1 
  
PROPOSAL 
 
 
MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS SANITARY 
INSPECTION REGULATIONS 
 
 
IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
   
 
  
 2 
 MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS SANITARY INSPECTION 
REGULATIONS 
 
CONSIDERING : That it is an essential function of the Dominican Government to 
safeguard human health by adopting and enforcing adequate sanitary measures. It also 
has the essential function to regulate and inspect the processing and sale of bovine, ovine, porcine and goat meats, including products derived from these meats destined 
for human consumption for national and export sales, with the purpose of assuring that 
they are apt for export. 
 
CONSIDERING: That, due to the country’s development, the national meat production 
industries has incorporated technological advances, making it necessary to update 
current regulations to complement existing world markets regulations.  
 
CONSIDERING:  That, to facilitate the international trade of meats and meat products, it 
is advisable to grant the sanitary legislation of our country a legal instrument in accord with the exigencies required in foreign markets. 
 
CONSIDERING:  That the meat, carcasses, viscera and their processed products can 
be a source of diseases that affect public and animal health, as well as the economy if 
their origin and zoo-sanitary quality if not verified, under this circumstances should be 
guaranteed optimum quality health and hygiene, in order to provide quality and safety for consumers and national livestock production. 
 
THEREFORE:   
AGREES to emit the following: 
 
MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS INSPECTION REGULATIONS  
TITLE I 
GENERAL REGULATIONS 
CHAPTER I 
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPES OF THE REGULATIONS 
 
Article 1 These regulations have the objective to extend the legal, technical and 
administrative norm referring to the inspection of products and meat 
byproducts. 
 
Article 2 These regulations establish the sanitary specifications that establishments 
dedicated to animal slaughter and processing, and transformation and storage of products and byproducts of animal origin must comply to 
guarantee food safety for national consumption or export. 
 
CHAPTER II 
REGULATION ADMINISTRATION INSTANCES 
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 Article 3 SESPAS, through the General Directorate of Environmental Health and its 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, by means of the Meat and 
Meat Products Inspection Program, will be responsible for the application 
of these regulations. 
 
Article 4  These regulations shall apply to all establishments dedicated to slaughter, 
packing, process, and storage of meat products of national and foreign origin. 
 
CHAPTER III 
OFFICIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM 
 
SESPAS: State Secretariat of Public Health and Social Assistance, administered or 
directed by the office of the Secretary of State. 
 
GENERAL DIRECTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.  The General Director represents it, and his function is to enforce the Law and sanitary 
regulations, as well as to coordinate the functions of those responsible of the different 
departments, among them, the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
FOOD AND BEVERAGE RISK CONTROL DEPARTMENT. Its representative carries 
out the functions of the Inspection System of the Country for all types of food and beverages of national production and imports.  
 
MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS INSPECTION PROGRAM. The Program 
Representative will have the functions of National Veterinary Supervisor and will carry 
out general coordination of the inspection se rvices of the authorized establishments. 
 OFFICIAL EMPLOYEE . The employee of the General Directorate of Environmental 
Health conducts the inspection of animal origin products and byproducts. 
 VETERINARY DOCTOR INSPECTOR OFFICER. Professional Veterinary functionary 
from the General Directorate of Environmental Health assigned to an establishment to 
make inspection functions. This professional must fulfill the obligations anticipated in 
these regulations.  
OFFICIAL INSPECTION ASSISTANT. Personnel trained and certified by the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department to assist the Veterinary Doctor Inspector Officer’s tasks. These personnel must fulfill with estimated obligations in these regulations. 
 
PROGRAM EMPLOYEE. All Environmental Workers or another person employed by 
SESPAS that authorized to carry out any activity or task related to the program. 
 
INSPECTION. Set of actions and applied procedures of physical and anatomo-
pathological nature the Veterinary Doctor or the program’s personnel uses to examine 4 
 with the sense of smell, vision and tact, the conditions and organoleptic properties of 
animal origin foods or its raw materials. 
 
ANTE-MORTEM INSPECTION. It is the procedure where the Official Veterinary Doctor 
verifies the animals within the corrals to decide if they are clinically healthy to slaughter.  
 
POST-MORTEM INSPECTION. Name given to the procedure where the Official 
Inspection Service checks the animals within the establishment during the slaughter 
process making its observation in carcasses and viscera to decide if they are edible for 
human.  
 
INSPECTED AND APPROVED. The words sealed in the meats, food products and 
others to indicate that the actions of control have been fulfilled fixed by these regulations.  
 
CHAPTER IV 
THE AUTHORIZED TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS 
 
Article 5 For aims of these regulations, the definitions constitute the official 
interpretation of the following terms:  
 
POTABLE WATER . Water approved by the corresponding sanitary authority or another 
qualified governmental organism, which certifies the national legislation for use in food 
product processing facilities. 
 EDIBLE FOOD.  Food produced in sanitary conditi ons inspected and approved by the 
Inspection Service, and innocuous for human consumption without any restriction. 
 HEAT TREATED FEED FOR ANIMALS. All products, byproducts or derivatives of 
animal origin destined for feeding animal excluding ruminants, that have received a 
direct and indirect heat process, or another procedure approved by the General Directorate of Environmental Health. In no case, it could be destined for human consumption. 
 
ANIMAL. For these regulations, the animal is the live unit of any species approved by 
the General Directorate of Environmental Health for its industrialization destined to 
human or animal consumption.  
 FALLEN ANIMAL. Animal or animals, those by fractures or some other injury are 
unable to enter by themselves to the sacrifice room. 
 HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS SYSTEM AUDITS 
(HACCP). Confirmation by systematic evaluation of the practical compliance 
established in the documentation of the HACCP system and their results adjust to anticipated objectives. 
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 MEAT . The part of the muscle and soft tissues that surround the skeleton of the 
sacrificed animal, including their cover of fat, sinews, vessels, nerves, aponeurosis and 
other tissues separated during the slaughter operation, with exception of the skin in the 
porcine specie.  
FRESH MEAT. Meat that besides being refrigerated has not received its conservation 
effects, another treatment besides the pr otective package, and that conserves its 
natural characteristic.  
 
DEBONED MEAT . Product obtained from separating the meat of the bones that 
sustains it. 
 
TRIMMED MEAT.  Deboned meat reduced to fragments. 
 
CARCASS . The acceptable elaborate animal in authorized establishment, after 
sacrificed, bled, skinned, beheaded, removing extremities at the carpus and tarsus level, tail, breasts and eviscerated. This excludes the porcine specie with regard to 
skinning and removing the head and legs. 
 STORING CENTER. Place or building used for receiving, storage and distribution of 
foods of animal origin.  
 CLASSIFICATION OF THE SLAUGHTERHOUSES.  The slaughterhouses classify in 
the following categories: 
 Slaughter House Class “1”: Establishment or industrial plant authorized to export 
meat and meat byproducts or their commercialization within the national territory. 
Furthermore, they are named processing plants.  
 
Slaughter House Class “2”: Establishment or industrial plant authorized to slaughter 
bovine, goats, ovine and porcine only for commercialization within the national territory.  
 Slaughter House Class “3”: Establishment authorized to slaughter bovine, goats, 
ovine and porcine only for local commercialization. 
 CONSCIOUSNESS. Responsiveness of the brain to the impressions received through 
the senses. 
 ARTIFICIAL Coloring . Dye or pigment manufactured by synthetic procedure or 
analogous process. 
 CONDITIONS OR REQUIREMENTS. Requirements to which establishments shall 
adjust in order to be authorized by the General Directorate of Environmental Health. 
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 CONDEMNED. All products, byproducts or derivatives from animal origin, that been 
inspected are declared improper for human consumption and must be eliminated by the 
use of a render or incinerator. Include in this definition the standing animals.  
 CONTAMINATION.  It is the direct or indirect transmission of microorganisms, chemical 
substances and strange material to meat products and meat byproducts. 
 CUT. It is the part of the animal of easy anatomical identification. 
 
RECORD BOOK.  Control pages written and authorized by the Representative of the 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department in which the Program Supervisor and the 
Veterinary Doctor Inspector brief the total movement of activities made in the 
establishment; this is the main communication media between the Inspection Service and the proprietors or persons responsible of the establishment. 
 
SCRAPS . Parts of the animal considered as inedible. 
 
DISINFECTION . The application, after a complete cleaning, of procedures destined to 
destroy infectious agents.  
RENDER OR YIELD PLANT . An area provided with appropriate equipment for 
industrialization of dead animals in corrals, carcasses, viscera, bones and blood seized for being inedible for human consumption and the result of this industrialization is 
destined to the non-ruminant animals. 
 IMMEDIATE PACKAGE . Container or another cover in which the product is directly 
contained total or partial. 
 PACKING . The outer cover (box, bag, barrel, basket or another container or cover) that 
contains any previously packed product in one or more immediate packages total or 
partially.  SHIPMENT.  They are the products or byproducts that enter or leave an authorized 
establishment protected by an Official Certificate of Inspection. 
 MEAT PRODUCT ESTABLISHMENT . All establishments with the following operations: 
prepare, elaborate, process, packaging, storage, distribution, handling and meat 
products sale.  
SLAUGHTER.  Work made from the sacrifice of the animals to its entrance to the 
refrigerating chambers or its delivery destined to the consumption or industrialization of the carcasses, half carcasses or quarters. 
 
CATTLE.  It means all animals from the bovine, ovine, goat and porcine species. 
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 HYGIENE . The set of actions needed during elaboration, treatment, storage, transport 
and commercialization of foods, to guarantee its security and innocuousness. 
 
INDUSTRIALIZATION . The manufacturing process to which animals slaughtered, their 
parts, fluids and raw materials submit to obtain foods. 
 
CLEANING . The process of elimination of strange material, residues or impurities forms 
the surfaces of the facilities, equipment, utensils or others. 
 
FOOD LOT . Set of foods made in an authorized industrial establishment under the 
same processing conditions during a determined period and identified under the same 
number. 
 LOT OF ANIMALS.  Set of animals that belong to a same proprietor and have the same 
origin that will enter the establishment protected by the same documentation and marks. 
 CORROSION RESISTANT MATERIAL.  It is the non-toxic impermeable product, 
resistant to the seawater, ice, substances released by the product or other corrosive 
substances, with which it can make contact. Its surface must be smooth and resistant to the repeated action of cleaners approved by The General Directorate of Environmental 
Health. 
 TRANSPORT MEANS.  The system used to transfer animals, meats, products, 
byproducts and their derivatives, inside or outside the establishment. The General 
Directorate of Environmental Health will approve transport means for their use, for which they must gather the established hygienic and sanitary conditions in these 
regulations. 
 INEDIBLE . Product checked by the Inspection Service and determined as not 
appropriate for human consumption. 
 HAZARD . Biological, chemical or physical agent that with a reasonable probability can 
cause disease or injury to the person. 
 
SANITATION OPERATION PROCEDURES STANDARDS (SOPS).  Documented 
system that guarantees the hygiene of personnel, cleaning of the facilities, equipment 
and instruments and their disinfection to reach levels specified before the operations 
and in their course.  
HACCP PLAN.  Written document based on principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Points (HACCP), which defines the formal procedures that must follow according to the general principles, to guarantee food safety. 
 
MEAT PRODUCTS . Those prepared with meat, blood, viscera, or other byproducts of 
animal origin authorized for human consumption adding or not additives and approved 
species. These products will be denominated according to their species. 8 
  
REJECTED. No product, byproduct, derivative, container or vehicle by its sanitary 
conditions agrees with what it establishes these regulations.  
 CHEMICAL RESIDUES. Residues from veterinary medicines and pesticides that can 
be present in meat products and detected by chemical analyses.  
 RETAIN, DETAIN, OR INTERVENE. All product, byproduct, derivative, containers or 
vehicles that do not agree with that establis hed in these regulations due to their sanitary 
conditions, without giving rise to be rejected or condemned.   
 
ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. The flavor or an agent that contains or offers a synthetic flavor, 
or other analogous media.  
 
BRINE . Food grade sodium chloride solution, prepared with potable water and other 
ingredients allowed for human, used for the conservation or treatment of animal origin products or its raw materials. 
 
FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM . Set of procedures that processors, slaughterhouses, storing 
centers and all other establishments authorized by The General Directorate of 
Environmental Health must define, adopt, update and comply with to manipulate animal 
origin foods with the purpose of guaranteeing food safety.  
ANIMAL ORIGIN BYPRODUCTS . Any part suitable to be used as food that is not meat, 
processed or not byproducts, edibles when destine for human consumption and inedible 
for animal consumption. 
 
EXPOSITION TIME . Period an animal exposes to an anesthetic concentration. 
 
HACCP SYSTEM VERIFICATION.  The periodic proof conducted by the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department to the HACCP System by audit.  VISCERA.  The organs contained in the main cavities of the body of animals. 
 
TITLE II 
OF THE INSPECTION, APPROVAL, AND CERTIFICATION OF THE PROCEDURES 
 RELATED WITH FOOD SAFETY 
 
Article 6 It corresponds to SESPAS through the General Directorate of 
Environmental Health to emit procedures and to coordinate with the 
participation of the private sector and other institutions of the public sector the actions to ensure the quality and safety of the meats and meat 
products. 
 Article 7 The General Directorate of Environmental Health through the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department, will elaborate technical and hygienic-9 
 sanitary manuals, statistical sampling plan for product re-inspection, will 
establish tolerance levels for chemical and microbiological residues and 
other programs that will be in agreement to the national and international 
norms, and with Codex Alimentarius. 
 
Article 8  SESPAS through The General Directorate of Environmental Health jointly 
with the productive sectors, processors, cattle trading sector and superior education centers, nationals and internationals and related ones, will 
promote and coordinated the information, education, communication, 
training and agreements related to the quality, health and meats and meat products safety. 
 
Article 9   The establishments authorized and approved for export will undergo 
immediate changes in the process of Sanitary Inspection according to the 
innovations or requests of the meat products importing countries, that 
must be taken care of immediately, previous approval of the Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
 
Article 10   The norms and international agreements ratified by the country will be 
applied as a complement to these regulations, in the specifications not 
contemplated in it. 
 
TITLE III 
OFFICIAL PERSONNEL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICE 
 
Article 11 The Veterinary professionals and competent assistants, trained and 
certified by The General Directorate of Environmental Health will carry out 
the hygienic-sanitary inspection of the establishments and their products. In the establishments, where a permanent inspection is needed and 
required more than one veterinary inspector, the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department will assign an Official Veterinary Doctor Chief of Inspection in the facility.  
 
Article 12 The following are obligations of the Veterinary Doctor Inspector in the 
Establishment: 
 
1. Control the services in order to maintain the discipline and 
responsibility in the personnel necessary to obtain an efficient inspection. 
 
2. Comply and enforce the Law and dispositions of these regulations. 
 
3. Distribute personnel under its orders and give account to the 
superiors of the faults or omissions in which the employees incurred, applying at the same time the disciplinary measures according to the 
Law established for such aim. 10 
  
4. Supervise and control the Assistant Officers or Accredited Assistants. 
 
5. Maintain sanitary control in all the departments of the establishment 
responsible of, being responsible for all deficiencies for which it does 
not take the corrective actions, by itself, if it belongs to its faculty, or 
putting him in awareness of whom it concerns.  
6. Decide on the destiny of meats observed by personnel of Inspection. 
 
7. Have to its position and updated the record book, the books, seals 
and forms obligatory to take in each establishment. He is responsible 
for the safekeeping and signs of the certificates.  
8. Send to superiors in the precise date the forms, reports and all other 
documentation with that destiny.  
9. Submit monthly to the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, a 
report in the first 5 days of the subsequent month of the work done during the previous month, as well as the improvements that 
considers necessary for good service of the inspection. 
 
10. Receive and give signed the documentation and Inspection seals 
under inventory, maintaining updated, and be responsible for the 
conservation of the Inventory Book and other elements assigned to the inspection under its safekeeping. 
 
11. In case of necessity shall take responsibility part of the Inspection 
Service without damage of the assigned direct functions. 
 
12. Sample and deliver to the laboratory the samples of the processed 
products to analyses, as well as raw materials that enter their processing. 
 
13. Perform every 6 months as minimum the chemical physical analysis 
and every thirty (30) days the bacteriological of the water used by the 
establishment in all its operative stages having them done in an 
Official or accredited Laboratory destined for that aim. The personnel of the Inspection Service located in the establishment must obtain the 
samples. 
 
14. Perform sampling and shipment to the Official or accredited 
Laboratory of samples from suspicious animals having diseases 
whose macroscopic diagnosis raises doubts or difficulties.  11 
 15. Enforce effective dispositions on labeling or tagging on packages and 
weights declared before granting the sanitary documentation. 
 
16. Establish surveillance in the load transportations and product handling 
under its control, as well as the storage of products destined to the 
commerce. 
 
17. Maintain in direct form relations with superiors and the establishment 
management that controls. 
 
18. Serve in the establishment in the assigned schedule. 
 
19. Attend the establishment according to the daily schedule established. 
 
20. Carry out the ante-mortem inspection previous revision of the sanitary 
documentation of the animals, to verify the corresponding amounts, coincidence of marks, origin of the lots and all other verification. 
 
21. Be responsible of the necropsies and study material collection, taking 
all pertinent measures for isolation and disinfection in cases of 
infected-contagious diseases giving immediate notification when 
occurring to the National Supervisor for its respective intervention.  
22. Be responsible for the slaughter for all animal or lot of animals                      
destined to human consumption.  
23. Proceed to the post-mortem examination of the sacrificed animals in 
the establishment, investigating in the site where the inspection performs the sanitary condition of the head of cattle and take part in 
the destiny of them, solving in doubtful cases. 
 
24. Carry out along with Assistants the examination of viscera and 
lymphatic ganglia, visually, by palpation or through incisions not more, 
neither more extended than what is required; the Veterinary Doctors 
Inspectors Officers are responsible of the procedure.  
26. Issue the respective Official Inspection Certificate when technical and 
legal requirements have met.  
Article 13 The Assistants to the Veterinary Doctors Inspectors Officials or Credited 
will have obligations as follows: 1.  Fulfill its specific work in the site and schedule assigned by the 
Responsible of the Service or the Veterinary Inspector. 
2. When the work at the office requires it, perform administrative 
functions. 12 
 3.  They are required in all the cases of verifying some abnormality in any 
area or process made inside the establishment and outside the plant, 
to stop the deviation in the process and communicate it to their 
superiors. 
 
Article 14   The obligations of the National Veterinary Doctor Supervisor are:  
 
1. Verify compliance of the Law and its regulations in all the authorized 
establishments by the General Directorate of Environmental Health. 
 2. Verify sanitary control in all departments of the establishments, being 
responsible for deficiencies communicated to him by the Plant 
Inspection Official Veterinary Doctors and for which does not arbitrate means within reach to correct them, by himself if it enters its faculty or 
putting it knowledge to whom corresponds. 
 3.  Verify the normal attendance of personnel of the Inspection Service to 
establishments where they are assigned, according to their dates and 
estimated times. 
 
4.  Inform to the person Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department of the abnormalities verified in the establishments where he is responsible. 
 
5.  Inform to Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department of the existence of non-authorized establishments by the 
General Directorate of Environmental Health, and develops industrial 
activities contemplated in the Law and its regulation. 
 
6.  Monthly present to Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department reports requested opportunely. 
7.  Carry out audits corresponding to food safety procedures by means of 
self-control plans that the establishments place in operation, under the 
HACCP System. 
 Article 15   The following are responsibilities of the Responsible of the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department as Veterinary Doctor in charge of the 
National Inspection Service: 1.  Comply and enforce the Law and dispositions of these regulations. 
2.  Verify the sanitary control in all the departments of the establishments 
under Official Inspection. Is responsible for the deficiencies communicated to him by the Official Inspection Veterinary Doctors of 
the Plant, or by the National Official Veterinary Doctor Supervisor 
responsible, and for which does not arbitrate means to its reach to correct them, or by him, if it enters its faculties or putting it into 
knowledge of whom corresponds. 13 
 3. Control the services in order to keep discipline and responsibility in the 
personnel necessary to obtain an efficient inspection. 
4. Distribute the personnel under his orders and inform superiors of any 
faults or omissions which employees incurred, applying at the same time disciplinary actions according to the Law established for such aim. 
5. Prepare and send reports on the inherent activities to its area in time 
and availability that require the superior authorities. 
6. All activity the superior authorities consider convenient bonded to their 
area. 
 Article 16   All members of the Official Inspection Service assigned to an 
establishment, as well as their superiors in direct line, will have free 
access to all departments of the establishment authorized by The General Directorate of Environmental Health, at any hour of the day or at night. 
 
TITLE IV 
OF THE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE HYGIENIC-SANITARY  
CONSTRUCTION FOR THE MEAT PRODUCT PROCESSING ESTABLISHMENTS 
 
Article 17   For the authorization of the establishments that produce or process meat, 
they shall comply with the following requirements for construction and 
sanitary engineering, without damage of other specific conditions that for their activity consider these regulations: 
1. They shall be located on firm ground, in a non-flooding area. 
2. They shall be far apart from industries that produce odor or 
detrimental emanations. 
3. They shall be 4 kilometers minimum distant from residential zones. 
4. They shall count on with abundant supplying of potable water and 
power services. 
5.    They shall be located in places with suitable access to paved and 
transit routes. 
6. The location shall be in addition subject to favorable report of the 
corresponding organism, with respect to the industrial drainage. 
7. Other constructions, industries or houses other to this activity cannot 
be present within the contour framed by the perimeter fence of the establishment. 
 
Article 18   All internal roads of the establishment shall be paved or have an 
impermeable layer. The adjacent spaces must be waterproofed or in 
defect lay with lawn. 
 Article 19   A fence will be surrounding the establishments and will enclose all the 
departments in their perimeter area. This will be constructed with 
approved materials. When it is not totally of concrete block or reinforced brick, it shall have a wall with this material at least fifty (50) centimeters 
over the floor level to avoid the entrance of animals or noxious animals. Its 14 
 height shall have a minimum of two (2) meters. The doors for vehicles or 
people shall have the same height as the fence. 
 
Article 20   The perimeter of the establishment shall have artificial illumination. 
 
Article 21   The establishments authorized must be constructed with materials that will 
facilitate their cleaning and disinfection. 
 
Article 22   Arrangements of the establishments, their design, construction and 
measures shall obey fundamentally to the following: 1. Allow cleaning and disinfection of areas and equipment, avoiding the 
accumulation or deposit of dirtiness on foods or surfaces that contact 
them. 
2.  Avoid the formation of condensation or undesirable moulds on 
surfaces of equipments or foods. 
3. Provide food sanitation practice and prevention of crossed 
contamination due to equipment, utensils, foods, personnel, materials, 
water, raw materials or external sources of contamination caused by 
insects or rodents. 
4.  Assure the adequate temperature conditions for manipulation or 
storage of the products and raw materials. 
5.   Have devices or installations for monitoring the adequate conditions of 
the environmental temperature, located in accessible and visible 
places. 
 Article 23   The places or premises for the reception of raw materials shall be 
separated from the manufacturing rooms, personnel circulation, materials 
and equipment, in such form to avoid crossed contamination. 
 
Article 24   The processing and manufacturing rooms shall be located and arranged in 
such a way to avoid the contamination. 
 Article 25  The establishments shall have a sufficient number of individual hand 
washers properly distributed and marked, with the following 
characteristics: 1.  They shall be stainless steel constructed or with another material 
resistant to corrosion and be designed to facilitate their cleaning. 
2.  They shall have cold and warm water. The Inspection Service can 
authorize the omission of hot water in those premises that for 
production reasons justifies it and as long as it does not represent a 
detriment of hygienic aspects. 
3.  The water exit shall be approximately thirty (30) centimeters over the 
superior edge of the hand washer. Having to be driven to pedal or by 
automatic system. 
4.  Provide with liquid soap, or soap-powder and paper towel. 15 
 5.  The discharge of these hand-washers shall go straight to the water-
drainage system through siphon closure. 
6.   According to the needs of the sector shall have attached a sterilizer to 
sanitize, disinfect utensils and tools. The Inspection Service shall authorize the omission of this clause in those premises that for 
production reasons justify it whenever they do not represent a 
detriment of hygienic-sanitizing aspects. 
7.  The disinfection equipment shall consist of a container that contains 
an antiseptic approved by the Inspection Service or a water source at 
82º C or 180º F as minimum. 
8.  In addition to hand washers and disinfection equipment of utensils for 
general use, mentioned before, in each operative zone of the 
Inspection Service shall count with hand washer and disinfection equipment. 
9.  The equipment destined to the hand washing shall not be used for 
washing raw materials or food. 
 
