INSPECTION OF IMPORTED AND EXPORTED FOODSSubmitted by: Fatin Attique And Laraib

shohaib

Exports of Pakistan:Agriculture sector plays an important role in the economy of

Pakistan, as it accounts for a significant percentage of the country's GDP and employs an even larger percentage of the country's workforce.

Pakistan is the best exporter of best quality Basmati Rice, Long Grain Rice, Parboiled Rice, Wheat Flour, Dried Fruits such as Dried Dates, Dried Figs, Dried Apricot, Wall Nuts, Pine Nuts, Raisin, Pistachio and in fresh fruits we export best quality Mangoes like Chonsa, Sindhri, Kinnow (Oranges), Strawberry, Vegetables like Onion, Potato, Tomato etc.

We also export spices like red chilli (Whole / Crushed / Powder), Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds, Turmeric, Ready Curry Spices, Vermicelli etc.

Inspection criteria:

Name of Legislation Administering Department

1. The Pakistan Animal Quarantine (Import and Export of Animal and Animal Products) Ordinance, 1978

AQD

2. The Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act, 1976 DPP

3. The Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking ) Act, 1937

DALPMG

4. The Seed Act, 1976 FSC & RD

5. The Pakistan Fish Inspection and Quality Control Act, 1997

MFD

6. The Exclusive Fisheries Zone (Regulation and Fishing) Act, 1975

MFD

7. No law. NVL

8. No law. GQTL

Future for growth:There has been growing recognition that sanitary and

Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement can impede trade in agricultural and food products. Pakistan, in particular experiences problems in meeting the SPS requirements of developed countries and, it is claimed, this can seriously impede its ability to export agricultural and food products.

Sanitary and phytosanitary agreement for trade:

The SPS agreement concerns the application of sanitary and Phytosanitary measures - in other words food safety and animal and plant health regulations. The agreement recognizes that governments have the right to take sanitary and Phytosanitary measures but that they should be applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health and should not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between members where identical or similar conditions prevail.

Initiatives for improvement:MINFA has initiated a project namely; Special Programme

for Strengthening SPS facilities and Quality Inspection Services in compliance with WTO.

Strengthen SPS Management Capacity through NAPHIS to Regulate Food Safety and agricultural related issues associated with imports.

Ensure coordination between various departments and remove resource and scientific & infrastructural constraints.

Monitor and evaluate workings of affiliated line departments.

Pre-shipment requirements:The following countries currently require or request pre-

shipment inspections:Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi,

Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guinea, India (see note below), Indonesia (see note below), Iran, Kenya (under review), Kuwait (see note below), Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico (see note below), Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uzbekistan.

Inspection of imported food

An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise.

An inspection determines if the material or item is in proper quantity and condition.

Inspection is generally divided into three categories

1. Receiving inspection

2. In-process inspection

3. Final inspection

In quality control, the role of inspection is to verify and validate the variance data.

What is inspection?

it is basically the examination of foods to assure wholesome and clean products free from unsafe microbes or chemical contamination, natural or added deleterious substances, and decomposition during production, processing , packaging etc

What is food inspection?

It is the inspection of those food products which are to bring in from a foreign country for use, sale, processing, re export, or services

Imported food inspection

Safety of imported food

Establishes a plan which aims to ensure sanitation at three stages, namely,

1. in the exporting country,

2. at the time of importation,

3. and in domestic distribution

Promotion of sanitation measures in exporting countries

4. Requesting exporting governments establish sanitation control measures

5. Promotion of stronger control and monitoring systems for agricultural chemicals, etc., and pre-export inspections, through bilateral talks and on-site inspections

Principle of imported food inspection

FDA is increasing the number of routine inspections worldwide of foreign food facilities under the jurisdiction of the FDA that export to the United States (processors/manufacturers, packers/repackers, and holders of foods).

This increase is mandated based on new requirements included in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by the President on January 4, 2011.

FDA is also taking similar efforts with regard to domestic facilities to ensure that the U.S. food supply is safe.

Foreign food facility inspection program:

Foreign food facility inspections are designed to: Identify potential food safety problems before products arrive in the

United States Determine the compliance status of facilities to FDA’s requirements

and food safety standards Help the agency make admissibility decisions when food products

are offered for importation into the United States Help ensure that food products under FDA’s jurisdiction meet U.S.

requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

Foreign food facility design

The Department of Agriculture helps protect Australia's food producers by managing the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering the country.

