The inspection system of the Food & Associated
Industries Department (FAI) is based on monitoring and surveillance of
factories, processes and products.
FAI also conducts market surveillance inspections and
participates actively in the Border enforcement activities of the NRCS.
FAI assists role players to comply with local and
international requirements, and is recognized by Authorities in various countries, such as China, Russia and
the EU, as the competent authority for the inspection and issue of health guarantees
of fish or fishery products destined for Europe.
FAI is an internationally accredited inspection body
and fully complies with SANS/ISO 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of
Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection. It has a panel of highly
trained and technically competent inspectors, some of whom are expert members
of international food inspection bodies.
FAI works in close co-operation with other regulators of food
safety and inspectors are authorized to carry out inspections on behalf of
the Department of Health in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and
Disinfectants Act. FAI participates actively in national and international
food safety activities including those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
This is necessary because South Africa is a member of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and South African food regulatory authorities are obliged
to ensure compliance with the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) agreements.
The department has entered into a number of international technical
co-operation agreements and inspection standards are continuously bench
marked against other national and international inspection systems and world
best practice.
FAI is responsible for the processing and sampling of
aqua-culture products in co-operation with other Government roleplayers,
hence supporting the Ocean Economy as iterated in the Operation Phakisa.
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