3. Compositional Aspects

General Foods
Malaysia

This section provides the compositional requirements for the food category and/or food products in scope and information on permitted nutrients, ingredients, and additives.

3.1 Composition Requirements

There are no requirements for composition that generally apply to General Foods. Requirements for compositions of specific foods are covered in "Part VIII - Standards and Particular Labeling Requirements for Food" Malaysia Food Regulations (Regulations 42 to 393A), and Regulation 395 for Food not elsewhere standardized [1].

Food groups for which standards are prescribed include:

• Cereal, Cereal Product, Starch, and Bread
• Malt and Malt Extract
• Food Aerating Substance
• Milk and Milk Products
• Sweetening Substance
• Confection
• Meat and Meat Products
• Fish and Fish Products
• Egg and Egg Product
• Clean Edible Bird's Nest and Edible Bird's Nest Product
• Edible Fat and Edible Oil
• Vegetable and Vegetable Product
• Soup and Soup Stock
• Fruit and Fruit Product
• Jam, Fruit Jelly, Marmalade and Seri Kaya
• Nut and Nut Products
• Tea, Coffee, Chicory, and Related Product
• Cocoa and Cocoa Products
• Milk Shake
• Salt and Spice
• Vinegar, Sauce, Chutney and Pickle
• Soft Drink
• Natural Mineral water
• Packaged Drinking water
• Alcoholic Beverage
• Shandy
• Special Purpose Food

3.2 Raw Material Requirements

There are no requirements for raw materials that apply to General Foods. Requirements for raw materials of specific foods are covered in "Part VIII Standards and Particular Labeling Requirements for Food" of the Malaysia Food Regulations (Regulations 42 to 393A) [1].

Refer to Section 3.2 of specific category or product Guidebooks for category or product-specific requirements.

3.3 Fortification

Provisions related to added nutrients are covered by Regulation 26 or Malaysia Food Regulations [1]. 

Except as otherwise provided by specific regulations, permitted added nutrients may be added to any food. “Added nutrient” includes any mineral, vitamin, amino acid, fatty acid, nucleotide, or other food components that, when added singly or in combination with food, improve the nutritional value of the food. Permitted added nutrients are specified in Table I of the Twelfth Schedule or with prior written approval of the Director of Food Safety and Quality Division.

Prohibitions: 

• No person shall sell any food to which added nutrients other than a permitted added nutrient have been added. 
• No person shall import, manufacture, or advertise for sale or sell, as suitable for use in food, any added nutrient other than a permitted added nutrient.  
• No food shall contain vitamins and minerals in an amount that exceeds the amount specified in Table III of the Twelfth Schedule.

Labeling of added nutrients: 

• There shall be written on the label of a package of food containing Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the words “NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PREGNANT AND LACTATING MOTHER".
• No label on a package containing any food shall bear any permitted claims as specified in column (1) of Table V of the Fifth A Schedule unless the food in the package meets the conditions as specified in column (3) of Table V of the Schedule.
• There shall be written on the label of a package of food other than infant formula, follow-up formula, and formulated milk powder for children containing vitamin K, the words “CONTAINS VITAMIN K, PERSONS TAKING WARFARIN SHALL SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE BEFORE CONSUMING THIS PRODUCT”.

3.4 Other Permitted Ingredients

Except as otherwise provided in these Regulations, foods can be fortified with permitted probiotic cultures [1].

According to Regulations 26A, “probiotic culture” means live microorganisms which when administered in adequate numbers confer health benefits on the host.

Permitted probiotic cultures are ones specified in the Twelfth A Schedule or with prior written approval of the Director. 

The probiotic cultures added shall remain viable and the viable probiotic count shall not be less than 10⁶ cfu/ml or cfu/g during the shelf life of such food. 

The probiotic cultures shall not contain transmissible antibiotic-resistant genes. 

Labeling product with added probiotic cultures: 

There shall be written on the label of a package of food to which probiotic cultures have been added, the following items: 

• The words “CONTAINS (state quantity) OF PROBIOTIC CULTURES”. 
• The specification of genus, species, and strain of the probiotic cultures. 
• The direction for storage before and after the package is opened.

