Hanoi (VNA) – Food imported to Malaysia must be produced in facilities that follow food safety assurance programmes recognised by the Malaysian Ministry of Health, according to a notification sent from the Office of the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to relevant agencies regarding Malaysia's draft amendment to its Food Regulations 1985.
These programmes may include, but are not limited to, Food Safety Management Systems (FSSM), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), according to the draft.
SPS Vietnam said that it received the WTO SPS Committee Secretariat's notification of the Malaysian Health Ministry's request for feedback on the addition of new provisions to the Food Regulations 1985 – Part IIB on Food Safety Assurance Programme for Imported Food.
Under the draft amendment, Malaysia has the right to inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with the regulations, which may involve coordination with the authorities of the exporting country or the foreign food production facilities.
Additionally, the importer is responsible for providing or keeping records that demonstrate the manufacturing facility's adherence to an accredited food safety assurance programme. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in enforcement actions or refusal to import food products.
This requirement is in line with the Malaysia Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, which stipulate that domestic producers must implement food safety assurance programmes in their facilities.
The draft amendment pertains to areas managed by various agencies, units, and industry associations. Therefore, SPS Vietnam has asked relevant agencies and associations to send their feedback to SPS Vietnam by April 1, 2025, for compilation and submission to the Malaysian Ministry of Health./.
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