Article 26   The floors shall be constructed with impermeable, washable, 
nonabsorbent and nontoxic materials, properly authorized by The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. They shall not have filtrations to 
natural ground or inferior floors according to if the premises are in ground 
floor or superior floors. Shall be nonskid and shall stay in good state of conservation, without cracks, holes, nor deteriorations that allow the 
stagnation of liquids. It shall have an inclination slope of fall not less than 
two (2) percent towards the entrance or water-drainage channels. Its design must facilitate cleaning and disinfection. Each fifty (50) square 
meters, at least, will exist a water discharge with pipe not less than fifteen 
(15) centimeters of diameter. 
 
Article 27   The served water conduits will discharge to the main conduct (s) with 
interposition of a siphon with a hydraulic closing. 
 Article 28   The walls of the establishments shall be constructed with impermeable, 
washable, nonabsorbent and nontoxic materials. The surface shall be 
smooth up to an adequate height for the activity they are made for, never smaller than two (2) meters, and shall stay in good state of conservation, 
without deteriorations that allow deposit of dirtiness. Its design shall 
facilitate the cleaning and disinfection. They shall be white or clear color. The superior part of the walls, from the smooth zone to the union with the 
ceiling, will be of polished cement of clear color. 
 Article 50   In the union of the walls with the floors, ceilings and walls to each other, 
the angle formed shall be rounded in concave form to facilitate the 
cleaning, disinfection and avoid deposit of dirtiness. 
 
 16 
 Article 29   When projections are present on walls caused by columns, moldings, 
etc., all union angles and corners shall be rounded. 
 
Article 30   Roofs, ceilings and other installations suspended shall be designed, 
constructed and finished to prevent the entrance and accumulation of 
dirtiness, reduce or prevent condensation and the formation of 
undesirable molds and particles detachment. 
 
Article 31   Construct the surfaces, including the tables and equipment, in contact 
with food with impermeable materials, washable, nonabsorbent and nontoxic. They shall be smooth or continuous without cracks in unions to 
facilitate its cleaning, disinfection and stay in good state of conservation. 
 Article 32   Rooms shall count on appropriate and sufficient means of mechanical or 
natural ventilation. Avoid all airflow from a contaminated zone to another 
clean. The design and construction of the ventilation systems shall allow easy access to their mechanisms for hygiene and maintenance. Provide 
mechanical air extractors with blinds of automatic locking. 
 Article 33   The metallic doors shall have smooth surfaces, nonabsorbent, easy to 
clean and disinfect. Openings to the outside, as doors, windows, 
extractors and others, shall count on with anti-insects protection systems, such as stainless metallic meshes of 1/16 of inch, air curtains and other 
devices approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
The systems shall prevent access of insects even when the equipment is not in operation. The windows and other holes shall be constructed to 
prevent accumulation of dirtiness. 
 Article 34  Shall count on white color artificial light. The intensity shall be three 
hundred fifty (350) lux units as minimum in working positions, five hundred 
fifty (550) lux units in places where activities of inspection and classification are made, and a level equivalent to two hundred twenty (220) units lux as minimum in all other points. The type of light for the 
inspection sectors shall be localized. The lamps shall be covered with a 
protective system that avoids the glass dispersion in case of breakage. 
 
Article 35   The electrical systems for lights and equipment shall be designed with 
approved materials and respecting the corresponding industrial safety measures. All working equipments, as well as machines and tools driven 
electrically, shall polarize to earth. 
 Article 36   All facilities must stay in good state of cleaning and operation so they do 
not constitute a contamination focus. 
 Article 37   The equipment, utensils and accessory installations used to industrialize 
foods, particularly those that enter in direct contact with products or their 17 
 raw materials, shall be constructed with stainless steel or another resistant 
material to corrosion and of easy cleaning. 
 
Article 38   The design and installation of machines and equipment shall facilitate 
cleaning and disinfection of all its parts and the surrounding zones where 
installed and shall avoid the contamination of food products or its raw 
materials. 
 
Article 39   Wood is prohibited in rooms where foods or raw materials without 
packaging are processed or manipulated. 
 
Article 40   The equipment that enters in direct contact with food shall count with a 
special device, manual or mechanical, so the previous to a new use shall be perfectly sanitized (cleaning and disinfection). 
 
Article 41   The equipment or sinks destined for washing food shall be provided with 
cold and hot potable water, if necessary. Shall be constructed with 
stainless steel or another approved material and shall be cleaned with 
frequency necessary to avoid the deposit of dirtiness or stagnation of water or liquids. The discharge of these sinks could be direct to the water-
drainages system, through siphon closure. 
 Article 42   The working platforms in which workers operate shall be constructed: 
1.  As inclined plane, steps or elevated to facilitate a good performance in 
the activity to carry out. 
2.  Shall be construct with rustproof authorized materials. 
3.  Its design shall facilitate cleaning and disinfection of all parts. 
4.  The floor shall be nonskid and all along the front, it shall be equipped 
with a border as a baseboard of ten (10) centimeters of height made 
with the same materials used for it. 
5.  The access stairs cannot be wood made. They shall have their 
nonskid type support surface and a metallic security railing of galvanized tube. 
 
Article 43   The trays, containers and cart destined to contain or transport food 
products shall be stainless steel or another authorized material and shall 
respond to the following requirements: 
1.  Its design shall facilitate its cleaning and disinfection. 2.  All their inner angles shall be round to avoid the dirt deposit. 
3. They will not be placed directly in the ground, but shall have to do it in 
platforms destined that only aim, and at a height not less than fifteen (15) centimeters from the ground. 
4.  They shall always be clean and shall avoid the deposit of liquid or 
solid residues in its interior.  
 18 
 Article 44   The materials and construction of carts for condemned products or 
byproducts will be similar to those of general use ought to count with, in 
addition, with lid, hinge and a special and well visible identification with the 
word “CONDENADO S.P.” (CONDE MN), painted in red color. 
 
Article 45   When the equipment or machineries perform a heat treatment by cold or 
heat on the food, they shall count on the installations or devices that allow surveillance of the conditions, treatme nt, temperature and time, located in 
accessible and visible places. 
 Article 46   All equipment and machineries shall stay in good state of cleaning and 
operation so it does not constitute a contamination focus for the products. 
 Article 47   The equipment and utensils of reserve shall keep in a storehouse on 
shelves or pallets. 
 Article 48   The dressers for the personnel shall be designed based on a sufficient 
capacity of (1) a square meter per person as minimum and shall comply 
with the following construction requirements: 1.  They shall be located on well accessing places separated from the 
industrialization or manufacturing departments and accesses shall be 
paved. 
2.  They shall be constructed with approved materials. 
3.  Floors shall be constructed with impermeable materials with a slope 
2% towards the water-drainages entrances, having to drain the effluents by closed pipe provided with siphon closing, directly to the 
general system. They shall not have filtrations to the natural ground or 
inferior floors. They shall be nonskid and stay in good state of conservation, without cracks, holes, nor deteriorations that allow the 
stagnation of liquids. 
4.  Walls shall be covered with a material of smooth, impermeable surface 
up to two (2) meters of height from the level of the floor and when not covered by tiles shall be covered with polished plaster. 
5.  When the baseboard does not reach the ceiling that sector of the wall 
shall be concave. The union between the walls, floor, and ceiling shall be rounded. 
6. Ceilings shall be constructed of impermeable and insulating material. 
7.  Doors and windows or any other kind of opening shall be protected 
with screens 1/16 inch size and provided with automatic locking. 
8.  To facilitate ventilation, every sixty (60) cubic meters shall have large 
windows with a minimum of two (2) square meters. If this takes place by mechanic means, shall assure the air renovation ten (10) times per 
hour as minimum. 
9. Artificial illumination shall have a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) 
lux units. 19 
 10. Dressers shall have enough seats to sit simultaneously up to 20% of 
users of this department. 
 
Article 49  The baths shall be next to the dressers, which, in addition to the 
mentioned requirements of construction for the dressers, they shall be: 
1.  Provided with cold and warm water. 
2.  In direct communication with the dressers but shall be independent 
of toilets. 
3.  In the restrooms shall be located hand washers that could be 
individual or straight sinks, which shall have a dimension not less than forty (40) centimeters wide and twenty (20) centimeters depth. 
4.  This sinks shall be provided with cold and hot water with or without 
mixers. 
5.  The faucets shall be at least twelve (12) millimeters and placed with 
their discharging opening not less than thirty (30) centimeters over 
the superior edge of the sink or hand washer. The drive of the faucets shall be automatic or pedal. They are not to be operated 
with hands. 
6.  Next to the hand washers, will locate devices with liquid or powder 
soap, nailbrush and towels for a single use and containers to 
deposit discarded paper towel. 
7.  The hand washers or sinks, shall be cleaned next close to every 
shift. 
8.  The discharge of these sinks shall be direct to the effluents system 
of the establishment by siphon closing. In no case shall discharge through the cleaning channels that exist in the floors of the 
establishment. 
 Article 50  The sanitary services shall meet the following conditions: 
1.  The restrooms for men, shall count with a urinal per every thirty 
(30) workers or fraction, (1) a toilet per every fifteen (15) workers or fraction, (1) hand washer per every fifteen (15) employees or fraction and one (1) shower per every eighteen (18) employees or 
fraction. 
2.  For the feminine personnel shall be installed (1) one toilet per every 
fifteen (15) workers or fraction and equal amount of hand washers 
and showers that for men. 
3. In both cases the restrooms shall form separated installations from 
the others by walls with minimum average of one and a half (1.50) 
meters that shall not reach the ceiling. The toilet rooms shall not 
have their own ceiling but the superior part shall be a free opening up to the roof of the building. 
4.  All sanitary installations for baths, toilets and hand washers shall 
perform in accordance with the nor ms of Sanitation Engineering. 
5.  To the entrance of the premises, where they are manipulated or 
processed edible products, and where the personnel obligatorily 20 
 must pass, shall install sanitary hygienic filters. Their components 
are located in the following order: boot washer, hand washer with 
faucets auctioned by pedal, knee or another approved method, with 
a pressure device for liquid soap, towel dispenser with disposable 
towels, footbath with ten (10) centimeters depth, with an antiseptic 
solution approved, current and permanently renovating. 
6.  All the facilities shall stay in good state of cleaning and operation so 
it does not constitute a focus of infection. 
 
Article 51   It establishes the following color code and those that the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department adds in the future, for identification of 
pipes, accessories and working elements: 
1.  For the Pipes : 
  Blue: Compressed air. 
 Gray with orange strips: Ammonia; it is recommended to label   
word “Ammonia”. Orange: Steam Water. 
  Black: Electricity 
  Red: Fire hydrant for fire control.   Red: Elements to fight against fires (fire extinguishers, etc.). 
  Orange: Hot water 
  Green: Cold water  2. For others: 
  Fuels (liquid and gases): Yellow 
  Edible products: Green   Non-edible products: Black 
  Dangerous products or condemned: Red 
  Sewer: Gray with violet strips.  
Article 52   The establishment shall place visible posters or signboards to identify the 
use of allowed colors; shall be for pipes and other equipment, distributed in all areas and rooms of the establishment. 
 
Article 53  If the establishment requires modifying the use of the colors established in 
these regulations, it shall request it in writing to the Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department for approval. 
 
