Directive No. (9/96) on general product standard

Government of the l·nion of l\'1yanmar Ministry of Livestock and Fi~heries DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES DIRECTIVE No. (9/96) November 6, 1996 In exercise of the powers conferred by section 23 of the Myanma Marine Fisheries Law 1990, the Director General of the Department of Fisheries issues the following Directive for Gener~ Product Standard fo~ Fish and Fishery Products. GENERAL PRODUCT STANDARD Additional· ingredients or substances · l. l Any substances or ingredient added to pt9eessed fisheries. product intended for export must not be likely to be hannful or of a health risk to consumers and: (a) not exceed the limits applicable to the food specified in Codex, Volume XIV. entitled· 11F6od Additives 11 (First edition, 1983); or (b) meet theforeign ·country authority's requirements for that food. Residues content 2.1 Any pesticide, antibiotic or other residue present in processed fisheries product intended for export must: Ca> (b) (c) not exceed the l imits applicable fo the food specified in Codex, Supplement I to Volume TI, entitled 11CodexMaximumLimitsfor Pesticide Residues" (Second edition, 1993); or if a pesticide, antibiotic or other residue present in the food exceeds the limit specified in paragraph 2. 1 ( a), or is not dealt with by the standards or codes in paragraph 2.1 (a); but does not exceed the foreign country authority' s limit for that food, comply with the foreign countiy authority' limit for that food; or if not dealt with by the standards or codes in paragraph 2. I ( a) or by the foreign country authority's requireplents for the food, not be likely to be hannful or of a health risk to consumers .. ·. 26 Content of metal contaminants 3. I Any metal or other contaminant ofany kind present in processed fisheries product intended for export must: ... , .J (a) not ·exceed the limits applicable to the food specified in Codex, Paii In Natural Mineral Water & Part IV Edible Ices and Ice Mixes of Volume XI, entitled 11Codex Standards for Sugar, Cocoa products & Chocolate and Miscellaneous products". (Second edition, 1994); or . (b) if a metal or other contaminant of any kind present in the food exceeds the limit specified in paragraph 3. I (a) or is not dealt with by-~he standards or codes in paragraph 3.1 (a), ~•ut does not exceed the forcign country a uthority1s limit for that food, comply with ihe foreign country authorityfs limit forthefood; or (c) if not dealt with by the standards or codes in paragraph 3. l(a) or by the foreign country authorityis requirements for that food, not be.likelytq be.harmful orofa health risk to consumers. Any metal present in processed fisheries product intended for export must not exceed the limits. applicable to the food specified in Codex, Volume I, entitled "Guideline Level Mercury & Fishes CAC/GL7 1997 " and (USFDA) entitled·"Fish& Fisheries Products Hazard & Control Guide" (First edition September 1996). Raw materials 4. I The occupier of an establishment must not accept for use at the establishment any raw material, ingredient of packaging which consists of or contains or carries: (a) parasites; or (b) hazardous micro-organism; or (c) toxic, decomposed or other extraneous substances; Which will not be reduced to acceptable levels by nonnal plant producers of sorting or prep~ration. Inspection criteria 5. l The condition of processed fisheries product intended for export must meet the tolerances specified in the follov,,ing table, tog.ether \Vi.th any addi1ional requirements specified in this Schedule; Condition Tolerance. Unwholesome material Nil Abnormal colour~ texture. odour or flavour Nil Foreilffi material Practicallv free Prohibited additive Nil Excess pennitted additive Nil Incorrect labelling Nil Frozen product wanner than-l 8°C Nil Chilled,produ~t outside applicable range Nil Damaged packaging Practically free Mi~ro - prganisms 6 l Processed fisheries produce when examined for micro - organisms, must be examined in accordance with lCMSF (International Commission on Microbial Specifications for Foods) l 986 Microorganisms in Foods, or FAO Food & Nutrition Paper 14/4 Rev. I. Coliforms or Escherichia coli 7. 1 Processed fisheries products, when examined for coliforms or Escherichia colL, must be examined in accordance with ICMSF (International Commission on Microbial Specifications fi 1r Foods) 1986 Mkroorganisms in Foods, or FAO F cod & Nutrition Paper 14/44/ Rev. l 7 2 If the test is to estimate the level of colifonns only (as an index of potenitial spoilage of the processed fisheries products and of hygiene) samples must be incubated at a temperature of 3 0°C. 7. 