Food Grade (Table or Cooking) Salt Regulations, 2021. S.I. no. 68 of 2021

Extraordinary Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 136 Lagos—18th August, 2021 Vol. 108 Government Notice No. 110 The following is published as Supplement to this Gazerte : S. I. No. Short Title Page 68 Food Grade (Table or Cooking) Salt Regulations, 2021.. B3109-3117 Printed and Published by The Federal Government Printer, Lagos. Nigeria FGP 158/092021/150 Annual Subscription from Ist January, 2021 is Local : N45,000.00 Overseas : N60,.500.00 [Surface Mail] N75.000.00 [Second Class Air Mail]. Present issue N2.500 per copy. Subscribers who wish to obtain Gazette after Ist January should apply to the Federal Government Printer, Lagos for amended Subscriptions. B 3109 NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL ACT (CAP. Ni LFN), 2004 FOOD GRADE (TABLE OR COOKING) SALT REGULATIONS, 2021 ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS Regulation : P e e t e A A R Y N = S S S S S O S h Se ) oo Scope of application. General Provisions. Prohibition. Standard for Food Grade Salt. Limits of additives in food grade salt. Packaging and presentation of food grade salt. Maximum limits of contaminants in food grade salt. Hygiene of food grade salt. Labelling of food grade salt. Nutrient content claims. . Offences and Penalties. Forfeiture after conviction. . Revocation. Enforcement of these Regulations. Interpretation. Citation. SCHEDULES S. I. No..68 of 2021 NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL ACT (CAP. N1, LFN), 2004 FOOD GRADE (TABLE OR COOKING) SALT REGULATIONS, 2021 [7th day of July, 2021] : In exercise of the powers conferred on it by sections 5 and 30 of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act (Cap. NI, LFN) 2004 and section 12 of the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration, Etc.) Act (Cap. F33, LFN) 2004 and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Governing Council of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control with the approval of the Minister of Health makes the following Regulations— 1. These Regulations shall apply to salt used as an ingredient of food for direct use by consumers and for food manufacture or as a carrier of food additive and nutrients. 2.—(1) Any salt, used as an ingredient of food for direct use by consumers, food manufacturers or as a carrier of food additive shall meet the standard requirements for food grade salt as set out in these Regulations. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-regulation (1) of this regulation, the requirement applies only to salt, which is not a by-product of chemical industries. (3) Iodized salt shall have a streamlined distribution network so as to reduce the interval between iodization and consumption of salt. 3. Aperson shall not manufacture, import, export, distribute, sell, display for sale, offer for sale, useor advertise in Nigeria any salt for human consumption unless it has been registered in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations 4.—(1) All food grade salt shall— (a) be crystalline product consisting predominantly of sodium chloride ; (b) be obtained from the sea, underground rock salt deposits or from natural brine ; (c) contain not less than 97.0% of sodium chloride on a dry matter basis exclusive of additives and not more than 0.2% of matter insoluble in water ; and (d) be fortified with iodine using sodium or potassium iodide or iodate at a residue level specified by the Agency. (2) In addition to the provisions of sub-regulation (1) of this regulation, food grade salt may comprise natural secondary products, which are present B 3111 Commence ment. Scope of application. General Provisions. Prohibition. Standard for Food Grade Salt. B 3112 Limits of additives in food grade salt. Packaging and presentation of food grade salt, Maximum limits of contaminants in food grade salt. Hygiene of food grade salt. Labelling of food grade salt. in varying amounts depending on the origin and the method of production of the salt, which shall compose mainly of calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium sulphates, carbonates, bromides and of calcium, potassium and magnesium chlorides. (3) The production of iodized food grade salt shall only be performed by reliable manufacturers having the knowledge and the equipment requisite for the adequate production of iodized food grade salt and specifically, for the correct dosage and even intermixing. 5.—(1) Food grade salt shall be the fine grained, refined, white crystalline salt with the addition of anticaking agents and other additives in the First Schedule to these Regulations, the use and limits for which shall be as prescribed by the Agency. (2) The minimum level of iodine ex-factory at the port of entry shall be 50ppm and the minimum level of iodine at all retail outlets shall be 30ppm. (3) The retention of iodine in salt shall depend on the iodine compound used, the type of packaging, the exposure of the package to prevailing climatic conditions and the period of time between iodization and consumption. 6. lodized salt shall be— (a) packaged in airtight containers such as bags of either high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP), (laminated or non-laminated), or LDPE-lined jute bags, (Grade 1803 DW jute bags lined with 150 gauge polyethylene sheet) ; and (b) not be exposed to rain, excessive humidity or direct sunlight at any stage of storage, transportation or sale. 7. Food grade salt shall not contain contaminants in excess of the maximum limits prescribed in the Second Schedule to these Regulations. 8. The method of production, packaging, storage and transportation of salt shall be in compliance with the requirements of the current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) Regulations. 