Article 54   The norms for the evacuation of waters served and waste products in the 
establishments shall obey: 
1.  The Law and regulations must adjust permanently to that on 
elimination of effluent liquids, solids or gaseous that prevails in the country. To this end shall present every time required the permissions 
emitted by the relevant organism. 
2.  It will be responsibility of the companies or competent national or 
municipal authorities, to enforce effluent evacuation norms in 
agreement with the legislation in force. 21 
 3.  Every time the application authority indicates to the Inspection 
Service, the non-compliance of an authorized establishment of some 
of the norms that regulate evacuation of effluents or residues will have 
the suspension of the Inspection Service, or the total or partial closing of the establishment involved. Until the authorities manifest the facts 
have regularized, shall allow the partial or total renewal of the 
activities. 
4.  The evacuation of residual waters shall agree with established in this 
Title, without damage of the compliance of other complementary 
regulations in matter of environmental protection. 
5.  The establishments authorized for animal sacrifice or their 
industrialization, when the tasks developed require it, shall have 
septic chambers or wastewater purifying plants. 
6.  The location of all new establishments is subject to possibilities of the 
receiving body of its wastewaters. The authorization request of all new 
establishments shall accompany with favorable opinion of the competent organism in this matter. 
7.  The General Directorate of Environmental Health shall make sure that 
the establishment counts on the permissions from the competent authority for the liquids’ pre-treatments. These liquids originate from 
drainages on the reception and animal slaughter of any species and 
its industrialization shall be subject, without detriment of treatments that can be necessary to comply with the conditions, they demand, in 
each case, the organisms responsible of the control of receiving water 
bodies or canalization of the drainages. 
8.  The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall determine the 
conditions in which the separation of the canalization drainages must 
take place, within the establishments. 
9.  In all the cases, separate the blood coming from the slaughter, and 
will not be admitted its discharge to drainage under any concept. 
 Article 55   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department will determine the terms 
within which the exigencies of these regulations must comply, in the 
establishments already authorized. 
 Article 56   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, shall demand the 
presentation of prints of sanitary works, with the purpose to recognize the 
route of pipes and drainages in all areas of the establishment. 
 
Article 57   The drainages of corrals, slaughter and industrialization shall separate in 
three independent systems of canalization, which shall meet underneath waters from the respective pre-treatment systems: 
1.  Drainages of corrals and their corridors where the standing cattle 
transits. 
2. Fat drainages. 
3. Non-fat drainages. 22 
  
Article 58   The waters coming from the drainages referred at the previous article shall 
be subject to the following pre-treatments: 
1.  Stated in clause 1 shall be pre-treated by physical means, such as 
sieves, sedimentation or by another approved system, to obtain the 
separation of the manure. 
2.  Stated in clause 2 shall be pre-treated to obtain separation and 
recovery of fatty substances. 
3.  Stated in clause 3 shall be pre-treated sifted and sedimentation or any 
approved system to obtain the separation of solids. 
 
Article 59     The pluvial drainages from all ceilings and patios not used for circulation 
of standing cattle of the establishment shall meet fully separated canalization of the industrial drainages and sewers. The meeting of the 
pluvial water-drainages with the rest is accepted after the treatment of the 
later, and whenever it is feasible, in agreement with the conditions established by the organization responsible for the control of the water 
body or receiving canalization of the water-drainages.  
 Article 60   The water to be use in the establishments with exception of the employed 
for mechanical services and sanitary services shall be potable, free of 
organisms or chemical elements that can produce in food products contaminations or alterations of any nature, that affect their condition of 
human food without restriction. 
 Article 61   The establishments shall install equipment for the automatic water 
chlorination when thereby established by the Inspection Service. The free 
residual chlorine concentration shall be minimum the demanded for the potable water of human consumption, according to the effective norm in 
the country. The Inspection Service shall control in special situations the 
specific necessities covered with each establishment. The company shall provide the Inspection Service equipment to determine the free chlorine concentration. 
 
Article 62   Every six (6) months like minimum, the establishment shall make chemical 
analysis and every thirty (30) days a bacteriological that allows The Food 
and Beverage Risk Control Department appreciate the characteristics of 
the water in use with respect to its potability. 
 
Article 63 Potable water shall meet microbiological and chemical conditions 
established in The Dominican Norm NORDOM 1, Water for Domestic Use. 
 
Article 64   Chemical and microbiological analyses shall be made in official 
laboratories or those the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department accredits officially for such effect. 23 
 Article 65   When using non-potable water for purposes authorized by these 
regulations, the deposits will separate totally and the distribution will be 
different and performed in ways that not even accidentally be mixed with 
the potable.  
 
Article 66   Shall not allow the passage of non-potable or residual water pipes through 
industrialization environments where edible products are processed or handled, whatever type of industry that process them. 
 
Article 67   Total water availability of an establishment shall be calculated by the sum 
of capacity of deposits plus the provision capacity per hour of the source 
of origin, multiplied this last one by the normal number of working hours. 
The estimate calculation to consider for establishments shall be: 1.  When other bovine or ruminants are slaughtered and industrialized, it 
shall be estimated one thousand five hundred (1500) liters per animal 
and five hundred (500) liters per porcine. 
2. When meat and meat products are processed, packed, the potable 
water availability for establishment necessities shall be twenty-five 
(25) liters per kg of finished product. 
3. In both cases, these figures are basic and will be suitable by The 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, according to working 
conditions. 
 
Article 68   Potable water conductive pipes, nonpotable and served, shall be identified 
with the colors established in these regulations. 
 
Article 69   Ice and steam used in direct contact with food products, shall not contain 
any substance that represents danger for health or can contaminate the 
product. In all cases, they shall be produced from potable water. 
 
Article 70   Establishments shall adopt and document an insect and rodent control 
system, which shall be approved by the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 71   The respective documentation to this system, as well as the methodology, 
surveillance form, shall be at disposition of the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 72   The competent official authority in the country must approve and register 
chemicals such as rodent baits, insecticides and others.   
 
Article 73   Rodenticides, insecticides, disinfectants and other potentially toxic 
substances shall be stored in rooms or closets closed with key; they shall 
be used in such a way the risk of product contamination does not exist. 
 
Article 74   Establishments shall count with an independent local, or an adequate 
system, to store the residues. Its design shall avoid odor emanation, liquid 
leaks and access of insects or rodents. 24 
 Article 75   The disposal of solid, semisolid or liquid residues of the places where they 
are deposited or stored, must process continuously using chlorinated 
water and utensils needed, to keep clean the places and reduce danger of 
contamination. 
 
Article 76   It is prohibited to deposit the materials and cleaning utensils in the 
processing rooms or refrigerating chambers.  
 
Article 77  The cleaning materials must be manufactured with approved stainless 
materials. It is prohibited the use of wood for that aim. 
 
Article 78   The refrigerator chambers are premises constructed with thermal 
insulating material, destined to conservation of perishable products by means of the cold. 
 
Article 79   The capacity of the refrigerating chambers as far as volume, shall be 
established by The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department 
according to the product to store, cool or freeze and according to the 
temperature conditions that shall obtain for each product. 
 
Article 80   The refrigerating chambers shall comply with the following sanitary 
hygienic and construction requirements. 1. The floor shall be constructed with impermeable, nonskid and non-
attackable material by fatty acids. The union angles on walls and 
columns shall be rounded, and the floor shall be at the same level or superior to the outer floors. 
2.  The interior walls of the refrigerating chambers, shall be covered with 
materials of easy cleaning, smooth, impermeable, corrosion resistant and clear colors; all angles shall be rounded and unions of 
impermeable materials. 
3.  The roof shall be of similar construction to the one of the walls. The 
ceiling shall be impermeable and fireproof material and easy cleaning. 
4. Any thermal insulating material utilized shall be placed in a way that 
allows compliance with the specified for walls, ceilings and have no 
contact with the internal or external environment of the refrigerating chamber. 
5.  The doors will be full sheet, provided with thermal insulating material. 
The wood covered in its totality by noncorrosive and rustproof metallic material or another element is admitted in its construction whenever 
odorless, little hygroscopic and waterproofed properly authorized by 
The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. The height and width of the doors in the chambers and pre chambers will be in 
agreement with the aims to that this is destined. 
6.  The columns shall meet the same requirements demanded for the 
walls. 25 
 7.  When the refrigerating chambers include pre-chambers, these shall 
meet all requirements demanded for those.  
8.  All chambers shall be provided with artificial illumination, with a on and 
off switch in the inside and outside. Its luminance capacity shall be forty (40) to sixty (60) lux units. 
9.  When using shelves, these shall be metallic or impermeable material 
of easy washing and respond to the specifications determined for each case in these regulations. 
10. The ventilation in the refrigerating chambers and air renewal shall be to 
avoid the alteration of the merchandise stored. 
 
Article 81   Enforce the following standards for the storage of carcasses, half 
carcasses or quarters: 1. For porks, the distance between rails shall not be smaller than fifty (50) 
centimeters and the height shall allow them to suspend not less than 
thirty (30) centimeters from the ground. 
2.  For bovines, shall be a minimum distance between each other of 
eighty (80) centimeters and shall be not less than sixty (60) 
centimeters from the walls, cooling equipment or any other construction element within the chambers. Rails shall be placed not 
less than thirty (30) centimeters from the ceiling and the suspended 
animals shall be not less than thirty (30) centimeters from the ground. 
 
Article 82   The refrigerating chambers shall have an alarm system driven from the 
interior and count with double bolt for personnel safety. 
 
Article 83   Any refrigerating or freezing system, fast or slow, dry or humid, is allowed 
whenever its application does not alter the organoleptic characteristics of products to cool. 
 
Article 84   The characteristics and complete engineering specifications of these 
systems, indicating types of equipment, cold power, regimen and principles of the system, shall be approved by The Food and Beverage 
Risk Control Department, for those interested shall provide a complete 
technical memory, accompanied by the operation prints and specifications. 
 
Article 85   When the cooling or freezing system is based on liquid circulation and its 
devices are located in the superior part of the walls, next to the ceiling, 
they shall be protected by devices that prevent dripping of condensation 
water towards the ground or on stored products. 
 
Article 86   The working capacity of the chambers for the processes of cooling, 
freezing and deposit, shall be evaluated by The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, taking care of specifications indicated in the previous 26 
 sections and considering in addition the power of electromotive generation 
of the establishment. 
 
Article 87   For the storage of food of animal origin, its raw materials and byproducts 
in the refrigerating chambers, shall comply with the following: 
1.  Will not allow the storage of any product on the floor, It is to realize it on 
grids, platforms or shelves, constr ucted with materials authorized that 
facilitate the ventilation. 
2. The chambers destined to the frozen product storage shall have, 
anywhere, controls where it is possible to determine that the demanded freezing temperature is the indicated. 
3. Without the authorization of the Inspection Service it will not be allowed 
deposit simultaneously in a same refrigerating chamber, meat, products, byproducts or derivative coming from different animal 
species,. The meat, meat products and meat byproducts frozen in 
packages closed hermetically, suitable for human consumption according to the norms established in these regulations, are excluded 
from this exigency. It can be deposited simultaneously meats cooled 
from different species, when they constitute the material for the product process that implies their mixture.  
4. The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall grant previous 
authorization to use, all refrigerating chamber new or refurnished and reject those that present construction or sanitary problems. 
5. While cooling and not been frozen, meats shall not touch each other 
and the half carcasses shall be arranged in rails displayed “bone with bone and meat with meat”. 
 
Article 88   Chambers shall be permanently clean, without deteriorations and 
disinfected with antiseptic solutions or other approved. Cleaning and 
disinfection shall take place whenever is determined by the Inspection 
Service and in the course of any of these operations, chambers shall be empty. 
 
