Taiwan Food Safety Enforcement Act

On 13 Aug 2014, Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) promulgated Enforcement Rules of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation with immediate effect. The Rules, formerly named Enforcement Rules of the Act Governing Food Sanitation, have been revised twice this year. Major points of the revision are as follow: 

1. As mentioned, the title of the Rules has been amended into Enforcement Rules of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

2. Add the definition of infant formula and older infant formula.

3. Clarify the source of the serial numbers sanctioned by TFDA referred in the Rules.

4. The name of food and food additives shall be in accordance with the regulations on naming as sanctioned by the relevant central competent authority. If there is no such kind of regulation, the naming should fully reflect the nature or use of the products.

5. For mixtures of liquid and solid matter, both the total content and solid content shall be marked. If it is evenly mixed and not easily separated, only the net weight of the content shall be marked.

6. Marking of the names of food additives:

       (1) The names or generic names of food additives defined by TFDA shall be adopted.

       (2) For mixtures of food additives in food products, ingredients shall be claimed separately.

       (3) Labeling is not required for residues which are natural byproducts of the use of authorized raw materials in production, which are present in negligible concentrations below a specific threshold and which do not adversely affect the physiochemical or functional properties of the food.

       (4) Delete the regulation on simplifying the labels of flavorings, emulsifiers, spices, natural perfumes, etc.

1. Add the definition and way of marking of domestic food manufacturers defined in this Act.

2. Add the definition and way of marking of the place of origin of food and food additives defined in this Act.

3. According to the newly added regulation on marking, the standards of maximum surface area previously stipulated was less than 10cm² (the length and width of the characters for marking regulated as less than 2mm) is now increased to less than 80cm².

4. Add definition of bulk products in this Act.

5. Regulations on Chinese labeling of food utensils, food containers or packaging are defined in this Act.

6. It is clearly stipulated that food detergents shall be properly labeled in Chinese. Nevertheless, products that will go through re-packaging, sub-packaging or other processing methods shall be labeled in Chinese before circulation.

7. Clarify the meaning of main substances or base of food detergents in the Act, which refer to matters for disinfection or cleansing.

8. It is clearly stipulated that labeling of food, food additives, food utensils, food containers or packaging and food detergents for export can be exempted from labeling regulations in the Act.

9. Details that shall be included in reports of testing methods, inspection organizations and objective criteria are clearly stipulated.

10. Other clauses will be amended accordingly to conform to the revision of this Act.