- Dr Hnin Nandar Kyaw outlined the organization and laws related to food labeling in Myanmar. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food safety and labeling through various divisions. The main laws are the 1997 National Food Law and the 2014 Directive Order on formulated foods for infants and young children. - Currently, FDA refers to Codex Alimentarius standards for guidance on labeling. A new food law is being drafted to modernize regulations. A directive order on comprehensive food labeling, including nutrition labeling, will be based on Codex guidelines. - The infant formula order has detailed labeling requirements covering appearance, prohibited claims, languages, and mandatory nutrition information. FDA aims to strengthen food safety measures in line

1. Dr Hnin Nandar Kyaw
Assistant Director
Food and Drug Administration
Ministry of Health, Myanmar
9th Seminar/Workshop on
Nutrition Labeling,
Claims and Communication Strategiesananndd Commmmm
August 4
mumuu
4-
ccatattion Strtrricccuununni
4-5, 2015August 44 , 20155,5
Manila, Philippines

2. Outline of Presentation
q Organization set up of FDA
q Laws related to food labelling
v National Food Law
v Directive order of marketing of formulated food
for infant and young child
q Current practice of food labeling
q Future Plan

3. Organization Set up of FDA
q (6) Main Divisions – Food Control Division
- Drug Control Division
- Cosmetic and Medical Device Control
Division
- Laboratory Division
- Administration Division
- Planning Division
q States and Regions Divisions, District Divisions
q Border Trade Stations
DirectorDirector
General
DeputyDeputy
DirectorDirector
General
DeputyDeputy
DirectorDirector
General

4. Organization Set up of
Food Control Division
Director
Food Division
Deputy Director
Import/Export
Deputy Director
Domestic Manufacturing/
Post Market Surveillance
Import Export Domestic
Manufacturing
Post Market
Surveillance

5. Laws related to Food Labeling
ÿ National Food Law (1997)
ÿ Directive Order of Marketing of
formulated food for infant and young
child (July, 2014)

6. National Food Law (1997)
¸ Chapter VIII Sub section (18) –
Quality Assurance, Labelling and Advertisement
A person who produces, imports, exports, stores,
distributes or sells food shall strictly abide by the order,
directive and conditions issued by the relevant
Government department or organization or Board of
Authority in respect of quality assurance of food, labeling
and advertisement

7. National Food Law (1997)
¸ some provisions on food labeling but
not specific to nutrition labeling
Current Practice of Food labeling –
FDA refers Codex Alimentarius Commission
(CAC) Standards, Guidelines and
Recommendation as working materials.

8. Modernizing the current food law
v Stakeholder workshop in February, 2015
v Made drafting new food law committee
including experts from respective
ministries
v Initial phase

9. v Directive order on food labeling covering
nutritional food labeling concurrently
Modernizing the current food law

10. Food labeling directive order will be based on
ÿ CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: FOOD LABELLING
COMPLETE TEXTS (4th Edition)
ÿ General standard for the labeling of prepackaged
foods (codex stan-1-1985, Rev. 1-1991)
ÿ Guidelines on Nutrition Labeling
ÿ General Guideline on claims
ÿ Labeling Language – Myanmar(Mandatory)
other language (optional)
Modernizing the current food law

11. Directive Order of marketing of formulated
food for infant and young child
q Chapter (1) – Name of Regulation and
Defintitions
q Chapter (2) – Standard and Quality
q Chapter (3) – Labeling
q Chapter (4) – Marketing
q Chapter (5) – Information and Education
q Chapter (6) – Supervision and Monitoring
q Chapter (7) – Penalties and Punishment

12. Chapter (3) – Labeling
Appearance of packaging
ÿ It must not inhibit the feeding of breast
milk
ÿ It must not encourage the usage of
formulated food
Labeling
ÿ Myanmar language

13. Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)
It does not include the words or the image
or the cartoon which have the following
meanings on the packaging or in the
packaging material
ÿ “formulated to be same with breast milk” ,
or any other prescription of the same
meaning
Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)

14. Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)
ÿ “the best food for the children” or “the best
milk for the brain development of the
children” or any other prescription of the
same meaning
ÿ the image of pregnant mother, the infant, the
breast feeding child, the lactating mother or
the family
ÿ the supplement food or the usage of it
Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)

15. Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)
The following shall be described in label
v Kind of Food
v The Age Interval
v The Ingredients
v The Nutrition Facts
- Declaration of nutrient content
should be numerical
- Information on energy in term of KJ or Kcal
- Per serving value or per 100 ml or per
100g
Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)

16. Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)
v Directions for preparation, storage
v Pack size, Manufacture date, Batch No., Expired
Date and Storage Condition
v Brand Name, Manufacturerer’s name and
address, Country of Origin and Distributor’s
name and address
v Complications from not well preparation and
storage
Chapter (3) – Labeling (Cont.)

17. Future Plan
We will modernize the food law in line with
international practice
Directive order for food labeling covering
nutritional food labeling will be enacted
Strengthen food safety measures to
harmonize regionally and comply with
global practice

18. Expectations
v Opportunity to learn the experience
from the other countries
v Opportunity to participate in
harmonizing nutrition labeling and
claims in the region

19. Thank You For Your
Kind Attention