Kava-kava in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Kava-kava in Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 24th February 2003.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations–

“Kava-kava” means a plant, or any part of or an extract from a plant, belonging to the species Piper methysticum;

“the Order” means the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.

Prohibition on sale etc. of food consisting of or containing Kava-kava

3.  No person shall–

(a) sell, or

(b) possess for sale or offer, expose or advertise for sale, or

(c) import from a country outside the United Kingdom,

any food consisting of or containing Kava-kava.

Penalty and enforcement

4.—(1) Any person who contravenes regulation 3 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(2) Each district council shall enforce and execute these Regulations within its district.

Application of various provisions of the Order

5.—(1) The following provisions of the Order shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations and any reference in them to the Order shall be construed as a reference to these Regulations–

(a) Articles 2(4) and 3 (extended meaning of “sale” etc.);

(b) Article 4 (presumptions that food intended for human consumption);

(c) Article 19 (offences due to fault of another person);

(d) Article 20 (defence of due diligence) as it applies for the purposes of Articles 7, 13 or 14;

(e) Article 21 (defence of publication in the course of business);

(f) Article 30(8) (which relates to documentary evidence);

(g) Article 34 (obstruction, etc., of officers);

(h) Article 36 (punishment of offences) in so far as it relates to offences under Article 34(1) and (2) as applied by sub-paragraph (h).

(2) Article 7(2) of the Order (which makes presumptions in the case of batches etc. of food) shall apply to food which it is an offence to sell under these Regulations as it applies to food which fails to comply with food safety requirements.

(3) Article 8 of the Order (inspection and seizure of suspected food) shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations as if food which it were an offence to sell under them were food which failed to comply with food safety requirements.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on 8th January 2003.

L.S.

D. Kenny

A Senior Officer of the

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety