Food safety responsibilities throughout Malaysia are executed through a system of administration including the central, state, district and local authority levels. Within the Ministry of Health, the Food Quality Control Unit, which was established in 1974, is responsible for: the overall technical supervision of food safety activities; formulation of legislation, codes of practice and guidelines; determination of food safety policies; adoption of food sampling and food premises inspection strategies; and coordination of activities at the state and district levels.

The principal food law in Malaysia is the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985, which are developed and amended by the Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD) of the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH). Food / dietary supplements are not covered by this Act and Regulations. Certain food-drug interface products are regulated by the MoH National Pharmaceutical Control Authority Board (NPCB).