Food Safety & Quality Assurance
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Purpose
Our purpose is to regulate the quality and food safety of certain agricultural products in terms of Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990), and to control the production, sale, import and export of certain alcoholic products in terms of the Liquor Products Act, 1989 (Act 60 of 1989) and for matters connected therewith.
Sub-Directorate Agricultural Product Quality Assurance
Mission
The mission of the Sub-directorate Agricultural Product Quality Assurance is to standardised quality norms for agricultural and related products by establishing the criteria for such norms and distributing the information to all interested parties. These criteria may include the quality, packaging, marking and labelling as well as the chemical composition and microbiological contaminants of the products. These norms are validated by publication in the Government Gazette under the Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990). The norms are based on the specific needs of the South African market and are usually harmonised with international standards.
Standardization
Standardisation is an objective approach towards establishing effective and practical quality norms. The advantages of standardisation are that product classification and/or grading encourages consumer confidence and brings about greater market transparency. The trade is able to purchase specified quality products over time and distance, which eliminates the need for the inspection of each lot or consignment. Similarly, the consumer can expect a product of consistent quality when purchasing a specific grade or class. In this way a situation is created on local markets where South African products can compete on an equal footing with overseas products and can also be marketed more competitively. It is important to note that imported products must conform to the same standards as those set for locally produced products.
Aim of the regulations
The aim of the regulations administered by this Sub-directorate is thus to, through correctly applied quality standards, provide the consumer with products of consistent quality. The criteria used depend on the type of product. The colour of an apple, the purity of a fruit juice, the composition of cheese, the ingredients of a canned product and the fat content of a carcass are just a few examples of the quality factors. Classification and grading may be based on a number of measurable factors which are considered together.
Marking requirements
Prescribed marking requirements in the regulations are used to provide the consumer with accurate and relevant information on a product, so as to allow an informed and personal choice to be made. For example, less obvious characteristics are described by the use of specific terms, e.g. full-fat yoghurt vs. low-fat yoghurt, class A meat (tender) vs. class B or C meat (less tender), pure orange juice (min. 90% juice) vs. orange nectar (min. 50% juice), orange drink (min. 6% juice) or flavoured orange drink (less than 6% juice) and real vinegar vs. imitation vinegar (acetic acid).
Enforcement
The Directorate appoints assignees to undertake inspections at the point of sale, manufacture, packing or export to ensure that the set standards and requirements are maintained and that the benefits of classification, grading and marking reach the consumer.
Appointed assignees documents:
Documents related to assignees functions (Click here)
Standards Operating Procedure - Risk Profiling
- The Perishable Products Export Control Board: ( for all agricultural products intended for export)
Contacts: Head Office
Tel +27 21 930 1134
Fax +27 21 939 6868
45 Silwerboom Avenue, Plattekloof, 7500
www.ppecb.com - Local Market inspections assignees:
South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC)
Responsible for meat classification (Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs)Product Control for Agriculture (PROKON)
Responsible for:
Potatoes and Fresh fruit and vegetables: Fruits: Apples, Apricots, avocados, bananas, citrus, litchis, pears, plums and prunes, peaches and nectarines, pineapples, table grapes, other unspecified fruits for which regulations may be promulgated Vegetables: Garlic, onions and shallots, tomatoes, vegetables (Artichokes, asparagus, aubergines/egg plant, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternuts, cabbages, carrots, capsicums/sweet peppers, cauliflower, celery, chillies, chinese cabbage, courgettes/baby marrows, cucumber, endives, fennel, gem squash, ginger, green beans, green onions, green peas, horse radish, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, parsley, parsnips, pumpkins, radish, rhubarb, scorzonera, spinach, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, turnips, witloof/ chicory, unspecified vegetables)Agency for Food Safety (AFS/Q)
Responsible for:
Regulated animal products, (poultry meat, eggs, processed meat as well as any other meat and meat products for which regulations may be promulgated)Leaf Services
Not active yet.
Responsible for:
Grain and grain products: Canola, dry beans, groundnuts, maize, maize products, malting barley, rice, sorghum, soya beans, sunflower seeds, wheat (bread wheat, soft wheat, and durum wheat), wheat products as well as other grains and grain products for which regulations may be promulgated - Appointment of assignees Notice no 345 of 2016(Click here)
Web: http://www.leafservices.co.za/ - Appointment of assignees Notice no 7 of 2017 (Click here)
Web: http://afsq.co.za/home/
Contacts (Click here) - Appointment for potatoes (Click here)
Appointment for fruit and vegetables (Click here)
Web: http://www.prokonsa.co.za/
Contacts (Click here) - Appointment of meat (Click here)
Web: http://samic.co.za/
Contacts (Click here)
Revoked Assignees
National Analytical Services
Acts and Legislation