Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

B7: Product quality, safety or performance requirements 

Date when the measure came into force

22 February 2008 

Publication where the measure is specified

Government Gazette No. 30782, 22 February 2008 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Regulations Relating To The Grading, Packing And Marking Of Wheat Products Intended For Sale In The Republic Of South Africa 

Country/Region applying the measure

South Africa 

Coded list of objectives

X: For purposes n.e.s. 

Description of the measure

2. (1) No person shall sell any wheat product in the Republic of South Africa;
(a) unless the wheat product concerned is sold according to the classes set out in regulation 3;
(b) unless the wheat product concerned complies with the standards for the classes set out in regulations 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8;
Classes for wheat products
3. The classes for wheat products shall be as follows:
(a) White wheat flour, which are divided into;
(i) white bread wheat flour or white bread flour made from wheat;
(ii) cake wheat flour or cake flour made from wheat;
(iii) soft wheat flour or soft flour made from soft wheat;
(iv) industrial wheat flour or industrial flour made from wheat; and
(v) self-raising wheat flour or self-raising flour made from wheat.
(b) Brown wheat flour, which are divided into;
(i) brown bread wheat flour or brown bread flour made from wheat;
(ii) whole-wheat brown flour; and
(iii) High bran wheat flour or high bran flour made from wheat.
(c) Whole-wheat flour.
(d) Wheat bread, which are divided into;
(i) White bread;
(ii) Brown bread;
(iii) Whole-wheat bread, and;
(iv) Speciality bread.
(e) Composite cereals flour or composite flour made from cereals.
(f) Stabilised wheat products or stabilised products made from wheat.
(g) Wheat semolina or semolina made from wheat.
(h) Wheat non-flour products which are divided into;
(i) Wheat bran or bran made from wheat;
(ii) Wheat germ or germ made from wheat; and
(iii) Whole and/or processed wheat kernels.
Standards for white wheat flours, brown wheat flours, whole-wheat flours and composite cereal flours
4. Subject to the provisions of regulation 2 these wheat flours;
(1) shall have a moisture content not exceeding 14 percent;
(2) shall contain the fraction of the milled wheat below the sieve when sieved through a 212 micron wire mesh sieve, and therefore shall contain no separated wheat semolina;
(3) shall contain a fraction of wheat bran above the 212 micron sieve in the case of flour classes with a defined wheat bran content;
(4) may contain flour improvers;
(5) be pure and sound;
(6) in the case of soft wheat flour;
(a) be a white wheat flour milled from a soft wheat; and
(b) not contain separated wheat bran, wheat germ or wheat semolina.
(7) in the case of cake wheat flour;
(a) have an ash content not exceeding 0,60 percent; and
(b) shall not contain separated wheat bran, wheat germ or wheat semolina;
(8) in the case of industrial wheat flour;
(a) have an ash content of not less than 0,85 percent;
(b) contain a maximum of 1,O percent wheat bran with a particle size greater than 21 2 micron;
(c) be fortified as prescribed in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972); and
(d) shall not contain separated wheat bran, wheat germ or wheat semolina.
(9) in the case of self-raising wheat flour;
(a) contain a raising agent which has been added according to the regulations promulgated in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972); and
(b) contain wheat flour which complies with the applicable requirements in regulations 4(6), 4(7), 4(8), 4(9), 4(10), 4(11), 4(12), 4(13), 4(14) and 4(15).
(10) in the case of white bread wheat flour;
(a) have an ash content of not less than 0,60 percent and not exceeding 1,0 percent;
(b) be fortified as prescribed in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972) and
(c) contain no separated wheat bran, wheat germ or wheat semolina.
(11) in the case of brown bread wheat flour;
(a) have an ash content of not less than 0,60 percent and not exceeding 1,0 percent obtained from the flour fraction that passed through a 212 micron sieve;
(b) have a wheat bran content of not less than 10 percent and not exceeding 15 percent;
(c) be fortified as prescribed in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972); and
(d) contain no separated wheat germ or wheat semolina.
(12) in the case of high bran wheat flour;
(a) have a wheat bran content of not less than 15 percent; and
(b) contain no separated wheat germ or wheat semolina.
(13) in the case of whole-wheat brown flour;
(a) contains all the components present in a wheat kernel including one or more of the following ingredients which shall be in the flour at a level not less than 10 percent; whole wheat, cracked wheat, crushed wheat and cut wheat;
