Market Information
Southeast Asia

Guidelines on Food Importation Importation for Brunei Darussalam

Canadian High Commission Brunei
2006

INTRODUCTION:

In ensuring food imported and distributed in Brunei is safe and of the quality required, food traders and importers are required to comply with the Public Health (Food) Act, 1998 and Public Health (Food) Regulations, 2000 besides meeting the food import requirement.

The Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health is one of the agencies responsible in controlling the importation of food into the country.

As preliminary step in controlling food imported into Brunei, health endorsement on Custom Declaration Forms is required. This is to monitor and strengthened the control measure in ensuring the safety and quality of food available.

As laid down under Section 9, of the Public Health (Food) Act, 1998, it is an offence to import, distribute, sale and advertise food that does not comply with the regulations.

FOOD LABELLING REQUIREMENT

Pre-packed foods sold and distributed including imported are required to comply with labelling requirements as laid down under Regulation 9, Public Health (Food) Regulation, 2000.

Information on food label is required to be labelled in a prominent and conspicuous position on the package. Language to be used on the label should be in Malay or English or translation to either one of these languages.

Generally, the particulars of the labelling requirement shall include:

• Name of food;
• List of ingredient and its source (including additive);
• Net weight/ volume;
• Date marking;
• Storage instruction;
• Name of the country of origin; and
• Name and address of the local importer for imported food/ name and address of the manufacturer/ packer in the case of a food of local origin.

REGISTRATION OF FOOD

Under Regulation 19 of the Public Health (Food) Regulations, 2000, no persons shall import any food requiring date marking that has no been registered with the Director General of Health, Brunei Ministry of Health, prior to importation.

Local importers are required to fill in the food registration form by providing the following details:

• Type of food;
• Food brand;
• Name and address of the food manufacturer/ producer;
• Date marking such as expiry date, best before, packed on and etc; and
• Name and address of the food importer

The said form can be obtained from the Food Safety and Quality Control Division, Department of Health Services.

Registration Letter will be issued within 5 to 7 working days from date of application received provided that all the required details are furnished. This registration is subject to conditions applied within.

LICENSE FOR ARTIFICIAL SWEETENING

Artificial sweetening substance is a chemical compound used for the purpose of sweetening food but does not include any sugar or other carbohydrate or polyhydric alcohols. The permitted artificial sweetening agents are:

1. Saccharin
2. Sodium saccharin and
3. Aspartame

Under Regulation 23 of the Public Health (Food) Regulations, 2000, no persons shall import such substance or food containing artificial sweetener except under license issued by the Director General of Health Services.

Application of License

• Application for a license can be made by writing to the Food Safety and Quality Control Division, Department of Health Services.
• There is a minimal fee of CND 75.00 (B$100).
• The license will be issued within 1 to 2 working days.
• The license is valid for a year.

LICENSE FOR IRRADIATED FOOD

Irradiated food is defined as food which has been exposed to ionizing radiation.

The importation or sale of food which has been exposed to ionizing radiation is prohibited except under license issued by the Director General of Health Services and subject to these conditions:

1. Such ionizing radiation has been conducted in accordance with the CODEX Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities Used for Treatment of Foods; and
2. Irradiated food meets the CODEX General Standards for Irradiated Foods

Application of license

• Application for a license can be made by writing to the Food Safety and Quality Control Division, Department of Health Services by providing details of the irradiated products.
• No fees.
• The license will be issued within 1 to 2 working days.
• The license is valid for six months.

ENDORSEMENT OF CUSTOM DECLARATION FORMS

Importers are required to furnish their Custom Declaration Forms together with import requirement documents to the Food Safety and Quality Control Division for health endorsement at least five (5) working days prior to the arrival of food into this country.

Documentations required are as follows:

• Copy of invoice;
• Copy of Registration Letter for imported food requiring date marking;
• Copy of import license for artificial sweetener/ food containing artificial sweetener/ irradiated food;
• Copy of manufacturing/ premise license issued by relevant authorities that monitors the hygiene and sanitation of the food establishment from the country of origin or HACCP/ GMP/ GHP Certificate;
• Copy of Health Certificate or a Free Sale/ equivalent issued either by relevant authorities/ laboratory report from accredited laboratories

Additional Documentations

• Copy of laboratory report on 3-Monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) for soy sauce/ oyster sauce products
• Copy of laboratory report on caffeine contents for energy drinks
• Copy of certificate on beef products from the country of origin certifying free from Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis or Mad Cow Disease
• Copy of certificate on Belgian milk and milk products certifying the status of dioxin
• Copy of certificate on milk and milk products from European Countries certifying free from radioactive
• Copy of certificate on fish and fish products certifying free from nitrofurans and chloramphenicol
• Copy of certificate on pork meat certifying free from Japanese Encephalitis

Alternative Arrangement

For those importers who are unable to provide Health Certificate/ laboratory report, they are required to send their product samples to the Department of Scientific Services, Ministry of Health, Jalan Menteri Besar, Brunei Darussalam for laboratory analysis at own cost.

An undertaking letter on not to sell/ distribute/ use the food products until the laboratory analysis result found to be satisfactory must be forwarded to the Food Safety and Quality Control Division for further approval.

TRADE SAMPLE

Food imported for trade sample does not require to be registered. However, approval for this purpose must be obtained from the Food Safety and Quality Control Division with a letter informing that the food is for trade sample.

The quantity of food must not be more than 0.5Kg or more than B$100.00 in amount. If the quantity exceeds, importers are required to comply with the import requirements procedure and the Public Health (Food) Act, 1998 and its Regulations.