Regulatory Updates

Distribution date: 24 February 1998

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is revising its policy regarding Agency approval of non-food compounds and proprietary substances prior to use in official meat and poultry establishments. The compounds and substances currently subject to prior approval include maintenance and operating chemicals (sanitizers, cleaning compounds, water treatments, lubricants, and pesticides) and proprietary food processing chemicals (branding inks, scalding agents, rendering agents, and denaturants). FSIS recently proposed to eliminate the sanitation regulations requiring prior approval for some of these compounds and substances (contained in 9 CFR Parts 308 and 381, Sub-part H). FSIS now is announcing that it is eliminating the prior approval system for all-non-food compounds and proprietary substances and specifically requests comment on alternatives to the current prior approval system.

Products Covered: Meat and poultry establishments

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 07 January 1998

The Technical Regulation establishes technical specifications for drinking water.

Products Covered: 2201.90.00

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 15 December 1997

This schedule of amendment to the Food and Drug Regulations proposes that: (1) the current voluntary fortification of flour and enriched pasta with folic acid be changed to a mandatory requirement; and (s) the Canadian levels of nutrient addition to flour and enriched pasta be harmonized with those of the United States.Folic AcidRecent research has demonstrated that there is a relationship between an increased intake of the B vitamin, folic acid, by women for a few weeks before and after conception, and a reduced risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida in newborn infants. Consequently, on December 25, 1996, regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, which provided for the optional addition of folic acid to flour at a maximum level of 0.15 milligram per 100 grams and to pasta at a maximum level of 0.27 milligram per 100 grams.The optimal level of folic acid fortification for preventing NTDs is as yet unknown. The United States has chosen levels that are considered to be safe for long term consumption by all segments of the population and that will improve dietary folic acid intakes of women who could become pregnant. The Department of Health believes it is in the interest of public health to harmonize with the United States (U.S.) levels and

Products Covered: Folic acid

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 18 November 1997

The Regulation lays down that the prohibition of the 1997 Decree on the use of sera and vaccines to treat animals with live vaccines shall not apply to the following three animal diseases: Newcastle disease, anthrax and Aujeszky's disease (Section 2).The Regulation also lists the vaccines that are allowed to treat animals for Newcastle disease, anthrax and Aujeszky's disease (Section 3).Finally, Utrecht University and the DLO Research Institute for Animal Husbandry and Animal Health are exempted from the 1997 Decree on the use of sera and vaccines in the interest of scientific experiments. This is on condition that the sera and vaccines use of which principle is not allowed shall not be brought outside the premises of the institutes referred to.

Products Covered: Veterinary medicinal products

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 18 November 1997

To efficiently control animal diseases it may be necessary to make the use of a vaccine of a specific brand obligatory, for example because the brand is prepared using specific strains or because it has specific immunising abilities, Inoculation against a specific disease would then only be allowed with this particular vaccine.The Regulation contains specific criteria to be met by vaccines against Aujeszky's disease. It is important that with the help of laboratory methods the antibodies produced by Aujeszky vaccines can be distinguished from the antibodies produced after infection with Aujeszky's disease. This is why the Regulation lays down requirements for the examination of the antibodies produced by Aujeszky vaccines and the laboratory results they shall present (Sections 2 and 3).

Products Covered: Veterinary medicinal products

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 18 November 1997

The Decree contains a prohibition to treat animals with live vaccines for contagious animal diseases without exemption granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries (Section 2). Exemption shall only be granted for treatment with vaccines to be designated by the Minister. The prohibition shall not apply to the treatment of animals with a live vaccine designated by the Minister for animal diseases designated by the Minister (Section 2, fourth paragraph).The Decree also contains a prohibition to treat animals for specified animal diseases with inactivated vaccines and sera unless the Minister has allowed the use of specified inactivated vaccines and sera by an exemption (Section 3).Finally, the Decree provides specific criteria to be met by vaccines against Aujeszky's diseases (Section 5).

Products Covered: Veterinary medicinal products (8 pages)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 18 November 1997

The Food and Drug Administration, as directed by the Animal Drug Availability Act of 1996 (ADAA), is proposing to amend its new animal drug regulations to further define the term "substantial evidence". The purpose of this proposed regulation is to encourage the submission of new animal drug applications (NADA's) and supplemental NADA's for single ingredient and combination new animal drugs. The proposal also encourages dose range labelling.

Products Covered: Animal drugs

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 29 October 1997

The following organs or tissues may not be used for human food, animal feed, production of drugs;(a)brains, spinal cords, eyes, tonsils, thymus, spleens and intestines from bovines over 6 months;(b)brains, spinal cords, eyes, tonsils, thymus, and intestines from ovines and caprines over 6 months;(c)spleens of ovines and caprines regardless of their age.Heads and vertebrate columns of bovines, ovines and caprines of any age may not be used for the production of mechanically deboned meat.Mammalian fat to be used for the production of animal feed must be heat treated (133(C/20 min.).Mammalian bones to be used for the production of animal feed must be heat treated (133(C/3 bar/20 min.).

Products Covered: 0202, 0511, 1601, 1602, 2309, Chapter 30

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 29 October 1997

The proposed Draft Regulations apply to all raw and/or pasteurized cow's milk produced, manufactured, packaged, labelled, stored, transported, displayed, distributed, sold or traded in Botswana. The Regulations further lay out the provisions concerning: the issuance of permits; inspection of dairy farms and milk plants; sampling procedures; physical, chemical and microbiological requirements for raw and pasteurized milk; plants sanitation facilities and equipment.

Products Covered: Raw and pasteurized cow's milk

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 06 October 1997

Conditions to be met by countries in order to export animal blood, serum and plasma for use in vitro to Chile.

Products Covered: Animal blood, serum and plasma for use in vitro

Regulation Type: Regular notification