9, In addition to compliance with the provisions of the Agency’s Pre packaged Food, Labelling Regulations, the following provisions shall apply to the labelling of food grade salt— (a) the name of the product as declared on the label shall be “salt” ; (b) the name “salt” shall have a prefix of “food grade” or “table” or “cooking” ; (c) where the salt contains one or more cyanide salts added to the brine during the crystallization step, the term “dendritic” shall be included to accompany the name ; (d) where the salt is used as a carrier for one or more nutrients and labelled as such for public health reasons, the name of the product shall be declared properly on the label as “Salt fluoridated”, “salt iodated”, “salt iodized”, “salt fortified with iron”, “Salt fortified with vitamins”, or as prescribed by the Agency ; (e) salt (sodium chloride) for industrial use shall be labelled boldly in red : “INDUSTRIAL SALT NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”. (f) salt iodization shall carry the logo of a green map of Nigeria with black edge and three human figures in white ; (g) a prepackaged food grade salt shall not exceed a net content of lkg and indicated as such on the label ; and (A) all ingredients, including iodide, and their components shall appear in the list of ingredients of table salt except when used as an ingredient in the manufacture of another food product. 10. A salt product shall not be represented as “Reduced in Sodium” unless it contains at least 25% less sodium than regular table salt, labeled with the difference in the amount of sodium by percentage, fraction or milligrams. 11.—(1) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations commits an offence and liable on conviction, in the case of— (a) an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding l year or to a fine not exceeding N800,000.00 or to both ; and (b) a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding N5,000, 000.00. (2) Where an offence under these Regulations is committed by a body corporate, firm or other association of individuals every : (a) director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate ; , (b) partner or officer of the firm ; a (c) trustee of the body concerned ; (d) person concerned in the management of the affairs of the association ; or (e) person who purports to act in a capacity referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) of this sub-regulation, is liable to be proceeded against and shall be punished for the offence in the same manner as if the person committed the offence, unless the person proves that the act or omission constituting the offence took place without his knowledge, consent or connivance. 12. A person convicted of an offence under these Regulations shall forfeit to the Federal Government— B 3113 Nutrient content claims, Offences and Penalties. Forfeiture after conviction. B 3114 Revocation. Enforcement of these Regulations. Interpretation. (a) any asset or property constituting proceeds derived from or obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence ; and (b) any of the person’s property or instrumentalities used in any manner to commit or to facilitate the commission of the offence. 13.—(1) The Food Grade (Table or Cooking) Salt Regulations 2005 is revoked. (2) The revocation of the Regulations specified in sub-regulation (1) of this regulation shall not affect anything done or purported to be done under the revoked Regulations. 14, The Agency shall be responsible for the enforcement of these Regulations. 15. In these Regulations— “Agency” means National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) ; “Component” means any substance which is part of an ingredient” ; “Container”’means any form of packaging of salt, which includes wrappers as a single item, whether by completely or partially enclosing the salt; iodized salt should be packed in air tight containers of either high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP) (laminated or non-laminated) or LDPE-lined jute bags (Grade 1803 DW jute bags lined with 150 gauge polyethylene sheet) ; “Food” means any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, and includes drinks, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of “food” but does not include cosmetics or tobacco or substances used only as drugs ; “Ingredient” means any substance, including a food additive used in the manufacture or preparation of salt and present in the final product ; “Label?” means any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed or impressed on, or attached to a package or container for salt ; “Labelling” means any written, printed or graphic matter that is present on the label, accompanying the salt, or is displayed near the salt, including that for the purpose of promoting its sale or disposal ; “Prepackaged” means packaged or made up in advance ready for retail sale in a container ; “Proceeds” means any property derived or obtained, directly or indirectly, through the commission of the offence ; and B3115 “Retail outlet means a store that sells to a person or end consumer buying other than for the purpose of resale. 16. These Regulations may be cited as Food Grade (Table or Cooking) Citation. Salt Regulations, 2021. B 3116 FIRST SCHEDULE [Regulation 5 (1)]} PERMITTED FOOD ADDITIVES IN FOOD GRADE (TABLE OR COOKING) SALT 1. ANTICAKING AGENTS (1) Coating Agents— (a) Carbonates (Calcium or Magnesium) ; (5) Magnesium oxide, Phosphate (tricalcium) ; (c) Silicon dioxide ; (d) Amorphous Silicate ; (e) Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium ; and (f) Calcium Alumina. (2) Coating Hydrophobic Agents— (a) Aluminium, Calcium ; (5) Magnesium, Potassium or Sodium Salts of Myristic Acid ; and (c) Palmitic or Satiric Acids. (3) Crystal Modifiers (a) Ferrocyanides, Calcium ; and (6) Potassium or Sodium. 2. | EMULSIFIERS Polysorbate 80. 3. PROCESSING AID Dimethylpoly-silo-xane. SECOND SCHEDULE [Regulation 7] MAXIMUM LIMITS OF CONTAMINANTS 1. Arsenic 0.5mg/kg expresses as As 2. Copper 2mg/kg expresses as Cu 3. Lead 2mg/kg expresses as Pb 4. Cadmium 0.1mg/kg expressed as Cc 5. Mercury 0.l1mg/kg expressed as Hg Mabe at Abuja this 19th day of July, 2021 Dr. Osacie E. EHANIRE, MD, FWACS Honourable Minister of Health B 3117