GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS (REGLAMENTO) FOR RISKS CONTROL IN FOOD AND BEVERAGES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
Decree No. 528-01 enacted by the Dominican Republic Executive Brank on May 4, 2001, approves the General Regulations for Risk Control in Food and Beverages in the country. This piece of legislation establish the sanitary standards, quality requirements, inspection, registration and surveillance of food and beverages that are produced, imported or marketed in the national territory.
All prepared foodstuffs, beverages and the like that are supplied to the public in closed containers or packages must be registered with the Secretary of State for Public Health and Social Assistance (SESPAS) in order to authorize their manufacture, storage, transportation, possession, import, manufacture, sale or supply to the public. Along the same lines, the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department is the technical unit of SESPAS in charge of guaranteeing the population access to healthy, innocuous and contamination-free food and beverages, as well as effective compliance with regulations on the same.
In the title “OF THE CONTAINERS” of this decree, redundancy is worth it, food containers must be made of specific materials that do not alter or contaminate food. Permitted materials include:
a) Metals such as steel, cast iron, copper, brass, coated with substances that are not reactive with food; b) First-use tinplate without defects; c) Pure nickel or alloys with aluminum or copper (with restrictions); d) Enamelled iron with non-reactive lead coating; e) Innocuous materials such as glass, ceramics, wood, etc.; f) Cardboard, paper or other non-damaging materials; g) Rubber or rubber without toxic substances; h) Harmless vegetable or animal fabrics; i) Approved metals and alloys; j) Plastics that do not yield to substances under certain conditions.
Other specifications to take into account according to the regulation are: Food containers, as well as their covers and closures, must meet certain conditions, including non-reactive coatings and low levels of harmful impurities; Metallic devices for soft drinks must be made with specific materials such as tin, alloys and coatings, to avoid corrosion by carbonated liquids; Tin containers for acidic foods must be coated with a protective varnish to prevent corrosion; Painting and decorating containers must be done with harmless materials that do not contaminate food and soldering must be done with tin to avoid contamination; The use of certain materials such as antimony, arsenic, lead, etc., in containers is prohibited; Tin used in containers must be technically pure, with restrictions on the amount of lead allowed.
Among the regulations “OF LABELING OR LABELING” are:
a) A label is required on pre-packaged food containers with certain information, such as the name of the food, date of manufacture, use-by date, list of ingredients, and more. This information must be clear, visible and in Spanish. On the other hand, when an important ingredient is highlighted on the label, its percentage in the final product must be declared. b) If the low content of any ingredient is highlighted, its percentage in the final product must be declared and words or phrases must be added near the name of the food on the label to avoid confusion about the nature and state of the food. c) For dehydrated or condensed foods that must be reconstituted, ingredients may be listed based on proportions in the final reconstituted product. d) If a food has been treated with ionizing radiation, its label must indicate this treatment using the corresponding international symbol. Along the same lines, it details how to label irradiated products and those that contain irradiated ingredients. e) Graphic and written representations on the labels are allowed, as long as they do not contradict the mandatory requirements. The regulations in the Dominican Technical Standard (NORDOM 53) on labeling do not exclude what is specified in this regulation.
Apart from these chapters already explained, Decree 528-01 establishes other specific chapters such as:
• Water and ice specifications.
• Of non-alcoholic drinks.
• syrups.
• Nectars and Fruit Juices.
• alcoholic beverages
• Fermented Beverages and Wines
• Distilled Beverages
• Ice creams
• Stimulant Food Products
• sugars
• Fatty foods
• Farinaceous Foods
• flours
• Bread Doughs and Pasta
• yeasts
• Fresh Fish and Seafood
• Smoked fish
• Food for medical use (specifications)
• Of the Preserves of Animal and Vegetable Origin
• Of the Salts, Spices and Condiments
• Colorants added to food and beverages.
It also establishes specific regulations regarding the location of food and beverage outlets. According to Article 315, food stalls must be located in places where they do not interfere with vehicular traffic and/or hinder pedestrian traffic, and must be areas previously established by the Municipal Administration. In addition, Article 316 establishes that the location of food sales stalls will not be allowed less than twenty meters (20 meters) from the entrance and/or exit doors, and never within the premises of educational centers, hospitals and other. which, by their nature, can cause contamination.
According to the sales permits and the Seller, according to Article 326 , the sales permit will be valid for one (1) year for fixed or mobile stands, and for temporary stands it will not be more than three (3) years. . . To renew this permit, it will be essential to present the certificate of participation in food handling courses. In addition, Article 327 establishes that in order to obtain a sales permit, all the requirements contemplated in the current provisions of this Regulation must be previously met, regardless of other municipal requirements. Article 329 establishes that the seller will not be able to spend other products that are not those that appear in the sales permit.
Sanitation establishes specific regulations regarding environmental and personal sanitation in food establishments. According to Article 406 , the premises or food establishments must comply, as a minimum, with the requirements indicated in this chapter, and Article 407 establishes that they must be located in places conveniently isolated from any focus of environmental unhealthiness, conveniently separated from the housing and protected from the outside environment by adequate closures. In addition, Article 408 establishes that there must be sufficient space to facilitate hygiene in the storage of raw materials, in the preparation of products, in the storage of finished products and in the sanitation and cleanliness of personnel. Article 405 establishes that the Secretary of State for Public Health and Social Assistance will keep a record in which the class, characteristics and other conditions of each establishment are determined, as well as its location and name of the owner. Regarding personal sanitation, Article 194 establishes that food handlers must comply with personal hygiene standards, such as maintaining perfect body hygiene and especially hands, wearing a complete light-colored uniform, including the hat, in perfect. conditions of conservation and cleanliness, and gloves, when the case requires it, and it will not be allowed to keep the nails long or covered in varnish.