BAKU, Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan does not plan to require certificates for preserves prepared at home, the chairman of the country’s Food Safety Agency said on Oct. 16, rejecting reports that such a rule was being introduced.
Goshgar Tahmazli said claims about mandatory certification for home-made canned goods were false. The state program under discussion concerns compliance with sanitary and hygiene requirements, not a requirement for families to obtain certificates for food they prepare at home, APA reported.
Tahmazli said the agency, together with other state bodies, would conduct educational work with family farms and households on safe preparation practices.
He added that products made for mass consumption remain subject to food-safety rules. Such goods must be properly packaged and labeled, including information on storage temperature and shelf life.
The agency’s clarification means household producers will not face a new certificate requirement for food prepared for personal or limited use. It does not remove existing safety, packaging or labeling obligations for products offered to a wider market.
Report also quoted Tahmazli as saying that information circulating about compulsory certification was inaccurate.