As of 4 September 2021, importers and manufacturers of juices are required to comply with the adopted Technical Regulation of Uzbekistan on the Safety of Juices (TR).
The adopted TR establishes the safety requirements for juice products made from fruits, vegetables and berries that aim to protect against harm to human life and health. The TR requirements apply to production processes, juice products made from fruits and (or) vegetables and (or) berries, to which the requirements for transportation, storage and transportation are set out.
In particular, the adopted TR establishes:
- requirements for juice products made from fruits, vegetables and berries;
- requirements for the processes of production, transportation, storage and transportation of juices;
- rules for the identification of juice products;
- requirements for labelling of juices.
The requirements of the TR do not apply to products intended for export, as well as thouse manufactured for personal consumption.
Juice products can only be put into circulation on the Uzbekistan market if they comply with the adopted Technical Regulation. All applicable products (juices) must undergo the process of conformity assessment, and product manufacturers or importers must mark them with the National Mark of Conformity of Uzbekistan. A quality document must be attached to each batch that has been put into circulation in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
To establish the conformity of a product the identification process is carried out by simultaneously evaluating its physico-chemical, organoleptic and other indicators. The adopted TR contains safety requirements: hygienic, transportation and turnover of products, as well as to the processes of its disposal.
The basic hygiene requirement set out in the adopted TR is that juices must not cause harm to human life and health. Juice products must also meet the requirements of industrial sterilization of canned products, according to chemical, microbiological and other indicators. Special requirements are set out for baby food, in terms of hygienic and microbiological indicators of pathogenic microorganisms.
Non-compliant juice products must be returned or following a decision of the authorized body. Disposal (processing) of products is carried out with the participation of the commission, which includes representatives of local government bodies, state control bodies and the public. Methods and conditions for destruction are agreed upon by the owner with the appropriate state agency.
Labelling of juices must be in compliance with the requirements of the Technical Regulation on Food Labelling.
In the absence of confirming certificates (test reports) recognized by international organizations on the products, it is forbidden to put standard signs of the management system on additional features (properties), such as Bio, Eco, No Preservatives, No GMOs, when marking "Environmentally friendly product", "Halol" ("Halal"), "Organic" ("Organic").
State control over compliance with the requirements of the regulation is exercised by the State Inspectorate of Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance under the Cabinet of Ministers, the Uzstandard Agency, as well as other authorized state bodies within their powers.
Law: Technical Regulation on the Safety of Juices adopted by Decree No. 119 of 4 March 2020