Decision No. 01/2008/QD-BNN dated January 04, 2008 of the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development providing for the labeling, ice-glazing and food additive use in frozen fish processing

DECISION

PROVIDING FOR THE LABELING, ICE-GLAZING AND FOOD ADDITIVE USE IN FROZEN FISH PROCESSING

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to the Governments Decree No. 86/2003/ND-CP of July 18, 2003, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to the 2003 Ordinance on Food Safety and Hygiene;

Pursuant to the Governments Decree No. 89/2006/ND-CP of August 30, 2006, on labeling of goods;

At the proposal of the director of the National Fisheries Quality Assurance and Veterinary Directorate,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To provide for the labeling, and use of chemicals and food additives in processing and ice-glazing frozen fish products.

1. Labeling of goods

a/ The labeling of frozen fish products complies with Vietnamese law (for domestically sold products) and requirements of importing countries (for exported goods) on the condition that such labeling does not change the nature of goods and contravene Vietnamese law.

b/ Apart from complying with Vietnamese law and importing countries requirements, goods labels must fully and precisely specify the following contents:

- Net weight of frozen fishes;

- Gross weight of products (including fish, glazing water and packages) or the ratio of glazing water to net weight.

2. Food additives

a/ Food additives used in processing must be on the list of food additives permitted for use promulgated by a competent agency of the importing country (for export goods) or Vietnam (for domestically sold products).

b/ The amount of food additives in products must not exceed the limit prescribed for each kind of product.

3. Ice-glazing

a/ Ice-glazing only aims to protect product quality (to avoid excessive frosting, quality reduction, or contamination).

b/ The ratio of glazing water to net weight of products complies with requirements set by competent agencies of importing countries (for exported goods); and must not exceed 10% for domestically sold products and products exported to markets where such requirement is not available.

Article 2. Handling of violations

1. Batches of goods that do not meet the requirements prescribed in Article 1 of this Decision are not granted a quality certificate for export or ex-workshop for domestic sale.

2. Violations of this Decision shall be handled according to the laws of Vietnam and importing countries.

3. Production and trading establishments intentionally repeating violations shall, apart from being handled under Clause 2 of this Article, be notified to competent agencies of importing countries and their customers.

Article 3. The National Fisheries Quality Assurance and Veterinary Directorate shall gather requirements of importing countries and regulations on labeling, food additives and glazing water ratio for frozen fish products for aquatic product production and trading establishments information; inspect the implementation of this Decision and handle violations according to law.

Article 4. This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in CONG BAO and replaces the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministrys Decision No. 3649/QD-BNN-CLTY of November 19, 2007, on examination of chemicals and food additives used in preserving and processing aquatic products and the ice glazing ratio in frozen aquatic products.

Article 5. The director of the Office, the director of the National Fisheries Quality Assurance and Veterinary Directorate, heads of the Ministry-attached units, directors of provincial/municipal Fisheries Services and Agriculture and Rural Development Services, and frozen fish production and trading establishments shall implement this Decision.