GOSTs for food processors to be made mandatory

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed amendments to the law on standardization: food manufacturers in their technical specifications (TS) and standards of organization (STO) should not establish requirements that impair the characteristics of goods or "contradict the requirements of national standards", Izvestia has learned. The department intends to oblige the industry to meet the standards of GOSTs, which are voluntary in Russia.

Don't screw around: Russia wants to introduce GOST for rolls and sushi

The initiative became urgent against the backdrop of increasing mass poisonings

The alcohol industry has exactly the same approach: it is impossible to bring alcohol into large retail chains without the fulfillment of voluntary state standards.

Back in mid-January, the State Duma approved in the first reading amendments to the law on standardization, prepared by United Russia deputies headed by Nadezhda Shkolkina. The document suggests that the authorities will tighten control over the quality of food products: they will oblige companies to send their internal quality standards for state expert review, and then register these documents in the Federal Information Fund of Standards.

Now food manufacturers can produce their goods according to GOSTs or use their own TU and STO.

Roskachestvo specified to Izvestia that all products on the market must be safe and comply with technical regulations. In them, regulators have established requirements for microbiology, the content of heavy metals, radionucleides, pesticides and more.

There is another type of documents that describe what the quality of products should be (taste, smell, color, consistency, salt content, fat content, moisture, etc.). These are GOSTs and their alternatives - TU and STO.

Read more in the exclusive material of Izvestia:

Taste Matters: GOSTs for food manufacturers want to make mandatory