(b) have a wheat bran content of not less than 10 percent;
(c) may contain wheat germ; and
(d) contain no separated wheat semolina.
(14) in the case of whole-wheat flour;
(a) includes all the components present in a wheat kernel obtained through the milling of the whole wheat kernel.
(15) in the case of composite cereals flour;
(a) contain wheat flour which has been blended with non-wheat flours and/or grains and/or seeds; and
(b) have a wheat flour component made up of wheat flour(s) which complies with the applicable requirements in regulations 4(6), 4(7), 4(8), 4(9), 4(10), 4(11), 4(12), 4(13), 4(14) and 4(15).
Standard for wheat semolina
5. Subject to the provisions of regulation 2 wheat semolina shall;
(a) have a minimum of 50 percent of the total white endosperm particle content that does not pass through a 21 2 micron sieve; and
(b) have a moisture content of not more than 15 percent.
Standards for wheat non-flour products
6. Subject to the provisions of regulation 2 wheat non-flour products shall;
(1) in the case of wheat bran;
(a) consist mainly of the bran fraction of wheat, provided that it may contain a quantity of ground screenings and vegetable matter other than wheat; and
(b) have a moisture content of not more than 15 percent.
(2) in the case of wheat germ;
(a) consist mainly of the seed embryo; and
(b) have a moisture content of not more than 15 percent.
(3) In the case of whole and/or processed wheat kernels;
(a) consist of cleaned kernels in intact or processed form; and
(b) have a moisture content of not more than 15 percent.
Standard for stabilised wheat products
7. Subject to the provision of regulation 2 stabilised wheat products;
(a) shall have been subjected to further processes such as heat treatment in order to inactivate enzymes andlor modify (denature) wheat proteins;
(b) or chemical treatment such as chlorination treatment to lower the pH of the dough;
(c) a wheat product component included in the classes for wheat products; and
(d) have a moisture content of not more than 14 percent.
Standards for wheat bread
8. (1) (a) Subject to the provision of subregulation 2, white bread shall consist of a dough made from white wheat flour and water, with or without other ingredients, that has been fermented by yeast or otherwise leavened, baked in any form, size or shape and which has been treated, prepared and processed in such a manner that the bread, if it is of a prescribed mass specified in column 2 of the Table, contains the applicable minimum dry solids mass specified opposite thereto in column 3 of the Table.
(b) Subject to the provision of subregulation 2, brown bread shall consist of a dough made from brown wheat flour and water, with or without other ingredients, that has been fermented by yeast or otherwise leavened, baked in any form, size or shape and which has been treated, prepared and processed in such a manner that the bread, if it is of a prescribed mass specified in column 2 of the Table, contains the applicable minimum dry solids mass specified opposite thereto in column 3 of the Table.
(c) Subject to the provision of subregulation 2, whole-wheat bread shall consist of a dough made from whole-wheat flour and water, with or without other ingredients, that has been fermented by yeast or otherwise leavened, baked in any form, size or shape and which has been treated, prepared and processed in such a manner that the bread, if it is of a prescribed mass specified in column 2 of the Table, contains the applicable minimum dry solids mass specified opposite thereto in column 4 of the Table.
(2) Notwithstanding the provision of paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subregulation 1, white bread, brown bread and whole wheat bread shall be deemed to comply with the applicable requirements set out in the paragraph concerned of that subregulation in the case of a requirement relating to the dry solids content, deviates with not more than 1% from the minimum prescribed for white bread, brown bread or whole-wheat bread, as the case may be: Provided on average the minimum dry solid content complies with the prescribed minimum dry solid.
(3) Speciality bread shall consist of dough made of wheat flour or composite cereals flour and may contain ingredients providing specific sensory characteristics and/or nutritional value as well as whole or crushed grain kernels and/or seeds, that has been fermented by yeast or otherwise leavened, baked in any form, size or shape. 

Reference of the measure

Regulations 2(1)(a)-(b), 3-8 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Wheat products 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries