WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/PHL/162 
31 October 2012  
 (12-5927) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Food and Drug Administrati on, Department of Health 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
Food and Drug Administration 
Department of Health Civic Drive, Filinvest Corporate City Alabang, City of Muntinlupa 1781 Philippines 
E-mail:  bfad@bfad.gov.ph  
Tel/Fax:  842-5606; 807-0751 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Salt Fermented Fish and 
Shrimp 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Recommended Code of 
Practice for the Processing and Handling of Salt Fermented Fish and Shrimp (Bagoong)     
6. Description of content:  This Code of Practice is a set of  recommended procedures that shall 
be adopted by processors of sa lt fermented fish and shrimp (bagoong) to conform to the 
Standards for Salt Fermented Fish a nd Shrimp (Bagoong), (PNS/FDA 36:2012).  
This also provides a guide in the production, storage and handling of salt fermented fish and 
shrimps (bagoong) necessary to maintain thei r safety and quality fro m the receipt of raw 
materials and ingredients up to distribution. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human he alth and safety   
8. Relevant documents:   AOAC. 2005. Official Methods of  Analysis Manual. 18th ed., 
Association of Offi cial Analytical Chemists (AOAC) In ternational. 481 North Frederick Ave., 
Suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2417. U.S.A; 
BFAD. 1984. Rules and Regulation Governing the Labelling of Prepackaged of Food G/TBT/N/PHL/162 
Page 2  
 
  Products Distributed in the Ph ilippines. A.O. No. 88-B s. 1984 Bureau of Food and Drugs. 
Department of Health. Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines; 
BFAD. 1998. Permissible Net Cont ent Variation in Prepackaged Food. BFAD B.C. No. 6-As. 
1998. Bureau of Food and Drugs. Department of Health. Alabang, Muntinlupa City, 
Philippines; 
BFAD. 2004. Revised Guidelines on Current G ood Manufacturing Practice  in Manufacturing, 
Packing, Repacking or Holding Food (A.O. No. 153 s. 2004). Bureau of Food and Drugs. 
Department of Health. Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines; 
BFAD. 2006. Updated List of Food Additives. B.C. No.016 s 2006. Bureau of Food and 
Drugs. Department of Health. Alab ang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines; 
BFAD 2007. Updated Standards for Iodine Level of Salts. B. C. No. 2007-009. Bureau of 
Food and Drugs. Department of Health. Alabang, Muntinlupa  City, Philippines; 
Codex Alimentarius Commission.  2003. Code of Practice fo r Fish and Fishery Products 
(CAC/RCP 52-2003). Codex Alimentarius Comm ission. Food and Agricu lture Organization. 
Viale delle Terme di Ca racalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; 
Codex Alimentarius Commissi on. 2004. Recommended International Code of Practice - 
General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP  1–1969, Rev 4. (2003). Codex Alimentarius 
Commission. Food and Agricultu re Organization. Viale dell e Terme di Caracalla, 00100 
Rome, Italy; 
Codex Alimentarius Commission. 1994. C odex Alimentarius Sampling Plans for 
Prepackaged Foods (CAC/RM 42-1969) In Jo int FAO/WHO Food Standards Program: 
Codex Alimentarius Commission Volume 13: Me thods of Analysis and Sampling, Part II: 
2nd ed. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Food and Agriculture Organi zation. Viale delle 
Terme di Caracalla,  00100 Rome, Italy; 
Codex Alimentarius Commission. 1993. Reco mmended International Code of Hygienic 
Practice for Low Acid and Acidified Canned Foods (CAC/RCP 23- Final Draft 
RCP_Bagoong 1979, Rev. 2. Codex Al imentarius Commission. Food and 
AgricultureOrganization. Viale delle Terme di Cara calla, 00100 Rome, Italy; 
Codex Alimentarius Co mmission, latest. General Standard on Food Additives - GSFA 
(CAC/192-1995) Codex Alimentarius Commiss ion. Food and Agriculture Organization. 
Viale delle Terme di Ca racalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; 
Codex Alimentarius Commission,  2010 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged 
Foods (CAC/1-1985).Codex Alimentarius Commission. Food and Agriculture Organization. 
Viale delle Terme di Ca racalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; 
DOH. 1979. Regulations Prescribing the Stan dard of Identity and Quality for Bagoong 
(Fish and Shrimp), B 4.9-03 Condiments, Sauc es and Seasonings Department of Health, 
San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila; 
DOH. 2007. Philippine National Standa rds for Drinking Water 2007 (AO 2007-0012). 
Department of Health, San Laza ro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila; 
Espejo - Hermes, J. 1998. Fish Processing Tec hnology in the Tropics. Tawid Publications, 
Quezon City;  G/TBT/N/PHL/162 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Mackie, I., R. Hardy and M. Hobbs. 1971. Fe rmented Fish Products. FAO Fisheries Report 
100. Food and Agriculture Organi zation. Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; 
Whittle, J. and P. Howgate. 2002. Glossary of Fish Technology Terms. Fisheries Industries 
Division. Food and Agricultur e Organization. Viale delle Te rme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, 
Italy. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   This order shall take ef fect 15 days after its 
publication in an official gazette of general circulation. 
10. Final date for comments:  18 December 2012 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addres ses, if available of the other body: