Bangladesh notifies two draft food safety regulations to the WTO

On 14 July 2023 the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (Ministry of Food) notified two draft food safety regulations to the World Trade Organization (WTO): the Draft Food Safety (Chemical Contaminants and Toxins) Regulation 2023 and the Draft Food Safety (Pesticides Residues and Other Chemical Residues) Regulations, 2023. Both drafts are open for comments until 12 September 2023.

Draft Food Safety (Chemical Contaminants and Toxins) Regulation 2023:

The draft contains measures aimed at decontaminating contaminated feed or food and preventing it from being marketed. Consumption of contaminated food can pose a threat to human health and animals. Furthermore, in some cases, it can also cause negative effects.

The Regulation specifies the maximum level of contaminants and toxins in food and feed (e.g., heavy metals, radionuclides, nitrates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin, mycotoxins and other toxins).

The draft includes seven schedules containing the name of the contaminants and their maximum levels in feed and food articles. The substances are considered harmful if present in excess than the maximum level. The following are the contaminants mentioned in the schedules:

 More details on the maximum levels can be found here.

Draft Food Safety (Pesticides Residues and Other Chemical Residues) Regulations, 2023:

The maximum level of pesticide residue permitted in food or feed is introduced in the draft. The controlling measures of pesticides residues in food products that are hazardous to health are listed in Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.

This regulation describes the parts of raw agricultural commodities to which the maximum residue limits in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 apply. Unless other wise specified the agricultural raw materials to which maximum residue limit is applied and which is processed as the analytical sample for determination of pesticides residue is as described in the Schedule3.

The Pesticides Residues and Other Chemical Residues Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 can be found here :

http://www.bfsa.gov.bd/site/notices/bde46d36-dfaa-4368-afd6-a8d4ca4afe59/Draft-notification-on-Food-Safety-Pesticides-Residues-and-Other-Chemical-Residues-R