The Food and Drug Administration yesterday pre-announced draft regulations to ensure the hygiene of food products sold in vending machines, which could go into effect next year.
In addition to the canned or bottled beverages and packaged snacks usually sold in vending machines, popular handmade drinks, fresh ingredients and other types of food products have recently begun appearing in them, it said.
However, food safety inspections conducted by local health departments have found that a high proportion of handmade drinks sold in vending machines failed to meet standards for safe levels of bacteria, the administration said, adding that the products also lacked required information, such as production date, ingredients or a contact number for the vendor.
The administration outlined a draft set of autonomous hygiene management guidelines, which stipulate that such products must meet the requirements of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) and the Regulations on Good Hygiene Practice for Food (食品良好衛生規範準則).
Some producers might have been unaware of the regulations, so the new guidelines are to help them better understand requirements, administration section chief Lin Lan-yu (林蘭砡) said.
Handmade drinks will be required to meet the same standards as packaged beverages when sold in vending machines, including refrigeration temperature, regular sanitation and labeling requirements, she said.
The owners of several firms that produce food products sold in vending machines gathered last month to discuss the guidelines, Lin said, adding that the administration would gauge public opinion within 60 days.
After the guidelines receive approval, they can be enacted in February at the earliest, she said.
However, the draft guidelines suggest that store owners print a contact number and address on their products, a requirement not stipulated by the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, Lin said, adding that an amendment to the act would be needed to impose fines on companies that fail to comply.
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