Where the media used for propagation and maintenance of the probiotic cultures are derived from animals, the common name of such animal shall be stated on the label of that food by using the words “MEDIA USED FOR PROPAGATION OF PROBIOTIC CULTURES DERIVED FROM (the common name of such animal)”. 

There may be written on the label of a package of food to which probiotic cultures have been added, the words “Probiotic cultures help in improving intestinal or gut function” or any other words of similar meaning.

3.5 Permitted Additives

Provisions on food additives are specified by Regulations 19 to 20A and Regulations 23 to 25 of the Malaysia Food Regulations 1985 [1]. 

“Food additive” means any substance that is intentionally introduced into or on a food in small quantities in order to affect the food’s keeping quality, texture, consistency, appearance, odor, taste, alkalinity, or acidity, or to serve any other technological function in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport, or storage of the food, and that results or may be reasonably expected to result directly or indirectly in the substance or any of its by-products becoming a component of, or otherwise affecting the characteristics of, the food, and includes any preservative, coloring substance, flavoring substance, flavor enhancer, antioxidant, and food conditioner, but shall not include nutrient supplement, incidental constituent or salt. 

Prohibitions: 

No person shall import, manufacture, advertise for sale or sell or introduce into or on any food:

• Any food additive other than a permitted food additive; 
• Any permitted food additive that does not comply with— 
  • The standard prescribed in these regulations; 
  • The Codex Alimentarius; or
• Any food additive other than food additive that has been approved by the director in writing. 

Permission for use of additives: 

The addition of food additives to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by these Regulations, permitted under the Codex Alimentarius, or with prior written approval of the Director. 

A reference in these Regulations to the addition or use of “other food” in the composition of food for which a standard is prescribed in these Regulations shall not be construed as permission for the use of food additives.

No person shall introduce into or on a food any food additive in such a manner as to conceal any damage to or any inferiority in the quality of that food. 

Notwithstanding anything in these Regulations, except sub-regulation 389(5), a food additive may be present in any food where:

• The additive is permitted by these Regulations to be in any ingredient used in the manufacture of the food; 
• The proportion of the additive in any such ingredient does not exceed the maximum proportion if any, permitted by these Regulations for that ingredient; 
• The total proportion of the additive in the final product does not exceed the maximum proportion, if any, permitted by Malaysia Food Regulations for that product; 
• The food into which the additive is carried over does not contain the additive in a greater quantity than would be the case if the food were made under proper technological conditions and in accordance with sound manufacturing practice; 
• The additive carried over is present in the food at a level that is significantly less than that normally required for the additive to achieve an efficient technological function in its own right. 

Preservatives

“Preservative” means any substance that, when added to food, is capable of inhibiting, retarding, or arresting the process of decomposition, fermentation, or acidification of such food or of masking any of the evidence of putrefaction but shall not include herb, spice, vinegar or wood smoke. 

Permitted preservatives are the substances specified in the headings of columns (2) to (4) of Table I, and the substances specified in column (2) of Table II of the Sixth Schedule of Malaysia Food Regulations.

Permissions on the use of preservatives: 

The addition of preservatives to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by specific Regulations. 

Where otherwise permitted by these Regulations: 

• The preservatives set out in the headings to columns (2) to (4) of Table I to the Sixth Schedule may be added to the foods specified in column (1) thereof in proportions not greater than the maximum permitted proportions specified opposite those foods in the columns thereof applicable to the preservatives; 
• The preservatives specified in column (2) of Table II of the Sixth Schedule may be added to the foods specified opposite thereto in column (1) of the said Table: provided that where the use of more than one of such preservative is permitted by these Regulations, the amount of each shall be such that when expressed as a percentage of the amount permitted singly, the sum of the several percentages does not exceed one hundred. 

Where a food preparation contains as an ingredient, any of the food specified in the Sixth Schedule, the amount of the preservative permitted in such food preparation shall be such that when expressed as a percentage of the amount permitted for that ingredient as specified in the Sixth Schedule, this percentage shall not exceed the percentage of that ingredient present in the food preparation. 

