Food Act 1983 (Act 281) #
PDF files (Regulations 1985), PDF Format (Act 1983), Schedule 25A (under Regulation)
Relevant Sections that applied to palm oil industries
| Section | Title | Relevance to Palm Oil Mill Products |
|---|---|---|
| Section 3 | Appointment of officers | Powers enforcement officers, including inspection of food processing premises. |
| Section 4 | Powers of authorized officers | Officers can enter, inspect, take samples, and seize products if unsafe. Important for hygiene control at mill. |
| Section 10 | Prohibition against sale of unclean, harmful or adulterated food | Palm oil product must not be toxic, contaminated, or processed in unhygienic conditions. |
| Section 13 | Food containing substances injurious to health | Restricts sale of food containing banned or hazardous residues (e.g. 3-MCPD, glycidol, if relevant to oil refining). |
| Section 14 | Prohibition against import, preparation or advertisement of food that misleads as to its nature | Packaging and claims of palm oil product must be truthful and not misleading. |
| Section 15 | Prohibition against sale not of the nature, substance or quality demanded | CPO or refined oil must meet declared grade/specification. |
| Section 16 | False labelling or advertisement | Labels on palm oil containers must reflect true contents. |
| Section 17 | Standard for food | Products may be required to comply with specific standards or limits for contaminants. |
| Section 18 | Food additives | Restricts use of additives, colourings, preservatives in processed oil. |
| Section 21 | Regulations | Enables the Minister to make detailed rules under the Act, e.g. Food Regulations 1985. |
| Section 23 | Powers to seize food | Allows seizure of palm oil product found to violate the Act (e.g. contaminated or improperly labelled). |
| Section 25 | Offences by body corporate | Holds company management accountable for non-compliance. |
Note:
If the palm oil product is not for human consumption (e.g. biodiesel, soap base), the Act may not apply. But if it is intended for food-grade use (e.g. CPO for edible oil refining), full compliance is mandatory.