Stricter regulations on the use of nitrogen in food packaging are to be introduced at the start of 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Wednesday.
The agency said it would designate food-grade nitrogen as a food additive in the Standards for Specification, Scope, Application and Limitation of Food Additives, which would make it a controlled substance under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法).
In addition, nitrogen would only be considered as food grade if the concentration is 99 percent or more, the food regulator said.
Liao Chia-ting (廖家鼎), a senior official at the agency, said that the new measures would allow the FDA to better regulate nitrogen, which is one of the most effective ways of slowing down food deterioration and improving its shelf life.
The agency has long planned this measure as the current rules do not provide clear guidelines on the use of nitrogen in food packaging, Liao said, adding that the new rules would conform with international standards.
The FDA has also designed new measures to better monitor how nitrogen is used, he said.
Starting from 2023, producers, importers and vendors that use nitrogen for packaging food products must obtain approval from local governments and submit information on their use on a monthly basis, Liao said.
Under the act, unlicensed users of a controlled substance can be fined NT$30,000 to NT$3 million (US$1,082 to US$108,245), he said.
Nitrogen is an inert gas that does not react with prepared food materials, and thus does not alter aroma or flavor. Gaseous nitrogen displaces oxygen, minimizing oxidation and the growth of microorganisms that cause foods to lose their freshness and deteriorate faster.
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