Labeling foods containing sulfite or sulfur dioxide as a food preservative:

Where sulfite or sulfur dioxide has been added and the amount of sulfite or sulfur dioxide as a permitted preservative is more than 10 mg/kg, there shall be written on the label the words “contains sulfur dioxide”.

Antimicrobial Agent:

"Antimicrobial agent” means any substance used to preserve food by preventing the growth of microorganisms and subsequent spoilage, including fungistats, mold, and rope inhibitors, or to sterilize polymeric food-contact surfaces. 

Permitted antimicrobial agents are the substances specified in the heading in column (2) of Table 1 of the Sixth (A) Schedule. 

Permission for the use of antimicrobial agents: 

The addition of antimicrobial agents to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by these Regulations. 

Where otherwise permitted by these Regulations, the antimicrobial agent set out in the heading to column (2) of Table 1 to the Sixth (A) Schedule may be added to the foods specified in column (1) thereof in proportions not greater than the maximum permitted proportions specified opposite those foods in the column thereof applicable to the antimicrobial agent.

Nisin may be used in the preservation of cheese and canned foods that have been sufficiently heat-processed to destroy spores of Clostridium botulinum.

Flavor enhancer: 

“Flavor enhancer” means any substance that, when added to food, is capable of enhancing or improving the flavor of that food. 

Permitted flavor enhancers are the substances specified in the Ninth Schedule. 

Permission for the use of flavor enhancers: 

The addition of flavor enhancers to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by the specific Regulations.  

Antioxidant: 

“Antioxidant” means any substance that when added to food, is capable of delaying or retarding the development in food of rancidity or other deterioration due to oxidation. 

Permitted antioxidants are the substances specified in the headings of columns (2) to (11) of the Tenth Schedule. 

Permission for the use of antioxidants: 

The addition of antioxidants to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by specific Regulations. 

Where otherwise permitted by these Regulations, the antioxidants set out in the headings to columns (2) to (11) of the Table of the Tenth Schedule may be added to the foods specified in column (1) thereof in proportions not greater than the maximum permitted proportions specified opposite those foods in columns thereof applicable to the antioxidants: provided that where the use of more than one such antioxidant is permitted by these Regulations, the amount of each shall be such that, when expressed as a percentage of the amount permitted singly, the sum of the several percentages does not exceed one hundred. 

Where a food preparation contains as an ingredient, any of the food specified in the Tenth Schedule, the amount of antioxidant permitted in such food preparation shall be such that when expressed as a percentage of the amount permitted for that ingredient as specified in the Tenth Schedule, this percentage shall not exceed the percentage of that ingredient present in the food preparation.

Food conditioner: 

“Food conditioner” means any substance that is added to food for a technological purpose to obtain the desired food and includes emulsifiers, antifoaming, agents, stabilizers, thickeners, modified starches, gelling agents, acidity regulators, enzymes, solvents, glazing agents and anticaking agents, but shall not include preservative, coloring substance, flavoring substance, flavor enhancer and antioxidant. 

Permitted food conditioners are the substances specified in Table I and in column (2) of Table II of the Eleventh Schedule and shall be the permitted food conditioners within the meaning and for the purposes of these Regulations. 

Permission for the use of food conditioners: 

The addition of food conditioner to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by the specific Regulations. 

Where the addition of food conditioner to food is permitted by these Regulations, only the food conditioner specified in Table I to the Eleventh Schedule may be added to such food: Provided that the food conditioner specified in column (2) of Table II to the Eleventh Schedule may also be added to the food specified opposite thereto in column (1) of the said Table. 

Labeling foods containing food conditioners: 

Where any food is added with polydextrose, there shall be written on the label of a package containing such food the words “Sensitive individuals may experience a laxative effect from the excessive consumption of food containing polydextrose". 

3.6 Permitted Flavors and Colors 

Food Colors and Flavors are regulated by Regulations 21 and 22 respectively of the Malaysia Food Regulations 1985 [1].

Coloring substance

"Coloring substances" means any substance that, when added to food, is capable of imparting color to that food and includes coloring preparation. Permitted coloring substances (the ones specified in Table I and Table II of the Seventh Schedule) shall be the permitted coloring substances within the meaning and for the purposes of these Regulations. 

