The legal dispensation regarding labelling forms a complex regulatory framework that can be difficult to navigate and sometimes, whether intentionally or not, allows for some difficulties in interpretation. However compliance with the requirements of labelling regulations remains a non-negotiable issue and may lead to unnecessary costs if not properly attended to.
In a bid to assist dairy industry members in this regard the Dairy Standard Agency’s Guide to Dairy Product Labelling in South Africa has been developed. The purpose of this electronic tool is to provide a user friendly and integrated platform for the interpretation of the labelling requirements regarding food safety, product composition and metrology applicable to dairy products.
By following the link https://labels.dairystandard.co.za/ role players will find themselves in a position to evaluate their own labels by means of a checklist (which can be saved and printed) supported by the relevant legislation for the purpose of interpretation. Currently nine different product labels are provided for in the guide namely
- milk
- cream
- amasi
- cheese
- cream cheese
- feta
- cottage cheese
- feta
- butter
For more information contact the DSA offices or Jodie at jodie@dairystandard.co.za.
