The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH Malaysia) has declared a significant amendment to the labelling requirements under the Food Regulation 1985, reports RegASK. These revisions were originally supposed to take effect on the 22nd of July 2022. However, the date has been moved to the 1st of January 2024. Though delayed, they mark a vital step towards ensuring greater transparency for consumers regarding the composition of food products.
One of the significant revisions has been made in Regulation 11, which pertains to the details under labelling. Under this statute, every packaged food intended for sale must contain detailed information about the ingredients.
According to the previous regulations, manufacturers needed to describe the food using the common name of its primary ingredient. However, the recent regulatory amendment expands on this by requiring manufacturers to use an appropriately descriptive term for the food if there isn’t a commonly recognised name for the main ingredient. Additionally, manufacturers are now mandated to accurately define the nature and physical form of the products. It includes specifying whether the food is in the form of paste, powder, crackers, cordial, and so forth.
Another leading amendment made within the regulations relates to the Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID). QUID is a critical element in food labelling that requires food manufacturers to clearly state the quantity of ingredients on the packaging. Each ingredient, or category of ingredients, must be expressed as a percentage.
The revised version of the Food Regulation 1985 also mandates manufacturers to state the appropriate designation of each of the ingredients used in the food product. The QUID of each ingredient must be listed in descending order of proportion by weight. It is required for any ingredient highlighted through text, images, or graphics. It is also essential for ingredients that characterise the food, regardless of whether they are mentioned in the product’s name or not.
Furthermore, food manufacturers using additives in their products must declare the functional class of the additive along with its chemical name or INS number.
Manufacturers also have to state the country of origin for products made outside Malaysia, along with the company name and address.
Also, the new amendments mandate manufacturers remain fully aware of the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP). Under the new Regulations, there is now an added mandate nutrition facts panels include additional nutrients, such as sodium and total sugars. These amended regulations also present new food categories, such as soup, sweetened creamer, edible fat/oil, soup stock, etc.
Food manufacturers are urged to keep them updated on any regulatory changes, thus taking immediate action to ensure their products adhere to regulatory compliance. Failing to comply with regulatory standards can lead to serious repercussions for businesses: hefty fines, product recalls, penalties, reputational damage, and more.
Businesses looking to stay compliant while avoiding regulatory penalties should continually monitor regulatory conditions from different regulatory bodies.
Using reliable AI-powered regulatory monitoring solutions such as RegASK can help pinpoint any regulatory amendments based on data analysis by examining sources across many countries, languages, and industries. Such platforms offer companies in-depth insights into any regulatory changes, thus streamlining the task of maintaining ongoing regulatory compliance for businesses.
Sohela is an electrical engineer and a self-professed writer with a keen interest in all things tech. When she’s not writing killer content pieces, you’ll find her enjoying tempting foods in her favourite restaurants.
