Regulatory heterogeneity continues to be identified as a challenge for food trade in ASEAN, as the progress of harmonization of food standards among member states remains slow. One reason is the incompleteness of information on the types and forms of standards and regulations imposed by member economies. Using a new and comprehensive database on non-tariff measures (NTMs), this paper offers updated information on food safety standards and regulations and their implications, from the Malaysian perspective. We examine the frequency and diversity of NTMs for the food sector, and then estimate their impact on food imports from ASEAN. The empirical results consistently verify that technical measures in Malaysia are import restrictive. The same trends in regulatory intensity found for Malaysia are likely to prevail also in other ASEAN countries. Building common ground for food safety regulations should be NTM specific, and sector specific, to realize progress in terms of regulatory convergence.