Article 89   Refrigerating chambers shall be provided with minimum and maximum 
thermometers to control the environmental temperature. When the Inspection Service considers it necessary can ask the establishment on 
the incorporation of automatic devices for continuous temperature record 
of the chambers. The records shall be at disposition of the Inspection Service and filed by the period The Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department opportunely indicates. 
 Article 90 For the refrigeration of different food products, the refrigerating chambers 
shall be ruled by the following general procedures: 
1. Refrigerating chambers destined to air the bovine meat, shall have the 
capacity to obtain a temperature of 2º C or 36
0F in the deepest part of 
the animal before forty eight hours (48 hours). This temperature shall 27 
 be obtained with a maximum of two (2) half carcasses by meter of rail 
and up to a maximum of four hundred (400) kilograms. 
2.  The head of cattle cooled to 0ºC or 320F shall be conserved in the 
chambers at the rate of a maximum of six hundred (600) kilograms per meter of rail and not more than three (3) carcasses for the same 
length. 
3.  Shall have a chamber or otherwise a space (retention cage) within the 
general chambers, isolated, with door and key to place animals that 
need observation for exclusive use of the Inspection Service. 
4.  The cooling capacity of the refrigerating chambers shall be such to 
obtain in the deepest part of the channels a temperature of 0ºC or 
32ºF in a period of time not more than forty eight (48) hours at its 
entry to the chamber. In that time, the surface temperature cannot be less than -2ºC or 28ºF. 
5.  The cooling capacity of the conservation chambers for cooled 
products shall not surpass at any moment -1ºC or 30ºF. 
6. The cooling capacity of the freezing chambers destined for the 
carcasses, shall be such that meats introduced in them with a 
maximum temperature of 3ºC or 37ºF, shall reach at least a temperature of -18ºC or 0.5ºF in a period of time no more than forty 
eight (48) hours for the meat with bone. Measure the temperatures in 
all cases at the midpoint of the greater muscular piece of the front or back quart. 
7.  The cooling capacity of the conservation chambers for frozen 
products cannot be inferior to maintain the product frozen to the temperatures they were set. 
8.  In case of modifying the cooling capacity by mechanical problems or 
other causes, all product movement or transfer, shall be notified to the Inspection Service with the purpose to adopt the measures estimated 
for that case. 
9.  It is prohibited to return frozen meats and other products to conserve 
them in refrigerating chambers, once defrosted and placed under room temperature. 
10.  The meats exposed for a certain period of time to the environmental 
temperature, shall not return to the cold action again to extend their conservation, except for when exposition to the environmental 
temperature has taken place by a brief lapse and an essential need of 
transportation. 
 
Article 91   Establishments shall count with auxiliary departments that without 
affecting in a direct form the process or conservation of raw material, are necessary to complete their specific activity. 
 
Article 92   The following areas are considered as auxiliary departments: 
1.  Machines room. 
2.  Boilers room. 28 
 3.  Warehouses. 
4.  Mechanic Shop. 
6.  Covers and boxes assembly. 
7.  Deposit for primary and secondary containers.  8.  Deposit for packaged merchandise. 
9.  Deposit for salt.  
10.  Deposit for additives and species. 11.  Deposit for inedible byproduct  
12.  Water treatment Room 
13.  Deposit and treatment of skins 14.  Render  
15. Laundry  
16. Cafeteria or dining room  17. Administrative Offices and those for the Inspection Service 
 
Article 93     All establishments that receive external power provision shall have its own 
electric generator; the generator shall be located far from the departments 
where handling edible products.  
 Article 94  The total availability of energy expressed in kilowatts hour, shall be 
enough to guarantee basic needs of the establishment. 
 Article 95   The machine room must be constructed isolated from the departments 
where edible products are handled, having to comply the following: 
1.  Construction of the premises for the machine room or boilers will be 
fireproof material, with concrete floors or another impermeable and 
washable material. 
2.  Shall count on enough natural or artificial illumination.  3.  Ventilation shall be guaranteed by windows or air extractors. 
4.  Shall have running water and be equipped with devices against fire. 
 Article 96   The boilers room shall provide hot water and steam to all departments. In 
addition shall count on an alternating system that guarantees basic 
consumption needs of the establishment. 
 Article 97   The establishment shall count with adequate storage spaces: 
1.  The place for storage of equipment and other elements shall be 
isolated from other departments. Containers of edible products are exempt to be used in the process of raw material. 
2.  Spaces for storage of packing and chemical agents shall be isolated 
from the manufacturing rooms. In these places, the products shall be placed on platforms, not less than ten (10) centimeters from the ground 
and in a form that allows an adequate ventilation and illumination. 
3.  The place or shop for repairs and maintenance of equipment shall 
have fireproof materials and impermeable floor, and shall have devices 
against fire. 29 
 4.  The establishments shall count with a place where packages, bags, 
boxes or any other material of packing are fabricated using a 
department destined exclusively to that purpose. 
5.  The space used to deposit empty packages, whatever its nature, is an 
obligatory section in all the establishments where edible meat products 
are processed and packaged. 
 Article 98   Packaged merchandises, ready for sale, shall not be stored outdoors, and 
shall be in refrigerated chambers. Maintain the locals destined to deposit 
fat products at a maximum temperature of twenty-five degrees Celsius (25ºC or 77ºF). 
 
Article 99   In places for depositing packages, the floors, walls and ceilings shall be 
constructed totality of impermeable material. Doors shall have automatic 
locking and windows or other openings shall be protected with screens 
1/16 inch. 
 
Article 100   When using salt in a massive form, use a special local for its deposit, 
which shall have the following characteristics: 1.  It shall be constructed with materials authorized by The Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department.  
2.  It shall have floor, walls and ceilings covered with impermeable and 
unalterable material by salt. 
3.  Doors shall have automatic locks and be constructed with anticorrosive 
material to the sodium chloride action.  
4.  The salt, whatever its destiny, shall not be deposited in bulk in the 
ground. 
 Article 101   Additive deposits shall be installed in an independent local away from all 
departments of the factory. The room of additives shall have shelves with 
drawers or rustproof containers of easy cleaning, for classification and deposit of the additives. 
 
Article 102   Do not deposit packages destined to edible products in a space smaller 
than fifteen (15) centimeters high from the ground, permanently in a clean area, free of insects and rodents. It is prohibited to deposit edible and non-
edible products simultaneously in the same environment. 
 Article 103   The local destined for the personnel’s breaking room, shall meet general 
characteristics of construction, illumination and ventilation demanded by 
these regulations. If the access to this local is close to the processing room, a “hygienic filter” shall be installed, besides having trash deposits 
with lids and its capacity shall be according to the amount of employees 
and working shifts. 
 30 
 Article 104   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department can approve the 
establishments with the Inspection Service, when considering convenient, 
a qualified Laboratory to carry out the microbiological exams that judged 
necessary to guarantee innocuousness of the products. 
 
Article 105   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, shall look for the 
necessary agreement with the competent governmental offices to establish controls that shall regulate conditions that laboratories of the 
companies shall meet, make previous inspection, issue final decisions for 
authorization and carry out periodic audits for the verification of its operation and controls. 
 
TITLE V 
OF THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF CONSTRUCTION 
 
Article 106   The establishments where livestock industrialization operations take 
place, shall comply with the construction and sanitation engineering norms mentioned in Title IV of these regulations and the special conditions of construction, detailed below, without detriment of other dispositions 
contemplated in these regulations: 
1.  The perimeter wall of the area  will enclose the entire establishment 
departments, including corrals and places used for unloading, handling 
and lodging animals destined to slaughter, the facilities destined to the 
inedible byproducts processing for human consumption and installations for sewage control. 
2.  All facilities destined to lodging animals before their slaughter shall 
have natural or artificial illumination in a minimum intensity between one hundred (100) and one hundred and fifty (150) lux units. In the 
inspection facilities, the intensity shall be five hundred fifty (550) lux 
units. 
3.  Outside the peripheral wall of the area and to a minimum separation 
distance of fifty (50) meters, there must be another wire peripheral 
wall, or another approved material that borders the total area destined to the establishment. Between both peripheral walls it is prohibited the 
installation of any type of construction. 
 
Article 107   All establishments that receive animals transported by mechanic means 
shall have as minimum a ramp for unloading, which shall have the 
following characteristics: 1.  They can be stationary or mobile, according to the needs of service 
given, the stationary ramps shall be made of impermeable material 
and nonskid and mobile ramps shall be made of metal with the same floor as the stationary. 
2. Both stationary and mobile ramps shall have railings, doors and any 
other annex that allow safe and easy access to the animals. 31 
 3.  The maximum inclination of the ramp shall be twenty-five (25) percent; 
shall have a free width of eighty (80) centimeters and a height of a 
meter with eighty centimeters (1.80). 
4.  All materials used in their construction shall be apt for such purpose 
and approved. Its design shall facilitate its washing and disinfection 
and shall not have projections that can produce injuries to the 
animals. 
 
Article 108   All processing establishment shall have within the limits of the perimeter 
wall, holding corrals / pens with corridors for movement to allow the handling and enclosing of the animals destined to sacrifice. The corrals 
must be identified and have cardholders. The fields used for deposit shall 
be outside the area demarcated by the perimeter wall. 
 
Article 109   The capacity of the holding corrals shall be defined according to: 
1.  The capacity of the corrals calculates at the rate not less than two (2) 
meters with fifty (50) square centimeters per head of bovine and one  
meter with fifty (50) square centimeters per head of goat, ovine or 
porcine. 
2.  When the surface of the corrals surpasses the one hundred twenty-
five (125) square meters they shall make use as many sections of 
corrals as necessary, and be numbered. 
3.   Cattle, goats, sheep and porks shall have to stay in separated corrals. 
 
Article 110   Corrals and corridors of services shall obey the following characteristics: 
1.  The floors will be impermeable, resistant to wear and corrosion and 
shall support as minimum three thousand (3000) pounds by square 
inch, nonskid, of easy cleaning and disinfection and shall have a minimum slope of two (2%) percent towards the canalization or 
respective drainage. 
2.  They shall not present splits, holes or deteriorations that allow the 
accumulation and stagnation of liquids, there shall be no projections and sharp objects that can injure the animals. 
3.  Channels, drains, wastepipes and pipes, which shall never meet in 
the surface of the animals’ passageway, will provide the drainage. The discharge shall be to the general system of effluents evacuation 
of the establishment. The net formed by channels or pipes of corrals 
and corridors, its opening in the general canalization, shall have a siphon device to avoid the reflux of liquids. 
4.  It is prohibited that liquids from the floor of the corrals pass towards 
the floors of the corridors and corrals annexes. 
5.  The mouth of drainages located in the corrals or corridors shall have 
covers and grids, whose design prevents the animals to injure. 
6.  They shall have ceilings in its totality, for whose construction shall use 
thermal material, inedible for animals; the height of ceilings shall not 
be inferior to three (3) meters. 32 
 7.  There shall be located ventilation openings with a minimum surface 
equivalent to twenty (20) percent of the total surface, when for 
reasons of construction the space that occupies each section of 
corrals is surrounded by walls more than one meter with seventy (70) centimeters of height. 
 
Article 111   The walls of the corrals shall be constructed with approved materials. 
When constructed with concrete blocks or similar material, the walls shall 
be completely plastered and polished and the angles of encounter of the 
walls to each other and with the floor shall be rounded. The minimum altitude of the walls shall be of one meter with eighty (80) centimeters for 
bovines and of a meter for porks. 
 Article 112   Each corral shall have its own water troughs that shall comply with the 
following requirements: 
1.  They shall be fed with pipes constructed especially with that intention; 
the water will not be spilled on the floor of the corrals, counting on with 
an automatic system for filling and overflowing by pipe with direct 
discharge to the water-drainage system. 
2.  The length of the water troughs cannot be less than (1) a meter per 
each fifty (50) square meters of corral and fifty (50) centimeters wide 
not concerning the surface of the corral; the height of the floor to the edge of the water through shall be fifty (50) centimeters. 
 
Article 113   Shall count on with an isolation corral for suspicious animals. They shall 
contain ten (10) percent of the maximum authorized daily slaughter and 
that, besides the enumerated characteristics for the confinement corrals 
the following conditions are considered: 1.   The perimeter of this corral shall be surrounded by a wall of reinforced 
concrete blocks or similar material and shall have a minimum altitude 
of two (2) meters to be measured from the highest point of the floor. This wall shall be completely coated with impermeable material and the union between wall and floor and in between the walls shall be 
rounded. 
2.  The access door shall be metal and have a device to place a padlock 
or security system. 
3.  The water-drainage shall be independent and proper for this corral 
and constituted by a drain executed along the door and under, equipped with a grid over and in such way that no liquid of the corral 
can leave to the floor from the access corridor itself. This mouth of 
water-drainage or drain shall unload through pipe not less than fifteen (15) centimeters of diameter to the main net of evacuation of effluents 
of the establishment and in its encounter with the same one having 
siphon closing. The liquids shall be treated before their entrance to this net and during its evacuation, by means of approved antiseptics 
of bactericidal action. As a variant the drain and mouth of water-33 
 drainage could be located internally in the floor of the corral, if the 
referred floor in its more elevated point will be five (5) centimeters 
below the level of the floor of the corridor. 
4. The illumination of this corral will be three hundred (300) lux units. 
 
