This standard, adopted by the Standardization Organization for GCC, applies to (i) salt used as an ingredient of food, both for direct sale to the consumer and for food manufacture; (ii) salt used as a carrier of food additives and/or nutrients; while it does not apply to the salt which is a by-product of chemical industries. Article 4 establishes the essential composition and quality factors for food-grade salt. It mandates a minimum sodium chloride (NaCl) content of 97% on a dry matter basis, with the remainder consisting of naturally present secondary products and contaminants. The article specifies that food-grade salt must be used as a carrier for food additives and nutrients. It also requires the iodization of food-grade salt in iodine-deficient areas for public health, detailing the acceptable iodine compounds, and emphasizing that production must be carried out by reliable manufacturers with the proper knowledge and equipment to ensure correct dosage and even mixing. The Regulations include (i) a list of food additives, specifying that they must be of food-grade quality; (ii) contaminants, specifying that they must be present only in amounts and forms that are not harmful to the health of the consumer; (iii) hygiene rules that must be maintained until the product reaches the consumer, to prevent any risk of contamination during production, packaging, storage, and transportation; (iv) sampling method; (v) test methods; (vi) packaging, transportation, and storage rules: to prevent iodine loss, iodized salt should be packed in airtight bags, transported and stored quickly in a way that protects it from moisture and sunlight, and never be placed in reused chemical bags. Consumers should also be advised to store it correctly; (vii) labeling rules that must follow the given indications. Appendix A outlines the method for sampling food-grade salt for the determination of Sodium Chloride
2007-09-01