Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua & Barbuda
Regulations & Legislations
This Act establishes a comprehensive legal framework for food safety, covering the production, processing, packaging, importing, and exporting of food. It designates official reference laboratories, authorizes private labs for official analysis, and mandates standards for labelling, packaging, and HACCP systems.
https://legalaffairs.gov.ag/pdf/bills/Food_Safety_Act_2017.pdf
This legislation provides a robust framework for animal disease control, including surveillance systems, lists of notifiable diseases, and protocols for declaring infected or restricted zones. It strengthens biosecurity measures across farms and slaughterhouses to prevent and respond effectively to zoonotic threats.
https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/No.-12-of-2017-ANIMAL-HEALTH-ACT-2017.pdf
The 2021 GHS profile evaluates Antigua & Barbuda’s capacity in areas such as lab infrastructure, surveillance, and biosafety, noting that the Public Health Act of 1957 covers food and drug safety but lacks specific biosecurity regulations. It also highlights legislative gaps in containment and operation protocols for dangerous pathogens, indicating limited framework for advanced biosafety oversight.
https://ghsindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Antigua-Barbuda.pdf
State Agencies
Oversees plant and animal health, fisheries, food production, and houses the Chemistry & Food Technology Division, designated as the official food safety reference laboratory under the Food Safety Act 2017
Responsible for environmental health inspections, food premises regulation, foodborne illness prevention, and enforcing the Public Health Act 1957 across all food handling environments. It coordinates outbreak response and supports the implementation of hygiene standards in food service and production facilities.