Article 114   The sanitary hygiene of the corrals shall be carried out every twenty-four 
(24) hours, recollecting the existing dung in the corrals and corridors and 
immediately shall effectuate a general cleaning with pressure water as 
much in the floors as in the walls. To this last effect shall count with a net 
of water distribution that assures an exit to this liquid, at the rate of sixty (60) pounds per inch of pressure. After washing the corrals, they shall be 
disinfected with a disinfectant approved by the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department. 
 
Article 115   Every time a case of contagious infected disease has taken place, the 
corresponding corral and corridors by which they passed the/or the affected animals shall be washed immediately and disinfected with some 
of following disinfectants: 
1.  Calcium Hypochlorite: Impure with twenty-nine (29%) percent of active 
chlorine (calcium chloride or bleaching powder), prepared in water 
solution from two point five (2.5) to seven (7%) percent. 
2.  Sodium Hypochlorite: In concentrated water solution with ninety (90) 
grams of active chlorine per liter. Use diluting with water the 
concentrated solution in the proportion of two point five (2.5) to twelve 
(12%) percent, equivalent to two thousand (2000) and ten thousand (10,000) parts per million of active chlorine respectively. 
3.  Phenol: Gross Phenol, is used in water solution at three (3%) percent. 
4.  Phenol: used in water solution at one (1%) percent. 5.  Sodium Hydroxide: With ninety four  (94%) percent purity. It is used in 
water solution recently prepared, in the proportion of five (5%) 
percent. 
6.  Other disinfectants previously approved by the Food and Beverage 
Risk Control Department shall be used. 
 
Article 116   There shall have a dung deposit, that shall be an enclosure to deposit the 
dung coming from the cleaning of corrals and trucks, which shall meet the 
following minimum conditions: 
1.  Impermeable cement walls with polished surface.  2. Impermeable floor with water-drainage.  
3.  Prepared in such form that avoids the entrance of vectors. 
4.  Gates with devices to prevent the exit of the liquids.  5.  The dung cannot remain more than forty eight (48) hours within this 
enclosure. 
 34 
 Article 117   In the proximity of the corrals, there shall be constructed an enclosed 
space for washing the trucks for animal transporting which shall have the 
following characteristics: 
1.  Waterproofed walls and floors.  2.  Minimum length of twelve (12) meters and wide not smaller than four 
(4) meters.  
3.  The walls shall have a minimum altitude of three (3) meters.  4.  The pressure of the water coming out from the hose shall not be 
smaller than forty (40) pounds per square inch.  
5.  The water-drainages shall respond to the specifications described for 
the corrals. 
 
Article 118   The Inspection Service assigned to the establishment will verify that the 
transport for animals is washed and disinfected after unloading. 
 
Article 119   Next to the corral of suspicious animal isolation shall be constructed the 
necropsy room that shall have the following characteristics: 
1.  The minimum dimension of this local shall be three (3) meters wide, 
by five (5) meters in length.  
2.  Floors, walls and ceilings shall be made of impermeable material and 
all their angles of union shall be rounded.  
3.  The access door shall be of impermeable material, drive to guillotine 
or sliding system. The windows shall be metallic.  
4.  All the windows shall be equipped with metallic meshes of 1/16 inch of 
stainless material.   
5.  These rooms shall have a system of water-drainage and treatment 
similar to the isolation corral for suspicious animals, being able to be 
interconnected both by means of interposition of siphon closing.  
6.  The room shall have abundant cold and hot water with an exit service 
not less than sixty (60) pounds of pressure per square inch.   
7.  The illumination of the working places shall not be inferior to three 
hundred (300) lux units. 
8.  The ventilation shall be obtained by mechanic means that assures a 
minimum air renovation of fifteen (15) times per hour.  
9.  For the accomplishment of necropsies shall count with at least one 
bed completely metallic, stainless and with a minimum altitude of fifty 
(50) centimeters, considered from the bars to the floor.  
10. The room shall count on with a manual or electrical pulley for dead 
animal manipulation. 
 
Article 120   The room shall be equipped with the necessary instruments for the 
specific tasks and the development of the preliminary laboratory 
techniques, as also having a stainless steel table, a sink of same material, 
medicine kit and closets for instruments, in addition: 35 
 1.  The materials and instruments shall remain constantly in the necropsy 
room, not being able to be retired without previous knowledge of the 
Veterinary Inspection.   
2.  The necropsy room shall have permanent disposition of the personnel 
from inspection or from the establishment, who works there, 
antiseptics approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department.  
3.  The necropsy room shall have a sanitary filter equipped with all the 
elements for washing and disinfection of boots and hands.  
4.  The necropsy room shall have its own dressers and toilets, 
constructed according to the conditions and characteristics stipulated 
in these regulations. 
 Article 121   When the Inspection Service determines, the animal or animals originating 
from the isolating room for suspicious animals, from the necropsy room, 
including corpses of the animals fallen in corrals or in the transport shall be transferred to the render of the establishment. This transfer will assure 
not to contaminate any area of the establishment anticipating the 
provisions in these regulations for that aim. 
 
Article 122   The animals shall have to remain in these corrals by a minimum time of 6 
hours before the slaughter, to allow the ante-mortem inspection. If the cattle remain by any circumstance by a lapse over 24 hours, they shall be 
fed. In no case, the animals shall remain without slaughter over a period of 
48 hours. 
 
Article 123   The animals shall arrive up to the sacrifice compartment or tramp by their 
own feet previous passing by an aspersion bath after approved in the ante-mortem inspection. 
 
Article 124   Non-ambulatory animals that cannot move by themselves, that cannot rise 
by themselves, or fallen animals included but not limited to these, those that have fractures on their extremities, torn of tendons and ligaments, 
paralysis, fractures of the spine or metabolic conditions, shall be inspected 
by the Official Veterinary Doctor. T hose animals considered suspicious of 
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), will be condemned and not 
allowed to enter to the processing room. In other cases not described 
previously, the Official Veterinary Doctor shall consider if this animal is suitable for slaughter at that moment or not. 
 
Article 125    The animals for slaughter shall have to be clean enough, in such a 
manner that will not put in danger the hygiene during the sacrifice and 
slaughter, reason why they shall be bath before entering the slaughter 
area. This bath shall be with an automatic aspersion system in a corridor that shall have the following characteristics: 36 
 1.  Walls shall be made of reinforced concrete blocks or another material 
approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
2.  The floor shall be impermeable and nonskid.  
3.  The corridor can vary according to the capacity of slaughter of the 
establishment. 
4.  The minimum altitude of its walls in the cases of major cattle shall be 
a meter with eighty (80) centimeters.   
5.  The bath shall have cross-sectional sections with water spraying 
nozzles approximately every seventy (70) centimeters in all its length.   
6.  The minimum pressure of the water shall be sixty (60) pounds per 
square inch.   
7.  The porks bath shall respond to characteristics similar to the ones 
described, setting a minimum altitude of 1.30 meters (a meter with thirty centimeters) for walls.  
8.  The illumination shall be 150 lux units. 
 Article 126   The slaughter area for bovines and porks shall be independent one from 
the other. When the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department 
authorizes the use of a same area to kill different species, the work shall perform in different schedules, having previously clean and a total 
disinfection between both slaughters. The slaughter area shall be divided 
in two defined zones: 1. Dirty or septic zone and clean zone.  
2. The floors of the dirty zone shall be minimum ten (10) centimeters 
under the level of the clean zone, having the adequate animal elevation devices.  
3. The water-drainages of the clean and dirty zones shall obey to those 
described in these regulations.  
4. During the bovine sacrifice, the entrance of the stunning 
compartment (trap) will have a permanent water curtain. 
5. After stunning and previous to bleed, the floor from zone where the 
animal is hoisted shall be constructed in such way to become a receiver, to receive waters originating from the showers and the 
regurgitation, with its own water-drainage and service pipe with a 
diameter not less than fifteen (15) centimeters.  
6.  A collecting device shall be in the floor in the site where the animal is 
cut, avoiding eliminating blood by the common drainage with the 
regurgitation or water from the showers. Bleeding shall be as complete as possible. If the blood is to be used for feeding purposes, 
it shall be gathered and handled in a hygienic form.  
7.  In the place where washing under pressure the half carcasses, the 
floor shall be conformed in such way to become a receiver or sink 
that gathers water originated from the washing, avoiding expanding 
to the rest of the slaughter area. This sink shall as well have a drainage mouth of fifteen (15) centimeters of diameter connected 37 
 directly to the net of effluents by means of interposition of siphon 
closing.  
8. Sterilizers for knives, hooks, sharpeners, saws and other utensils 
with water at a temperature of 82ºC or 180 ºF or another system that allow the sterilization of these implements during the process.  
9.  Sterilizers and hand washers in sufficient amounts in sites that allow 
the operators an opportune and expeditious access. 
 
TITLE VI 
OF THE BASIC CONDITIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENTS 
 
Article 127   Slaughterhouses Class “1” and “2” shall count with a minimum of two (2) 
refrigerating chambers, one of them for head of cattle and the other for giblets. The first shall have a minimum capacity for allowing the deposit of 
the head of cattle slaughtered during a working day and the second to 
admit the giblets coming from the same ones. 
 
Article 128   Slaughterhouses Class “2” and “3” that do not have refrigerating chambers 
for the airing shall have an airing area independent of sales, which shall meet the following characteristics: 
1.  Its size shall allow accumulating not less than seventy percent (70%) of 
the slaughter capacity for which they are authorized.  
2.  The temperature shall not exceed 10ºC or 50ºF. 
 
Article 129   Slaughterhouses Class “3” shall meet the following minimum conditions: 
1. The perimeter wall shall fulfill  the established exigencies in these 
regulations, with exception what refers to illumination. 
2.  They shall have corrals or pens to lodge separately each animal 
species. The corrals shall meet the conditions established in these 
regulations, particularly in relation to cleaning facilities and disinfection. 
3.  The capacity of the corrals shall be sufficient to lodge the animals to 
slaughter in the lapse of twenty-four (24) hours. 
4. A closed local or room, with walls and cemented floors, shall contain 
the area for slaughter. The roof, floor, walls and ceiling, shall meet the 
conditions specified in these regulations. Drainages shall prevent the water accumulation or liquids in the premises. They shall end by 
conduits in covered holes or distant filtering surfaces at a minimum of 
one hundred (100) meters from the slaughter plant and of all housing. 
5.  The slaughter area shall count on with a minimum of two (2) sectors, 
separated by a physical mean that could be a wall, metallic stainless 
division or nonabsorbent material that allows the passage of the cattle. The dirty zone shall be for the stunning and bleeding, and the rest for 
the slaughter. They shall have bed to skin, rails for the evisceration 
and aeration. 
6.  There shall count with scalders when sacrificing pigs. 38 
 7.  The bovines and porks shall consecutively be slaughter in the same 
facilities having previous cleaning between species. 
8.  The viscera can be set on specifically prepared tables in the slaughter 
area. Remove the intestines, with exception of the duodenum, from the slaughter area immediately after inspected. The stomachs can be 
used, but they shall have an adequate space to evacuate their content 
and to carry out their cleaning, and this will be constructed with cement and the same construction conditions as the slaughter area. 
9.  The washing, drying and seal of the head of cattle shall take place in 
agreement with the norms of these regulations with the addition of a seal that expresses “Class 3” with the same seal specifications for this 
aim indicated in these regulations. 
10. Windows or mechanical devices shall assure the ventilation of the 
slaughter area. The opening to the outside, as doors, windows, 
ventilation tubes, etc., shall count on with protection of a mesh 1/16 of 
inch of stainless metallic material. 
11. Shall be installed the necessary hand washers in the slaughter area 
and other working places to assure the personnel hygiene. 
12. The slaughter house must count on potable water provided by 
permanent pipes, allowing using hoses only when the main valve is at 
a distance not less than eight (8) meters. It is obligatory to maintain 
reserves of potable water not less than five thousand (5000) liters, in a closed permanently clean tank, placed at a minimum altitude of five (5) 
meters or otherwise a cistern with hydro pneumatic equipment. 
13. There shall be a local for a dresser annexed to a bathroom with shower 
and toilet. In the bathroom shall be installed a hand washer and shall 
have liquid soap and single use towel. For the calculation of the 
necessities and the requirements for construction will have to comply with these regulations. 
14. The slaughterhouse shall count on an area in form of a corridor with 
walls, ceiling and floor of masonry, with its corresponding aerial rails to deposit the head of cattle slaughtered until its expedition that shall only be able after the animal heat has dissipated. This area shall protect the 
head of cattle from insect attacks and dust impregnation. 
 Article 130   Slaughterhouses that do not process the blood of the slaughtered animals 
shall eliminate it by some of the following procedures: 
1.  Drying it, using mechanic means.  2. Cooking for animal consumption that in no case shall penetrate in                   
the slaughter plant.  
3. Collecting it in deposits with lids to avoid the proliferation of insects and 
rodents. 
4. Other systems proposed by the officials of the establishments and 
approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
 39 
 Article 131   The slaughterhouses that process edible fat shall count on with an 
isolated area from any other section of the establishment. The minimum 
equipment for the fat processing shall be the following: 
1.  Sinks or tanks made from unalterable material.   2.  Autoclave to melt the fat.   
3.  Decantation and refinement tank or another system that fulfills the 
same objective.   
4.  A special place for the packing of melted fats.   
5.  Refrigerating chambers for the storage of products. 
 