"Coloring preparation" means a product prepared by admixing one or more permitted coloring substances with permitted diluents. Coloring preparations shall contain not less than 4 percent of the permitted coloring substance. The liquid form of coloring preparation may contain benzoic acid as a permitted preservative in a proportion not exceeding 400 mg/kg and acidity regulators as permitted food conditioners.

"Diluent" means any component of coloring preparation that is not itself a coloring substance and has been intentionally mixed therein to facilitate the use of the mixture in coloring foods. Only the substances specified in Table III of the Seventh Schedule shall be the permitted diluent. 

Permission for the use of coloring substances:

The addition of coloring substances to food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by the specific Regulations.

There is no prohibition for the sale of fish, meat, cheese, egg, vegetable, fruit, or nut that bear markings that have been applied for the purpose of identification or grading to the food in its raw or original form, or on a portion of the food normally eaten if such marking:

• are composed of permitted coloring substances, with or without other permitted food additives or harmless diluents; 
• contrast strongly with their background; 
• do not cover a substantial area of the original surface to which they were applied; and 
• have not penetrated the underlying part of the food to any noticeable degree.

Labeling foods containing coloring substances: 

Every package containing coloring substance imported, manufactured advertised for sale, or sold or intended to be used for coloring food shall in addition to the requirements of sub regulations 19(6) be labeled with:

• In the case of synthetic dye or coloring preparation containing synthetic dye, the color index number specified in relation to the coloring substance in column 3 of Table I to the Seventh Schedule; and
• In the case of coloring preparation, the common name, and the total percentage proportion, of the coloring substance present in the preparation.

Flavoring substance

“Flavoring substance” means any chemically defined substance with flavoring properties either formed by chemical synthesis or obtained from materials of plant or animal origin. 

“Natural flavoring substance” means any flavoring substance obtained by physical processes that may result in unavoidable but unintentional changes in the chemical structure of the components of the flavoring, or by enzymatic or microbiological processes from a material of plant or animal origin and is not synthetic flavoring substance or any flavoring substance formed by chemical synthesis. 

Permitted flavoring substances are as follows: 

Substances that are listed in at least one of the following publications: 

• Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) Flavoring Substances published by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) contained in the Food Technology, a publication of the Institute of Food Technologists; or 
  
• Flavorings, List of Codex Specifications for Food Additives (CAC/MISC 6); or 
  
• Natural flavoring substance either in its raw state or after processing by traditional preparation processes including drying, roasting, and fermentation.  

Permission for the use of flavoring substances

The addition of flavoring substance into food is prohibited except as otherwise permitted by these Regulations. 

The addition of flavoring substances specified in Table I of the Eighth Schedule into food is prohibited. 

The maximum permitted proportion of certain natural toxicants resulting from the addition of natural flavoring substances into food is specified in Table II of the Eighth Schedule: provided that where more than one of such natural toxicants are present, the amount of each shall be, such that when expressed as a percentage of the amount permitted singly, the sum of the several percentages which does not exceed one hundred. 

Preparation of permitted flavoring substance may contain permitted preservatives, permitted antioxidants, and permitted food conditioner.

3.7 Permitted Processing Aids 

Requirements for Processing Aids are specified by Regulation 19A Malaysia Food Regulations 1985 [1]. 

"Processing aid" is defined by Regulation 19A as any substance that is used in the processing of raw materials, foods, or ingredients, to fulfill a technological purpose relating to treatment or processing but does not perform a technological function in the final food product and may result in an unavoidable presence of residues in the final food product. 

Malaysia has not yet issued a positive list of permitted processing aids. Regulation 19A requires that substances used as processing aids shall conform to the Guidelines on Substances used as Processing Aids, (CAC/GL 75) [1,2].

3.8 Additional Notes 

None.

3.9 References

1. The Malaysian Food Regulations 1985 and its Schedules 

https://hq.moh.gov.my/fsq/peraturanperaturan-makanan-1985

2. Codex Guidelines on Substances used as Processing Aids (CXG 75-2010)

https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXG%2B75-2010%252FCXG_075e.pdf