Bangladesh Issues Draft Revised Standard for Soft Drink Powder (BDS 1586:XXXX) for Public Comment

Aspect	USA	EU	Australia	China	India
Regulatory Authority	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)	EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) & European Commission	FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand)	SAMR (State Administration for Market Regulation)	FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)
Major Regulation Governing Compliance	21 CFR Part 106 & 107 – Infant Formula Regulations	Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 on Foods for Specific Groups (FSG)	Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code	GB Standards (e.g., GB 10765-2021) for infant formula	Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2019
Pre-market Approval Required?	Yes – Manufacturer registration and notification	Yes – Pre-market notification and composition review	No – Comply with standards, but no pre-approval	Yes – Mandatory registration with SAMR	Yes – Prior approval and product registration required
Labeling Requirements	Must meet strict CFS 21 Part 107 labeling and nutritional information requirements for infant formula.	Must comply with harmonized EU labeling rules, including allergens, nutrition info	Must comply with FSANZ labeling codes	Must follow GB labeling standards, including mandatory warnings	Must follow specific infant food labeling rules under FSSAI
Nutritional Composition Requirements	Specific nutrient content, quality control & Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) required	Detailed compositional criteria for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals	Must meet nutrition content standards specified by FSANZ	Stringent GB compositional standards; new updates in 2021	As per Schedules under FSSAI regulations, modeled on Codex guidelines
Claims Allowed	Limited; FDA approval required for structure-function or health claims	Only EU-authorized claims permitted; No health or nutritional claims on infant formula	Functional and nutrient claims allowed within Regulatory limits	Strict control; health/nutritional claims require SAMR review	Only pre-approved nutrition claims allowed; therapeutic claims not permitted
Clinical Evidence Required?	Yes – Especially for new formulations or ingredients	Yes – EFSA scientific dossier for novel ingredients or composition	Required for novel ingredients or changes in nutrient bioavailability	Yes – For new products or ingredient combinations	Yes – If deviating from standard composition or for novel formulations
Timeline for Registration	~6–12 months, depending on product review	~12–18 months, including EFSA evaluation	~3–6 months for market entry if compliant	~18–24 months, including safety and technical review	~12–18 months for full Regulatory clearance
Need for Local Representative	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes

January 8, 2026

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has released Draft BDS 1586:XXXX, the second revision of the Bangladesh Standard for Soft Drink Powder, for public comments. The draft standard specifies comprehensive quality, safety, compositional, microbiological, heavy metal, labelling, and sampling requirements applicable to sweetened soft drink powders marketed in Bangladesh.

Scope and Product Definition

The draft standard applies to sweetened soft drink powders in the form of powders, crystals, granules, or tablets, which are intended to be reconstituted with potable water to produce a non-alcoholic, flavoured beverage for direct consumption. The product may contain sugars or permitted non-nutritive sweeteners, food acids, food additives, fruit solids or fruit powders, and other ingredients consistent with good manufacturing practices.

Ingredients and Additives

All ingredients used in soft drink powders must be food-grade, halal, and compliant with relevant Bangladesh Standards where available. The standard permits the use of:

Nutritive sweeteners, including sugar, cane sugar, palm sugar, dextrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sorbitol, and glucose syrups.

Non-nutritive sweeteners, as permitted under Codex GSFA (CXS 192) food categories 14.1.4 and 14.1.4.3 or national legislation, with combination use not exceeding 100% of individual maximum permitted levels.

Acidulants and flavouring substances, in line with Codex GSFA provisions.

Food additives, such as colours, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, anti-caking agents, antioxidants, and clouding agents, as permitted under Codex or national regulations.

Optional ingredients, including vitamins and minerals (as per CXG 55:2005), fruit juice powder, and edible salt compliant with BDS 1236.

Hygienic and Manufacturing Requirements

The draft requires that soft drink powders be processed, handled, stored, and transported under strict hygienic conditions to prevent chemical, microbial, and physical contamination. Manufacturing facilities must comply with BDS 822, and all raw materials must be clean, safe, and fit for human consumption in accordance with applicable national regulations.

