements in Malaysia

Under the Food Regulations 1985, food additives specified in the Ordinance, food additives prescribed by CAC and food additives
approved in writing by the Ministry of Health Malaysia may be used in food.
Food can use flavors from Food Technology, published by the Flavor Extract Manufacturing Association (FEMA), and flavors
from CAC's published food additive quality standards.
The processing aids specified in the Guidelines for the Safe Use of Processing Aids can be used in food
.

In order to better understand the compliance requirements of food additives in Malaysia, the following is an example of whether citric acid can be used in strawberry jam to share a method to determine whether food additives are compliant:

(1) To determine whether the food meets the requirements of the jam product standard in the Food Regulations 1985

Where strawberry jam meets the requirements of the jam standard in section 246 of the Food Regulations 1985, the jam may contain preservatives, colourings, flavours and food conditioners
approved for use in accordance with the requirements of the standard.

Therefore, strawberry jam can be added with preservatives, colorants, flavors and food conditioners
approved for use under the Food Regulations 1985.

(2) Confirm whether citric acid is an approved food additive

Inquire about the Food Regulations 1985, citric acid may be approved as a regulator for use in food
.

Therefore, in combination with the standard food additive requirements for jam products in the Food Regulations 1985 and the regulations on the use of food additives, citric acid can be used
in strawberry jam as an approved food regulator.

Food Additive Labeling Requirements in Malaysia

In 2020, Malaysia issued a revised order to amend the labeling requirements for food additives in the ingredient list, and the new regulations stipulate: "The functional category of the relevant food additive shall be indicated on the label, and the name or INS number of the food additive shall be indicated in parentheses; If the food additive does not have an INS code, only the name and functional category of the food additive can be identified"
.

In addition to this, specific food additives should meet special labeling requirements
.

If the acidity regulator citric acid is added to strawberry jam, the citric acid is labeled in the ingredient list as follows:

Acidity Regulator (citric acid) or Acidity Regulator (INS 330)

Summary

The use of food additives in food exported to Malaysia should be judged
by taking full account of the requirements in standard and non-standardized foods and in conjunction with the requirements of food additive regulations.
Food Partner Network has rich experience in exporting Southeast Asian food compliance judgment, can provide you with professional export compliance solutions, welcome to inquire.

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