
1 
These regulations shall be cited as the Erucic Acid in Food Regulations
1977 and shall come into operation on 1st July 1977.
2 

(1) In these regulations, unless the context
otherwise requires—
 “the Act”
means the Food and Drugs
Act 1955;
 “erucic acid”
means the fatty acid cis-docos-13-enoic
acid;
 “fatty acid”
means any carboxylic acid obtained by the hydrolysis
of oil or fat, and includes any such acid existing in a free state in oil
or fat;
 “food”
means food intended for sale for human consumption and
includes drink, chewing gum and other products of a like nature and use, and
articles and substances used as ingredients in the preparation of food or
drink or of such products, but does not include— 
(a) water, live animals or birds,
(b) fodder or feeding stuffs for
animals, birds or fish, or
(c) articles or substances used
only as drugs;
 “food and drugs authority”
 has the meaning assigned to it by section 198(2) of
the Local Government Act 1972;

 “human consumption” includes use in the preparation of food for human consumption;
 “oil or fat”
means oil or fat derived from any animal, bird, fish
or plant and intended for sale for human consumption, but does not include
any essential oil;
 “sell” includes offer or expose for sale or have in possession for sale
and “sale”
and “sold” shall be construed accordingly;AND other expressions have the same meaning as in the Act.
(2) The 
Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply to the
interpretation of these regulations as it applies to the interpretation of
an Act of Parliament.
(3) All proportions mentioned in these regulations
are proportions calculated by weight and, unless the context otherwise requires,
are calculated on the total weight of the product, such weight being ascertained,
in the case of a food sold in dried or concentrated form, after reconstitution
in accordance with any instructions which accompany it.
(4) For the purpose of these regulations,
the supply of food, otherwise than by sale, at, in or from any place where
food is supplied in the course of a business, shall be deemed to be a sale
of that food.
3 
The provisions of these regulations shall not apply—
(a) to any oil, fat or food which is intended
at the time of sale, consignment or delivery, as the case may be, for exportation
to any place outside the United Kingdom;
(b) to any food which contains not more than
five per centum oil or fat unless it is described directly or by implication
as specially prepared for infants or young children;
(c) to any oil, fat or food sold, consigned
or delivered to a manufacturer for the purposes of his manufacturing business
or to a caterer for the purposes of his catering business; or
(d) to any oil, fat or food manufactured
before 1st July 1977.
4 

(1) Subject to 
paragraph (2) of this regulation, no person
shall sell, consign or deliver—
(a) any oil or fat or any mixture thereof,
if erucic acid constitutes more than five per centum of its fatty acid content;
or
(b) any food to which oil or fat or a mixture
thereof has been added, if erucic acid constitutes more than five per centum
of the fatty acid content of all the oil and fat in the food.
(2) In relation to any oil, fat or food manufactured
before 1st July 1979, these regulations shall have effect as if the percentages
specified in paragraph (1)(a) and
(b) of this regulation were in each case ten
instead of five.
5 

(1) If any person contravenes or fails to
comply with the provisions of regulation 4
of these regulations he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable
to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three months, or to both, and, in the case of a continuing offence,
to a further fine not exceeding five pounds for each day during which the
offence continues after conviction.
(2) Each food and drugs authority shall enforce
and execute such provisions in their area.
6 

(1) 
Sections 108(3) and (4) (which relate to prosecutions), 110(1), (2) and (3) (which relate
to evidence of analysis), 112 (which
relates to the power of a court to require analysis by the Government Chemist), 
113 (which relates to a contravention due to some person
other than the person charged), 115(2)
(which relates to the conditions under which a warranty may be pleaded as
defence) and 116 (which relates to
offences in relation to warranties and certificates of analysis)
of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these regulations as if references
therein to proceedings, or a prosecution, under or taken or brought under
the Act included references to proceedings, or a prosecution as the case may
be, taken or brought for an offence under these regulations and as if the
reference in the said section 112
to sub-section (4) of section 108
included a reference to that subsection as applied by these regulations.
(2) Paragraph
(b) of the proviso to 
section 108(1) of the Act shall apply for the
purposes of these regulations as if the reference therein to 
section 116 of the Act included a reference
to that section as applied by these regulations.
In Witness whereof the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food is hereunto affixed on 6th April 1977.
John Silkin
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
David Ennals
Secretary of State for Social Services
4th April 1977