FOOD ADULTERATION (METALLIC CONTAMINATION) REGULATIONS

FOOD ADULTERATION (METALLIC CONTAMINATION) REGULATIONS

FOOD ADULTERATION (METALLIC CONTAMINATION)
REGULATIONS

132, section 55(1)
[27 May 1983.]

1. These regulations may be cited as the Food Adulteration
(Metallic Contamination) Regulations.

2. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

'metal' includes chemical compounds of the metal;

'sell' includes offer, or expose for sale or have in possession for the
purpose of sale.

3. (1) No person shall import, consign, deliver, manufacture or sell,
for human consumption,

(a)any food of a description specified in Column B of the First
Schedule which contains any metal specified opposite thereto
in Column A of that Schedule unless such metal is naturally
present in such food in a concentration not greater than that
specified opposite thereto in Column C of that Schedule; or

(b)any food of a description specified in Column B of the Second
Schedule which contains any metal specified opposite thereto
in Column A in greater concentration than is specified
opposite thereto in Column C; or

(c)any food containing any metal in such amount as to be
dangerous or prejudicial to health.

(2) In determining for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) whether an
item of food contains a metal in such amount as to be dangerous or
prejudicial to health, regard shall be had not only to the probable effect
of that item on the health of a person consuming it, but also to the
probable cumulative effect of items of substantially the same
composition on the health of a person consuming such items in
ordinary quantities

4. The Secretary for Municipal Service may, by notice
published in the Gazette, amend the concentrations specified in
Column C of the First and Second Schedules.

5. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of
regulation 3 commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $25,000 and to
imprisonment for 6 months.

6. Without prejudice to the provisions of any other enactment
relating to the prosecution of criminal offences, and without prejudice
to the powers of the Attorney General in relation to the





prosecutions of criminal offences, prosecutions for an offence under
any of the provisions of these regulations may

(a)where the offence was committed in the Urban Council area,
be brought in the name of the Urban Council; and

(b)where the offence was committed in the Regional Council
area, be brought in the name of the Regional Council.

FIRST SCHEDULE [reg. 3.1

MAXIMUM PERMITTED CONCENTRATION OF CERTAIN METALS
NATURALLY
PRESENT IN SPECIFIED FOODS

A B c

Maximum

Metal Description of foodpermitted

concentration in
parts per million
Arsenic Solids being fish and fish products 6
(AS203) Solids being shellfish and shellfish products 10

SECOND SCHEDULE [reg. 3.1

MAXIMUM PERMITTED CONCENTRATION OF CERTAIN
METALS
PRESENT IN SPECIFIED FOODS

A B c
Maximum

Metal Description of food permitted

concentration in
parts per
million
Antimony Cereals and vegetables 1
(Sb) Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps 1
Meat of animal and poultry 1
Arsenic Solids other than- (i) fish
and fish products; and
(ii) shellfish and shellfish products 1.4
All food in liquid form 0.14
Cadmium Cereals and vegetables 0.1
(Cd) Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps 2
Meat of animal and poultry 0.2
Chromium Cereals and vegetables 1
(Cr) Fish, crab-meat, oysters, prawns and shrimps 1
Meat of animal and poultry 1
Lead All food in solid form 6
(Pb) All food in liquid form 1
Mercury All food in solid form 0.5
(Hg) All food in liquid form 0.5
Tin All food in solid form 230
(Sn) All food in liquid form 230

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