On 24 November 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development of South Africa issued Notice No. 2187 of 2023 through the South African Government Gazette to seek public comments on the “Inspection Procedures for Food and Food Products” within 30 days of publication. The main contents are as follows:

(1) Inspection frequency and risk assessment. Each food operator (FBO) conducts at least three inspections per year and optimizes the procedure and number of follow-up inspections based on the risk assessment of the results of each inspection. The risk level is determined according to the standards of the specific FBO and product type and the results of the inspection laboratory;

(2) Inspection and sampling methods. Raw grain inspection and sampling will be carried out at locations where a grading function is performed on regulated products to determine the grade or category of the product, and inspections will be carried out primarily at the feed points of silos (including feed and discharge), farms sold on site, and factories that purchase raw grain directly from producers. In the production environment, inspection and sampling will be carried out at the location where the regulated products are manufactured, processed, handled, prepared, packaged and marked;

(3) Standard operating procedures. The document sets out standard operating procedures (Sops) for information and samples related to traceability, as well as for inspections carried out in bakeries, industrial bakeries, grinding facilities and grain intakes, etc.;

(4) The consultation document also explains the notification and inquiry methods of inspection results reports and the appeal procedure.