Quality and Composition Requirements

Soft drink powders must be homogeneous, free-flowing, non-toxic, and free from dirt and extraneous matter. Upon reconstitution, the product must dissolve completely in potable water and exhibit flavour, taste, and aroma characteristic of the declared flavour. The draft specifies the following limits for the dry product:

Moisture content: max. 1.0%

Sulphated ash: max. 2.0%

Acid-insoluble ash: max. 0.05%

Solubility: min. 95%

Acidity (as anhydrous citric acid): max. 10%

Heavy Metal and Microbiological Limits

The standard establishes strict contaminant limits, including:

Cadmium: max. 0.1 mg/kg

Lead: max. 0.2 mg/kg

Arsenic: max. 0.1 mg/kg

Tin: max. 25 mg/kg

Microbiological requirements include:

Total plate count: max. 100 cfu/g

Total coliforms: nil

Mould count: max. 10 cfu/g

Requirements for Reconstituted Products

When prepared according to the manufacturers instructions:

Products containing nutritive sugar must contain at least 5% sugar (as sucrose) by weight.

Products claiming or implying Vitamin C fortification must contain not less than 30 mg of Vitamin C per 100 ml of the reconstituted beverage.

Packaging and Labelling

Soft drink powders must be packed in food-grade, moisture-proof materials, with non-toxic printing inks that do not contact the product directly. Mandatory labelling information includes:

Product name (Soft Drink Powder)

Manufacturer or importer details

Batch number, manufacturing date, and expiry date

Net content and maximum retail price (MRP)

Complete ingredient list in descending order

Declaration of non-nutritive sweeteners and required warning statements (including Not for Phenylketonurics where aspartame is used)

Directions for reconstitution (grams per 100 ml) and storage instructions

Nutritional information where claims are made

The use of the BSTI Certification Mark is optional and subject to licensing conditions under the BSTI Act, 2018.

Sampling and Conformity

Sampling procedures and conformity assessment are detailed in the annexes. A lot will be deemed compliant only if both packaging/marking checks and composite sample testing meet the specified requirements.

Stakeholders are invited to submit comments on Draft BDS 1586:XXXX before finalisation, as the revised standard will have significant implications for manufacturers, importers, and marketers of soft drink powders in Bangladesh.

Source

https://bsti.gov.bd/pages/notices/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF…

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Aspect	USA	EU	Australia	China	UAE
Regulatory Authority	FDA	EFSA & Member State Authorities	FSANZ	SAMR & NHC	ESMA & MOHAP
Major Regulation Governing Compliance	Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); 21 CFR Part 110 (Current Good Manufacturing Practices)	Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (General Food Law); Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on Food Information to Consumers	Food Standards Code (Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code)	Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China (Revised 2015); GB Standards for Food Safety	UAE.S GSO 9:2017 (GCC General Requirements for Prepackaged Food)
Pre-market Approval Required?	No pre-market approval except for novel ingredients, color additives, or specific claims	No pre-market approval for general foods, but novel foods or health claims require EFSA approval.	No pre-market approval unless it's a novel food or makes health claims	Pre-market registration is required for novel foods, health foods, or products with new ingredients	Pre-market approval is required for certain foods, health products, and products with new ingredients
Processed Food Labeling Compliance /Labeling Requirements	Mandatory labeling as per FDA guidelines (Nutrition Facts, Ingredient Declaration, Allergens)	Must comply with EU Food Information Regulation (1169/2011); includes allergens, nutrition, and origin labeling.	Must follow FSANZ Food Standards Code for labeling; nutrition panels, allergens, and ingredient lists required	Must follow GB 7718-2011 (National Food Safety Standards) for labeling; mandatory nutrition facts, allergens, and shelf-life	Must follow GSO 9:2017 for pre-packaged food labeling; Arabic labeling, allergens, and nutrition facts required
Timeline for Registration	No fixed timeline: products can enter the market once compliant	No formal registration unless novel food; EFSA approval for health claims takes 12-18 months	No formal registration unless it's a novel food or makes health claims	Typically, 12-24 months for novel foods, shorter for regular processed foods	Approval may take 6-12 months for certain products. Regular processed foods can enter the market once label approval is obtained

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