food safety act 2004 english 56 pages this bill proposes to regulate the sale of food by food businesses which produce process manufacture or otherwise handle food including street vending as well as import and export food into or from antigua and barbuda. the aim of regulating food businesses is to protect human food and food sources from food hazards food safety risks and food borne diseases. this bill is divided into ten parts namely part i preliminary part iiadministration and enforcement part iiiinspection seizure and forfeiture part ivregistration and licensing requirements part vstandards part viimport and export of food part viifood hazards and food borne diseases part viiioffences and penalties part ixregulations and orders part xmiscellaneous and supplemental part v of the bill deals with standards. clause 23 empowers the food authority to make standards for food businesses food facilities and equipment used in connection with such businesses in consultation with the bureau of standards. clause 23 2 mandates that the standards incorporate international safety criteria agreed by antigua and barbuda. under clause 23 4 the national food safety committee will review all standards made before they are published. under clause 24 operators of businesses will after the commencement of this act be required to submit to the food authority a notice of intention to import export food into or out of antigua and barbuda. the notice is set out as form l in the fourth schedule. if the notice relates to a particular importation it should be accompanied by a certificate of compliance from the country of origin. the signed written contract between the exporter in the country of origin and the importer in antigua and barbuda must also be presented to the food authority. if the notice of intention relates to a particular food export from antigua and barbuda such notice of intention must be accompanied by a written confirmation from the relevant food authority in the importing country. clause 27 spells out the functions of the food authority in those instances where food samples are taken and sent to an analyst. where the results of analysis prove that the food is in compliance with the provisions of the law the food authority is required to give notice to the customs division the exporter or importer as the case may be and to afterwards order the release of the food for importation or exportation. if the sample results indicate that the food does not comply with the requirements of this law then the food authority is required to issue a notice of detention to the customs division and to the importer or exporter as the case may be advising the agencies of the detention of the food until the condition specified in the notice of detention is met to the satisfaction of the food authority. a copy of a notice of detention is set out in the fifth schedule to this act. clause 28 is a penalty clause and importers or exporters of food into or out of antigua and barbuda who contravene the provisions of this act will after summary conviction be fined imprisoned or be both fined and imprisoned. clause 29 gives the minister the power to publish in the gazette some categories of foods which usually require inspection by an inspector on importation into antigua and barbuda or before exportation from antigua and barbuda. the bill provides under clause 32 that within six months of the commencement of this act and forty-five days after the end of each year every person who imports or exports food should submit a report to the food authority on their activities for the previous calendar year. the report should include food shipments quantities of food imported or exported a summary of incidents or accidents regarding food and some indication of foods imported which did not meet with the statutory requirements of the importing country