The Bureau of Standards Jamaica is reviewing the packaging requirements for commodities such as flour and rice.

Director of the standards division at the BSJ Julia Bonner Douette, said the objective is to ensure that “all heavily consumed food items have similar packaging standards like sugar”.

She informed that the bureau is “deliberating the technicalities” for implementation of the standards.

According to the director of the standards division, once the BSJ develops the new standard requirements for these items, it will become mandated through the operations of the national compliance and regulatory authority.

Consumers will be encouraged to only purchase products that meet the packaging and labelling criteria.

Mrs. Bonner Douette told JIS News that proper packaging is essential in order to keep food safe and ensure accurate environmental conditions until it is consumed.

The move is in keeping with the revised mandatory standards for brown cane sugar, gazetted on December 30, 2016, which outlined the requirements for labelling, packaging and safety of sugar.

The standards act provides for a fine of $3 m and 12 months in prison for non-compliance with the labelling and packaging standards for sugar sold in the retail market.