3 If the test is to estimate or detect Escherichia C1..1li samples must be incubated at a temperature of 3 7°C. Cultures which have been 1ncubated initially at 30°C must not be used for further tests for Escherichia coli. Coagulase- positive staphylococci 8.1 Processed fisheri~s product, when examined for Coagulase-positive staphylococci, must be examined in accordance with ICMSF (International Commission on l\lkrobial Specifications for Foods) 1986 Microorganisms ln foods, off AO Food & Ni.ttrition Paper 14/4 Rev. I. SalmoneUa 9 \ Prncessed fishcr·,es prnduo. when examined for Salmonella, must be examined in accmdance \Vith !C~vlSF (lmemational Commission on Microbial Specifications for Foods) 1986 tvticroorganisms in Foods, or FAO Food & Nutrition Paper 14/4 Rev. l. Sodium metabisulphite or re)ated compounds ) 0 .1 Every examination of cmstact;ans for sodium metabis;ulphite or related compounds must be carried ·out in accordance with the n,1;thod specified in Section 962.16 {"Sulfurous Acid (Total) in Foud-Mod11~;:;d Monier Williams Metl10ds"}ofOfficial Methods of Analysis of the Association of Offici.al Analytical Chemists". Association of Official Analytical Chemists Inc., ( 15 edition. 1990, volume 2,. pages l 157- l l 58). Sampling Plans lnterprctati.on l l. l ln relation to reforences to sampling plans in this undermentioned, unless the contray intention appears: "@ 30° C" means incubation at 30<.lC; "n" means the number of sample units taken from a lot of processed-fisheries products using a method approved by the Director General of Department ofFisheries. "m" is the maximum number or level relevant micro-organisms is a sample unit; ''MH is an absolute maximum number of acceptable or allowable relevant micro-organisms in any one sample unit; ''org" means rnicro-organism; "MPN'' means Most Probable Number; "c" is the maximum acceptable or atlowable number of sample units that may exceed the microbiological crite1ion "m". Two-class sampling plan I 2.1 A two-class sampling plan consists of the following specification: n, c and m. 12. 2 In this ment1oned, the condition of a lot of processed fisheries product fails to meet the tolerance specified in a two-class sampling plan if: more than c sample units ofthe food exceed the microbiological criterion m. Three-class sampling plan 13. 1 A three-class sampling plan consists of the following specificatio n: n, c. and m. 13.2 1n this mentioned, th.e condition of a lot of processed fisheries product fails. to meet the tolerance specified in a two-class sampling ptan if (a) more than c sample units of the food exceed the microbiological criterion m~ or (b) any sample unit of the food exceeds the microbiological cdterion M. Samples for microbiological examination or chemical analysis 14. l Sampling for the purpose of 1nicrobiological examination or chemical analysis must be carried out in accordance with this Directive or Sampling Plan approved by the Director-General ofDepartment of Fisheries. 14 .2 Samples taken from a lot ( or batch} for the purpose of microbiological or chemical analysis in accordance with this Directive or Sampling Plan approved by the Director-General ofDepartment of Fisheries must be taken in a manner that is representative of the entire lot ( or batch). UNCOOKED FISHERIES PRODUCT . Application of Uncooked Fisheries product 15. l This part applies to uncooked fisheries product ( except shellfish) which is chilled or frozen. l 5. 2 In this part, a reference to chilled or frozen fisheries product includes a reference to chilled fish fillets or frozen fish fillets respectively. 30 · Inspection criteria l 6. l The condition of chi !led or frozen prav1-·ns intended for export must meet the tolerances specified in the following table: Condition Tolerance Sodium. Mctabisulphitc and related compounds [Vlaximum of t 00 mg/kg in the mw flesh ·expressed as SO, Pra, .. 11s with parasites· Max.imum ~f 5°/u b\· number Pra·wns uot within declared size grade Maximum of 15%, by number Prawns not declared species Maxunurn of \ 0% bv number Prawns not declared style of presentation Maximum l 0% ½v number lnspectioo. ct'iteria 17, 1 The condition of chilled or froze.n cnistacean intended for exp mt must meet the toJenmces specified in the relevant sample plants in the following table: Condition Sample pJan Standard plate count nc:5,c"'"2,m"" J 06 org/g, M=IO" org/g Escherichia coli n=5 ,c= 1,m::c J l org/g, M::c500org/ g Coagulase-positive Staphylococci n:=5 ,c== l ,moc;5 00 org/g, M =: 1000 org/g SaJmonetla n-=5,c==0,m= ml in 25g Vibrio Cholera n""'5,c=0,m= nilin 25g l 8. l Any licence-holder for the processing offish and fishery products shall abide by this Directive as one oft~e conditions of the licence. 18 .2 On violation ofthe any tenns or conditions of the Directive, criminal action may be taken under Section 4 S of the Myanma Marine Fisheries Law and the licence-holder may be liable to suspension, revocation, tennination and cancellation of the licence under Section 24 of the said Law. · Sdxx SoeWin Director General Department of Fisheries