The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that a Health Certificate will be required for imported ceramic ware intended to be used in the preparation, packaging, storage, and delivery of food or otherwise exposed to food for human consumption effective January 1, 2014. The Health Certificate must be issued by a competent authority of the exporting country and be made available to the authorized health officer at the point of entry to Malaysia, upon request.
According to a recently issued Guidance, the Health Certificate shall contain the following statement or one with a similar meaning: "This is to certify that the above mentioned consignment is free from lead and cadmium release / contains lead and cadmium release not exceeding the maximum permitted proportion and complies with the physical characteristics requirements as stipulated by Regulation 28 (ceramic ware) of the Malaysian Food Regulations 1985." Table I of the Thirteenth Schedule of the Food Regulations 1985 sets out maximum permitted levels of lead and cadmium release from various types of ceramic ware, including flat ware, and small and large hollow-ware.
Additional requirements for food-contact ceramic ware can be found in the Malaysian Food Regulations of 1985, Regulation 28. For more information, on Malaysian food-contact regulations, see the PackagingLaw.com article, The Regulation of Food Packaging in the Pacific Rim.