Pure Food Standards

The Pure Food Standards (Chapter No. 233) establish the technical specifications and quality requirements for food products intended for sale and human consumption in the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. Issued as subsidiary legislation under the Pure Food Act, the primary objective of these standards is to prescribe mandatory parameters for the composition, strength, and purity of food. The instrument aims to protect public health and prevent consumer deception by ensuring that food products meet specific nutritional and safety criteria.
The standards provide detailed regulations on food additives and substances. They define and set limits for the use of preservatives, such as sulphur dioxide and benzoic acid, as well as antioxidants, artificial sweetening substances (including saccharin and cyclamates), and food colourings. Furthermore, the instrument establishes maximum permissible concentrations for toxic substances, specifically poisonous metals like lead, arsenic, tin, and mercury, across a comprehensive range of food categories.
Specific sections address diverse food commodities, including products from the livestock and fisheries sectors. For livestock, the standards regulate the composition of normal milk, skimmed milk, condensed milk, cream, butter, cheese, and various meat products such as minced meat and sausages, specifying minimum fat and maximum moisture content. For fisheries, it defines quality standards for fresh and processed fish, as well as shellfish like oysters. Additionally, the instrument covers nutrition and special dietary needs, setting requirements for infant foods, invalids' food, and dietetic products suitable for persons suffering from Diabetes mellitus.
The Regulation also prescribes extensive packaging and labelling requirements. These include mandatory declarations of ingredients, the proportion of specific substances in mixed foods, and the net weight or volume of the contents. Procedural aspects are addressed through technical Schedules that outline the standardized methods for laboratory analysis, such as the determination of bacterial counts, chemical residues, and total solids, to verify compliance with the established standards.