Chemical preservatives
19.—(1)  In these Regulations, “chemical preservative” means any substance which is capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of fermentation, acidification or other deterioration of food caused by micro-organisms.
(2)  Chemical preservatives shall be divided into the following classes:
(a)Class I chemical preservatives shall be —
(i)common salt;
(ii)sugars;
(iii)vinegar or acetic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, or propionic acid or the calcium, potassium or sodium salts of any of the acids specified in this sub-paragraph; and
[S 59/2019 wef 01/02/2019]
(iv)ethyl alcohol or potable spirits;
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
(b)Class II chemical preservatives shall be —
Substance.
Descriptive Name.
Descriptive No.
(i)Sulphur dioxide, sulphurous acid or any of its sodium, potassium or calcium salts
Sulphur dioxide
1
(ii)Benzoic acid and its sodium and potassium salts
Benzoic acid
2
(iii)Methyl para-hydroxy-benzoate and its sodium salt
Methyl para-hydroxy-benzoate
3
(iv)Sorbic acid and its sodium, potassium or calcium salts
Sorbic acid
4
(v)[Deleted by S 59/2019 wef 01/02/2019]
 
(vi)Nitrites of sodium or potassium
Nitrites
5
(vii)Nitrates of sodium or potassium
Nitrates
6;
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
[S 146/2018 wef 28/03/2018]
[S 59/2019 wef 01/02/2019]
(c)Class III chemical preservative shall be dimethyl dicarbonate; and
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
(d)Class IV chemical preservative must be nisin.
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
(3)  (a)  The additions of any Class I chemical preservatives in any food in any proportion is not restricted.
(b)No person shall import, sell, advertise, manufacture, consign or deliver any article of food which contains a Class II chemical preservative, except that —
(i)any specified food may contain one of the Class II chemical preservatives in the proportion specified in Part I of the Fourth Schedule except as provided in sub-paragraph (ii); and
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
(ii)any specified food in relation to which 2 or more Class II chemical preservatives are specified in the Fourth Schedule may contain an admixture of those chemical preservatives if, when the quantity of each such chemical preservative present in that food is expressed as a percentage of the maximum quantity of that chemical preservative appropriate to that food in accordance with Part I of that Schedule, the sum of those percentages does not exceed 100.
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
(c)No person shall import, sell, advertise, manufacture, consign or deliver any article of food to which a Class III chemical preservative has been added, except that a Class III chemical preservative may be added to any food, and in such proportion, specified in Part II of the Fourth Schedule.
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
(d)A person must not import, sell, advertise, manufacture, consign or deliver any article of food to which a Class IV chemical preservative has been added, except that a Class IV chemical preservative may be added in the preservation of liquid egg products, liquid egg analogues, cheese and canned foods that have been sufficiently heat processed to destroy spores of Clostridium botulinum.
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
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Last updated 25 Apr 2024
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