Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972)RegulationsRegulations relating to Miscellaneous Additives in Foodstuffs1. Definitions |
In these Regulations "Act" means the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972), and any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall bear such meaning, unless the context otherwise indicates and:
"food additive"
means any substance, regardless of its nutritive value, that is not normally consumed as a food by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient of the food, which is added intentionally to a food for technological (including organoleptic) purposes in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport or storage of the food, and results, or may reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in such a substance, or its by-products, becoming a component of, or otherwise affecting the characteristics of such foods and excludes any substance added to foods for maintaining or improving nutritional qualities or any contaminants and sodium chloride;
"Good Manufacturing Practice" (GMP)
means:
| (a) | the quantity of the miscellaneous additive added to foodstuff shall be limited to the lowest possible level necessary to accomplish its desired effect; |
| (b) | the quantity of the miscellaneous additive that becomes a component of foodstuff as a result of its use in the manufacturing, processing or packaging of a food and which is not intended to accomplish any physical, or other technical effect in the foodstuff itself, is reduced to the extent reasonably possible; and |
| (c) | the miscellaneous additive is of appropriate food grade quality and is prepared and handled in the same way as a food ingredient; |
"maximum use level"
means the maximum amount of a miscellaneous additive which may be present in the foodstuff as stipulated in the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, unless otherwise stated, and for which the amounts apply to ready-to-eat foodstuffs only unless otherwise specified; and
"miscellaneous additives"
means any food additive which is used or intended to be used primarily as an acidity regulator, anti-caking agent, antifoaming agent, bleaching agent, bulking agent, carbonating agent, carrier, colour retention agent, emulsifier, emulsifying salt, firming agent, flavour enhancer, flour treatment agent, foaming agent, gelling agent, glazing agent, humectants, packaging gas, propellant, raising agent, sequestrant, stabiliser and thickener.