Regulations Regarding Edible Salt

Issued pursuant to
Section 4, Paragraphs two and four, Section 11.¹,
and Section 13, Paragraph three, Clause 3 of the Law
on the Supervision of the Handling of Food

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes:

1.1. the mandatory safety, quality and classification requirements for edible salt (hereinafter - the edible salt), and requirements for its additional marking;

1.2. the procedures for the distribution of iodised salt and the cases when it is used in food production.

2. Such edible salt may be distributed in Latvia which is legally produced or released in circulation in a European Union Member State or Turkey, or is produced in a European Economic Area State.

3. The edible salt is a product containing at least 97 % of crystalline sodium chloride. The edible salt is obtained from the sea, natural brine solutions or underground rock salt deposits.

4. The edible salt used by food establishments and public catering undertakings, as well as the final consumer shall be divided as follows based on the type of use:

4.1. table or common salt;

4.2. salt used for the production of foodstuffs.

5. Edible salt shall be divided by its physical state as follows:

5.1. unrefined salt;

5.2. refined salt.

6. Refined salt is a natural, white, crystalline substance which has no smell, dissolves without leaving residues, is lax and does not solidify. In solutions, refined salt has a short dissolving period.

7. Unrefined salt is a natural, greyish crystalline substance which has no smell and dissolves leaving residues comprised of insoluble particles. The amount of insoluble particles in the final product shall be 0.1-0.4 %.

8. Both iodised salt and non-iodised salt may be distributed in Latvia.

II. Mandatory Safety and Quality Requirements for Edible Salt

9. The edible salt may not contain organic or inorganic matter and impurities (for example, insects, fragments of insects, grains of sand, rocks and wood or fragments of the packaging material, metallic and plastic materials) that are not appropriate for salt composition.

10. Maximum permitted levels for heavy metals in edible salt are prescribed in the Annex to this Regulation.

11. Sodium iodide (Nal), sodium iodate (NaIO₃), potassium iodide (KI) or potassium iodate (KIO₃) shall be used for the iodization of the edible salt:

11.1. iodine content in table or common salt shall be 0.002-0.005 %;

11.2. iodine content in salt used for the production of foodstuffs shall be 0.004-0.01 %.

12. Sodium fluoride (NaK) or potassium fluoride (KF) shall be used for the fluoridation of the edible salt. The content of fluoride ion in table or common salt shall be 90-295 mg/kg.

13. The edible salt shall be stored in dry premises where the relative air humidity does not exceed 80 %.

III. Requirements for the Marking of Edible Salt

14. The edible salt shall be marked in accordance with the requirements specified in the laws and regulations regarding the provision of food information to consumers and the marking of packaged foodstuffs.

15. The types of salt referred to in Paragraph 4 of this Regulation shall be used in trade, adding the indication regarding the physical state of salt referred to in Paragraph 5 of this Regulation.

16. If the edible salt is used in the production of goods, only the word "salt" need to be added in the product's list of ingredients, unless edible salt with minerals and vitamins is added.

17. When distributing salt for the production of foodstuffs, specification of salt composition or another accompanying document where the chemical composition of the salt is specified shall be added thereto.

Informative Reference to European Union Directive

The Regulation contains legal norms arising from Directive No. 2015/1535/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services.

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

Annex
Cabinet Regulation No. 696
8 December 2015

Maximum Permitted Levels for Heavy Metals in Edible Salt

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)