New Belarusian baby food standards will be harmonized with the Russian ones, BelTA learnt from Professor Zenon Lovkis, director general of the scientific-practical foodstuffs center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The development of the new standards was prompted by Russia’s introduction of three new technical normative legal acts (TNLA) for infant foods (vegetable, fruit, and vegetable-fruit preserves, juices, nectars and cocktails). The comparative analysis of the Belarusian and Russian TNLA revealed differences in terminology and quality criteria for infant fruit and vegetable food. First and foremost, it pertains to baby juices and nectars. This is why the foodstuffs centre of the National Academy of Sciences is developing three new national standards harmonized with international requirements: STB “Preserves. Juices, nectars and cocktails for babies. General quality specifications”, STB “Fruit preserves for babies. General quality specifications,” STB “Vegetable preserves for babies. General quality specifications.” The new TNLA will set forth revised criteria for quality, security and nutrition value of baby preserves based on international requirements and results of study of raw materials, industrial water, comparative analysis of the domestically produced and imported baby food, the analysis of the technical and testing facilities of the baby food manufacturers. The standards are to come into force on July 1, 2010. According to the director general of the centre, the introduction of new standards will help meet baby food demands and promote the domestically manufactured products abroad, including Russia. Zenon Lovkis added that the experts of the centre have developed and introduced the national standards for fruit and vegetable preserves, juices, nectars and juice drinks. Common quality specifications have been developed for all the products. The centre will soon bring the quality standards for juices and juice beverages in line with the present-day requirements set by the EU and the Codex Alimentarius.

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