Guidelines for milk production

Local dairy factories should register the labels of their products

The Ministry of Agriculture issued a set of regulations concerning activities related to bottling, packing, and displaying milk and dairy products.

The regulations stated that all packaging of milk and dairy products, locally produced and imported, should be labelled with statements indicating all the details involved in the production process.

The decision called the owners of local milk and dairy production factories to register the label statements of their products at the MoA’s department of Animal Resources.

Labels on all milk and dairy products displayed at the local market should indicate the kind of milk used (cow or goat milk), and the treatment methods used in processing it (pasteurized, dried....).

The label should mention the quantity of fat the product contains, such as whole or low-fat. The term ‘zero fat’ must not be used for describing products that contain even the slightest traces of fat.

The label should list the ingredients and additives included in the product, and should display the net weight of the product. It should also include instructions on handling the product (to be refrigerated after opening…).

The label should clearly display the production and expiry dates. The decision stipulated that the labels should mention the name and address of the producer, and the country of origin.

The decision was published in the Official Gazette on December 1. It will be effective within three months (starting February 2012).