TITLE VII 
OF THE CONDITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SLAUGHTER EQUIPMENT 
 
Article 132   The conditions and characteristics that shall have the equipment destined 
to slaughter bovines shall be the following ones: 
1.  The stunning or insensibilization compartment shall be constructed 
with iron, concrete or by the combination of those materials, with a 
design that allows its easy cleaning and disinfection. 
2.  In the entrance to the stunning compartment, a persistent water 
shower shall exist like a curtain or an air curtain that shall avoid the 
entrance of flies or other insects.  
3.  The floor shall be over level at forty (40) centimeters as minimum from 
the floor of the premises and shall have a small inclination towards the 
interior of the slaughter area.  
4.  The wall of the stunning compartment that faces to the slaughter area 
shall be gyratory, for unloading the insensible animal.   
5.  At the exit of the stunning compartment, the animal shall fall on a 
stainless metallic grid. 
 
Article 133   Equipment for transporting viscera shall fulfill the following conditions: 
1.  Be designed and equipped so the viscera does not make contact with 
the ground. 
2.  They shall be constructed with a movable compartment system, that 
when passing under or laterally from the head of cattle in the 
evisceration zone will allow accommodating the viscera in the respective compartments. In the inferior part will be for the stomachs 
and intestines, and the rest of the viscera in the superior part, having 
them arrive up to the Inspection point. 
3.  Its design shall avoid the liquids of the viscera drip from a compartment 
to another one. 
4.  It shall not cross the dirty zone or area where they are located edible 
products and their circulation shall avoid cross contamination.   
5.  After inspection and unloading the viscera, the equipment shall be 
washed with hot water before a new use. 
6.  A mechanical system can be used for the reception, transport, and 
inspection, and unloading of the viscera, which shall respect the 40 
 previous statements on the hygiene of this process, the characteristics 
of design and construction contemplated in these regulations. 
 
Article 134   Washing of the tables or viscera carts shall take place first with cold water, 
then with hot water not less than 82ºC or 180ºF. 
 
Article 135   If trays, hooks and other sets of tools used by the Inspection Service, or 
other workers contaminates with infectious material, they shall be washed 
with soap and water or an approved detergent, completing hygiene with 
the application of an approved antiseptic. 
 
Article 136   The supports and the metallic structure of all the rail system shall respect 
the following special conditions: 1.  They shall not be painted, and if any import country admits the 
painting, this shall be done with materials that do not alter, emit scents 
or will shell. 
2.  The rails shall be completely metallic, rust free, preserved perfectly 
clean. Fat dripping shall be avoided on the head of cattle. 
3.  The rail in the dirty zone shall have for bovine species a minimum 
altitude of four meters with eighty (4.80) centimeters and in the 
intermediate zones and clean the distance between the floor and the 
inferior part of the head of cattle will not be less than thirty (30) centimeters, for all species. In the inspection position, the distance 
between the head of cattle and the ground shall be in agreement with 
the tasks made there. 
4.  The rails for the bovines bleeding shall be distanced (1) to a meter 
from any wall or column.  
5. The rails in general, shall be installed with a minimum separation of 
sixty (60) centimeters from any wall.  
6.  The rails for bovines shall be at a distance from the working platforms 
with respect to their vertical, not less than thirty (30) centimeters from their edge. 
 
Article 137   The equipment destined to saw the head of cattle shall respect the 
following special conditions: 1.  The saws destined to divide the head of cattle shall be motorized type, 
with the exception of special authorization, 
2.  The platform where the worker acts shall be inclined, staircase or 
raised to facilitate a good cut and presentation.  
3.  The floor there will be a container tray shaped or basin constructed 
with impermeable material, to gather the bone sawdust originated from this task. 
4.  In the place next to the task, there shall place a sterilizer for cleaning 
and disinfecting saw blades, manual or mechanic. 
 41 
 Article 138   Stations or platforms for the Inspection Service shall have the following 
special characteristics: 
1.  They shall be constructed with an adequate height that allows carrying 
out the examination of the lymph nodes from the hind quarters.   
2.  The front shall be free, without obstacles to the inspection work, or that 
the head of cattle can rub against them as they pass in front of the 
inspection area. The installation of security railings shall be the only fixed accessory element allowed. 
 
Article 139   Carts destined to the non-edible product transport shall be identified with 
the word “ Non edible ”, painted in black color. The materials and 
construction of the carts for condemned products shall be similar to 
general use, having to count on with, in addition, a lid and security system so it cannot be opened and a visible special identification with the word 
“Condemned S.P.”, painted in the color red. 
 Article 140   In those establishments where the slaughter area is located in an elevated 
floor, tubes or conduits shall be installed for evacuation of condemned 
products and byproducts; these shall be constructed in stainless material or waterproof approved materials, have an automatic locking system that 
prevents the passage of scents and insects, and stay in perfect hygiene 
conditions. 
 
Article 141   The equipment and tools, such as hooks, knives, knife sharpeners, etc., 
that are in contact with the head of cattle, shall comply the conditions required in these regulations and shall be washed meticulously before 
being used again. 
 Article 142  The scalding tank and the peeling ma chine shall present the following 
special characteristics: 
1.  Can be constructed of iron or another material approved by the Food 
and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
2.  Shall have an exit mouth for used water, connected to the effluent net.  
3.  The room where they are install ed shall be provided with extractors 
that allow a renovation of the air mass in a permanent and effective form for the environment in which the work is developed, avoiding the 
steam condensation. 
 
TITLE VIII 
OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FOOD SAFETY 
 
Article 143    The establishments, where processing, elaborating or handling meat 
products or meat byproducts, are responsible to guarantee the hygiene 
of foods they produce or commercialize, having to poses automatic control systems that guarantee and demonstrate that each product or 
meat byproduct has been processed complying with the dispositions of 42 
 these regulation. By such a reason they must define, to put in practice, 
comply and update the adequate security procedures, in each of the 
industrialization processes, they carry out, according to with the 
principles of the HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) detailed below. 
1.  Identification of the hazards, risk analysis and determination of the 
measures needed for its control.   
2.  Location, within the processes mentioned before, of critical points and 
identification of those whose control is critical for food safety (critical 
control points).   
3.  Establishment of critical limits for each critical point.   
4. Definition and application of  effective surveillance procedures, 
monitoring and control in each critical point.   
5. Establishment of corrective measures shall be taken if necessary.   
6.  Establishment of the verification procedures or periodic verification of 
the system.   
7.  Establishment of the documentation corresponding to all procedures 
and records. 
 Article 144  To determine the critical point for f ood safety contemplated in the previous 
section it shall be consider the nature of the product, the form in which is 
manipulated, packaged, and any other operation submitted before given to the consumer. Also shall consider the possible uses submitted by the 
consumer and the groups of consumers to whom the product is destined. 
 Article 145   Each establishment shall have, in addition, define, put in practice, and 
comply with Standard Sanitation Operational Procedures (SSOP) and 
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) that assure effective cleaning and disinfection of all facilities and equipment used in the process of meat 
products and meat byproducts. The set of the standardized sanitation 
procedures of the company shall constitute its manual and shall have to be updated in permanent form, describing the procedures to achieve, frequency, products to use, the person responsible for its execution, the 
methodology of verification of its efficiency and the measures to adopt in 
case of an unfavorable result.   
 
Article 146   The Company shall reevaluate the operation of its self-control Plan 
HACCP, SSOP and GMP annually, making pertinent or necessary changes to demonstrate the process is under control and that changes 
have been made in those recurrent deviations.  
 Article 147   The Company shall present to The Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department for its approval, validation and annual certification of the 
manuals or plans of the HACCP, SSOP and GMP and a copy of the documentation where it exposes the set of referring data to the 43 
 accomplishment of self-controls and its verification according to the 
following detail: 
1. Description of the product (composition, structure and physical-
chemical characteristics, treatments, packaging and packing, storage conditions and distribution, duration or life utility of the product, 
instructions of use, authorized microbiological or chemical criteria that 
can be applied, etc.).   
2.  Description of the expected use (normal or anticipated use the 
consumer shall do with the product, specific groups of consumers the 
product is destined, indicating sensible groups).   
3.  Description of the process procedure indicating critical points, from the 
arrival of raw materials to the commercialization of finished product 
(waiting times between the stages of the process, preparations, processing treatments, packaging, storage and distribution, specifying 
the concrete technical data).   
4. For each critical point, the probable dangers shall be indicated 
(biological, chemical and physical), evaluate the risks and indicate the 
projected measures to control those, expressing detailed mention of 
procedures and specifications to guarantee its effective application.   
5.  Description of the surveillance methods, monitoring and control each 
critical point, indicating clearly who is responsible to perform, the 
methods used, observation frequencies, record procedure, critical limits of each parameter that shall control and the anticipated 
corrective measures in case of loss of the control.    
6.  Methodology of Verification or confirmation of the self-control system, 
where it clearly exposes verification procedures to fulfill (operations 
inspection, validation of critical limits, examination of deviations, 
applied corrective measures, the dispositions taken with affected products, audit the self control system, examination of records, etc.) 
and the periodicity at which shall be done.   
7.  Manual of Standard Sanitation Operational Procedures (SSOP) where 
clearly specify technical data of the procedures to carry out, the frequency, products to use, responsible of its execution, methodology 
of verification of its efficiency and measures to adopt in case of an 
unfavorable result. 
 
Article 148   When the self/auto control system (HACCP) belongs to a company 
authorized for its operation, and therefore is in operation, there shall attach in addition the: 
1. Registry of the observations or measures corresponding to 
surveillance and control of the critical points.   
2.  Results of the verification operations that demonstrate that automatic 
control system responds effectively according to which anticipated.  
3.  Report of corrective measures applied and destiny of the batches of 
processed product while the production system was outside control.   44 
 4.  Description of the document management system, that assures finding 
easily the registries of a lot or batch. 
 
Artículo149  All the documentation shall be available, in the establishment, verifiable by 
the Inspection Service or authorities of the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department that request it, and shall keep at least two (2) years, 
all documents properly signed and dated. 
 
Article 150   The self-control Plan for HACCP, SSOP and GMP shall be signed and 
dated by the person with all authority in the establishment, or by a high level representative. Shall sign and date at the beginning of its 
implementation, annual validations and when any modification is made.  
 Article 151   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department through the Inspection 
Service shall carry out daily revisions and audits of good operation of the 
self-control systems. For these revisions, the system shall count with a manual of procedures applied to evaluate HACCP, SSOP and GMP 
Plans.  
 Article 152   The General Directorate of Environmental Health through the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department is the responsible to annually approve 
and validate the auto control Plans of HACCP, SSOP and GMP of approved establishments and those that require its approval.  
 