It also inspects imported food to check it meets Australian requirements for public health and safety and compliance with Australian food standards.

The legal basis for the food safety inspection of imported food is the Imported Food Control Act 1992 and the applicable standards under the Act are those set down in the Code. Under the Act, importers are responsible for ensuring that all food imported into Australia complies with relevant standards in the Code. 

Imported Food Inspection Schemeof Australia

This legislation allows the department to run a food safety inspection program known as the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS). Food is referred for inspection under the IFIS by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Customs) based on internationally agreed tariff codes.

In addition the department's imported food testing, the state and territory jurisdictions also have responsibility for ensuring that all food, including imported food, meets the requirements of the Code at the point of sale. Food failing to meet the requirements of the Code must be re-exported, destroyed, treated where possible or downgraded.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) provides advice to the department on the foods that pose a medium to high risk to public health.

Risk food is referred to the department by Customs at a rate of 100 per cent of consignments. Risk food is initially inspected and tested at a rate of 100 per cent against a published list of potential hazards—including micro-organisms and contaminants. Once five consecutive consignments have passed inspection, the inspection rate is reduced to 25 per cent; after a further 20 consecutive passes, the inspection rate is reduced to 5 per cent

Risk food

Risk foods is subject to 'test and hold' direction and is not released for sale until test results are known.

Consignments of risk food which fail inspection and therefore do not meet Australian standards cannot be imported.

These foods must be brought into compliance otherwise the food will be re-exported or destroyed.

All other foods are considered to pose a low risk to human health and safety and are classified as 'surveillance food'.

Each consignment of surveillance food has a five per cent chance of being referred for inspection to assess its compliance with Australian food standards.

Samples of surveillance food may be analyzed for pesticides and antibiotics above accepted levels, microbiological contaminants, natural toxicants, metal contaminants and food additives

As surveillance food is considered to be low risk, they are subject to a 'test and release' direction and can be distributed for sale before test results have been received

Surveillance food

The process for increasing inspection of surveillance food is referred to as applying a 'holding order'. A holding order remains in place until favorable test results are received.

When a consignment of imported food has been referred for inspection, the inspection will involve

1. a visual/label assessment and

2. may also include sampling the food for the application of analytical tests

There are many standards in the Code, and it is not practicable to inspect against all standards, particularly for low risk food. The department inspects imported food against a selection of standards but not all standards.

What happens during inspection?

Frequency of inspection, sampling and testing of imported foods should be based on the risk to human health and safety presented by

1. the product,

2. its origin

3. the history of conformance to requirements

4. and other relevant information

FREQUENCY OF INSPECTION AND TESTING OF IMPORTED FOOD

Control should be designed to account for factors such as: the risk to human health posed by the product or its packaging; the likelihood of non-compliance with requirements; the target consumer group; the extent and nature of any further processing of the product; food inspection and certification system in the exporting country and

existence of any equivalence, mutual recognition agreements or other trade agreements; and,

history of conformity of producers, processors, manufacturers, exporters, importers and distributors.

The inspection system should be based on Codex sampling plans. In the absence of Codex sampling plans, reference should be made to internationally accepted or scientifically based sampling plans.

Internationally validated standard methods of analysis or methods validated through international protocols should be used where available.

Analysis should be conducted in official or officially accredited laboratories.

Sampling and analysis

Decision criteria should be developed that determine whether consignments are given:

1. acceptance;2. entry if cleared upon inspection or verification of

conformance;3. release of non-conforming product after re-conditioning

and/or corrective measures have been taken;4. rejection notice, with redirecting product for uses other than

human consumption;5. rejection notice, with re-exportation option or return to

country of export option at exporter expense;6. rejection notice with destruction order.

Decisions

Results of inspection and, if required, laboratory analysis, should be carefully interpreted in making decisions relating to acceptance or rejection of a consignment.

When food is rejected because it fails to meet national standards of the importing country but conforms to international standards, the option of withdrawing the rejected consignment should be considered

the list of the products dated january 8, 2015, mostly comprises the food products including beverages, edible oil and confectionary etc which are imported on large scale without any proper inspection.

78 food items need to meet Pakistan standards at the import stage.

A custom clearing agent said they need certification from PSQCA for clearance from customs.

Recently, the Ministry Of Food Security And Research took notice of import of food products containing “haram” ingredient in the country and issued a list of such products advising complete ban on their import.

Karachi: the ministery of commerce, through an amendment in the import policy order2013, has notified78 items which

must meet Pakistan standards at the import stage