Article 153   The persons responsible of the establishments shall assure adequate 
training of all personnel who participates in the self-control system.  
 
Article 154   The establishments Class “3” can only count on with one SSOP and GMP 
plan, establishing correct implementation of hygienic-sanitary measures of 
the process. 
 Article 155   The establishment, shall count on a tracking system of the animals and 
products, which shall be perfectly documented with the data provided by 
the animals producer and from the establishment to establish a relation 
between production activity and process up to their final distribution through the company that officially carries it out. 
 
Article 156   Suspension of the Inspection Service shall be performing immediately by 
the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, adopting the conducing 
measures to prevent the operation of the establishment by the following 
situations: 1.  The noncompliance with the implementation of HACCP, SSOP and 
GMP Plans in these regulations as mandatory.   
2.  The personnel of the establishment fails in detection of deviations of 
critical points without making effective corrective actions putting in risk 
the processed product.   45 
 3.  Any transgression to the legal precepts, or norms, agreements, 
regulations or dispositions, dictated by the competent sanitary 
authority, that occurs. 
 
TITLE IX  
OF THE APPROVALS OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS 
 
Article 157   All establishments where slaughter and process animals, or process 
products, byproducts or derivatives of animal origin shall not work without 
the official approval of the State Secretariat of Public Health and Social Assistance through the General Directorate of Environmental Health. 
 
Article 158   The applications for their approval shall be in writing and addressed to 
The General Directorate of Environmental Health, which shall include the 
following information: 
1.  Name of the people or company that presents the application, attach 
data corresponding to their identity and real address or photocopy of 
company constitution or certification.  
2.  Effective Environmental license emitted by the Environment and 
Natural Resources State Secretariat.  
3.  Activity for which it is requested the approval and the Inspection 
Service. 
4. Landscape permit for construction of the establishment, granted by the 
Municipal Authority that corresponds.  
5. Description of the establishment, detailing the facilities and the 
equipment.  
6. Description of the general flow chart.  
7.  A set of plans of the establishment in a scale 1:100, approved by an 
Engineer or Architect from their board, with the set of land, place that 
occupies the establishment, access routes, near water routes, water 
wells of the establishment, main neighboring buildings, indicating clearly geographic location with respect to easily identifiable points.  
8.  The plans will show each one of the plants of the building. Will be 
indicated the openings, main branches of served water evacuation, 
internal sanitary installation, and dispositions assigned for the final evacuation of effluents. Also will indicate the rail paths for the head of 
cattle or products, the location and characteristics of construction of 
the corrals / pens, the location of the equipment, the location and measures of hot and cold water pipes, the sanitary comforts for the 
personnel; distribution of the departments for different operations; the 
premises assigned for the Inspection Service. The intensity of the illumination in the different working places shall be expressed in Lux 
Units.  
9. The plans must also show transversal cuts of the building showing 
characteristics of construction of floors, walls and ceilings, vertical 
clearance of environments, height of rails in slaughter rooms, working 46 
 environments, refrigerating chambers and profile of the effluents 
evacuation channels.  
10. Description of the storage system and the elimination of solid residues.  
11. Dictum issued by an official la boratory, or credited by the General 
Directorate of Environmental Health, on the physical, chemical and 
bacteriological examination of potable water used in the establishment, 
dated no more than fifteen (15) days of emitted. 
 
Article 159   All mentioned documentation, shall count on the applicant signature or its 
legal representative and the one professional members of the board responsible of the projection and calculations, having the legal 
representative accredited for such purpose. 
 Article 160   The Public Health and Social Assistance State Secretariat, through the 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, will approve or reject total 
or partial the documents presented on the physical and operative aspects, or by equipment, every time they do not adjust to the hygienic-sanitary 
and operation aspects in the opinion of the authority, and they will be 
given an opportunity to present their point of view.  
 
Article 161   The establishment shall operate onl y after the inspection and approval for 
operation and when receiving the number that credits it as an authorized establishment. Shall not be assigned more than one number to each 
establishment and numbers already used shall not be repeated. 
 Article 162   The number assigned to the establishment shall be used to identify all 
products inspected and approved, and could not be lend, transferred or 
granted to any other.  
 
Article 163   The adjustment of the establishments already approved to dispositions of 
these regulations, shall be done within the times The General Directorate of Environmental Health decides for each case individually, having to present the documentation the same one demands.  
 
Article 164   The transference of the authorization of an establishment will be in 
agreement under jointly request of the holder himself and the new owner 
or only under request of this last one, when duly credited the legal 
trespassing act of the establishment. As long as the transference has not been granted, all the obligations and responsibilities in charge of the 
holder of the authorization subsist. 
 Article 165   When an approved establishment modifies or transfers the facilities, they 
shall require authorization of The General Directorate of Environmental 
Health previous to: 47 
 1.  Transfer of an approved establishm ent, section or activities to the new 
premises. Shall be required the previous approval of the new 
premises.   
2.  The modifications or extensions in the establishments shall fulfill the 
established in these regulations.    
3. The construction or modification of the annexed or independent 
premises of the approved establishments shall form a single unit. 
 
Article 166   The approval of an establishment ta kes place when The State Secretariat 
of Public Health and Social Assistance through the General Directorate of Environmental Health consider it.   
 
Article 167   The approval of an establishment shall expire automatically any time by: 
1.  Request of the Owners or Administrators of the establishment.  
2.  Withdrawal of the Inspection Service.  
3.  Inactivity of the establishment by an uninterrupted period of two years.  4.  Disposition of the competent Authority to noncompliance of legal 
technical norms of operation. 
 Article 168   The annual renovation of the Sanitary Permit is an indispensable 
requirement for the function of the establishment  
 Article 169   The approval of the Slaughterhouses Class “3” will be exceptional, having 
to consider the following conditions: 
1. The plant does not cause damages to environment and surrounding 
areas.  
2.  That the Inspection Service is assured by a Veterinary professional, or 
by a trained Environmental Worker, according to the norms established in these regulations.  
3. The population of the place cannot be supplied in a normal and 
appropriate form in the opinion of competent authority by establishments of superior category. 
 
Article 170   For not anticipated cases and those presenting special conditions by 
characteristics of the zones, authorizes The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department to regulate by request and in agreement with 
communal authorities on the requirements and hygienic-sanitary 
exigencies establishments must comply for authorization. 
 
TITLE X 
OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS 
 
Article 171      The establishments are required to: 
1. Comply or make comply in which it concerns them, the exigencies and 
dispositions contained in these regulations.   48 
 2.  Obligatorily establish the implementation of the Hazard Analysis of 
Critical Control Points (HACCP), Standard Sanitation Operational 
Procedures (SSOP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). 
3. Provide to Inspection Service assigned in the establishment, within five 
(5) first working days of the following month to expiration, the statistical 
data required on production, industrialization, storage, transport or 
commercialization of meat products, meat byproducts and derivatives.   
4.  Notify the Inspection Service twenty four (24) hours in advance as 
minimum on accomplishment any activity specifying its nature, hour 
beginning and probable duration of the work.   
5.  Notify the Inspection Service with sufficient advance, the arrival of 
animals, products or byproducts and provide all referring data 
requested.   
6.  Adopt measures so no person alien or not to the establishment, 
interferes in any way with the work of the Inspection Service. 
 Article 172   When the establishment counts on a permanent inspection and is far 
away from the urban perimeter, or is located in isolated places, or does 
not have regular means of communication, it will be on behalf of the company to provide suitable transport and food to personnel of the 
Inspection Service. 
 Article 173   The establishments shall cover expenses that imply the Inspection Service 
personnel must work extra hours, non-workable days or holidays or visits 
outside their standard times of work are required. The establishment must sign an agreement with SESPAS. 
 
Article 174   Provide with the appropriate material, such as utensils for reception, 
conservation and shipment of samples that shall be sent for analysis and 
study to the Official Laboratories, when competent authority determines it.  
 Article 175   Provide the Inspection Service for its exclusive use, an office with its own 
sanitary services. This office shall count with the following elements: 
closets, desks, chairs, wardrobes, hangers, file, computer, printer, office 
material, telephone and other necessary material for the performance of function, of the Inspection Service, in  conformity it establishes in each 
case The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
 Article 176   Provide adequate locals, in opinion of the Inspection Service, for reception 
and deposit of raw materials coming from other establishments that must 
be re-inspected.  
 
Article 177   Provide appropriate substances for denaturation of condemned products 
and therefore destine to inedible use.  49 
 Article 178   Maintain updated the documentation for reception of animals or raw 
materials specifying its origin, quality, as well as processed products, 
delivery and their destiny.  
 Article 179   Put immediately in knowledge the Inspection Service, the presence of 
dead animals in transport or corrals of the establishment.  
 Article 180  Provide the Inspection Service personnel appropriate garments and 
footwear for Inspection. 
 
TITLE XI 
SEALS, MARKS AND OFFICIAL CERTIFICATES 
 
Article 181   It is SESPAS responsibility through the General Directorate of 
Environmental Health to make sure all emitted seals and marks are used 
solely in the establishments and their products authorized by this institution.  
 
Article 182   These seals shall contain abbreviations for identification being previously 
approved by SESPAS and shall have the same use and vigor that the 
approved seal of inspection. 
 Article 183   All seals of Inspection must have a diameter not smaller than two (2) 
inches up to the mark of their outer circle. 
 Article 184   All official seals, trailer cable seals or cargo lock seals used in the sacrifice 
and meat process shall be under the supervision and exclusive use of the 
Inspection Service, shall be properly inventoried and with a binnacle of its use and shall stay locked all times while not in use.  
 
Article 185   The establishments shall provide the Inspection Service all the elements 
and materials necessary to mark inspec ted products such as seals, trailer 
cable seals or cargo lock seals having them manual, mechanical or 
electrical. 
 Article 186   The establishments shall provide the Inspection Service the dye needed 
for seals application, this dye shall be without ingredients that damage or 
alter the meat and be inoffensive for human consumption. 1. The dye shall be previously approved by SESPAS. 
2. Shall not allow the use of dye that contains F. D. & C violet No.1. 
3.  The use of green dye shall not be allowed in the carcasses or fresh 
meat. 
4. Any other color shall be used whenever it is previously approved by 
SESPAS. 50 
 5. Shall assure that the dye used and the color approved allows the 
applied seal to be visible and legible and contrasts with the color of the 
product where it is applied. 
 Article 188   The seals to be used shall be the following: 
1.  Seal of Slaughterhouse “CLASS 1”, shall have the following legend: 
“INSPECTED AND APPROVED” by The State Secretariat of Public Health and Social Assistance of the Dominican Republic in its 
abbreviations SESPAS R.D. It shall be contained in a circle that shall 
include the assigned number to the authorized establishment with an anterior prefix code with the letter C that shall be assigned to the 
establishments that process bovine, ovine, goat and pork meat. This 
shall be placed or printed on a safe form in the product, in the immediate product container and in the packing. 
2. Seal of Slaughterhouse “CLASS 2 “, shall be circular with the legend of 
Slaughterhouse Class 2 or abbreviation “MC 2” in center, and under shall be placed the number of the establishment with its prefix, above 
in the superior part of the circle the legend “INSPECTED AND 
APPROVED”, and under and throughout the circle the legend “SESPAS R.D.”. 
3. Seal of Slaughterhouse “CLASS 3”, shall be circular with the legend of 
Slaughterhouse Class 3 or the abbreviation “MC 3” in the center, under shall be placed the number of the establishment with its prefix and 
above in the superior part of the circle the legend “INSPECTED AND 
APPROVED”, and under and throughout the circle the legend “SESPAS R.D.”. 
4. The seal for the mark “CONDEMNED”, shall be rectangle with the 
word condemned in the superior part and under this the legend “S.P.” centered.   
5.  The seal for the mark “R. D. REJECTED” shall be rectangle that shall 
measure not less than 4 inches wide and 6 inches long with the legend R.D. REJECTED in the superior part in a centered form and under this centered the legend “S.P.”.  
6. The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall create other 
seals or marks considered necessary  in the sacrifice and process of 
meats. 
 
Article 189   The establishments shall place in all packing and bags the seal of 
Approved and Inspected by SESPAS, which contains their assigned 
number. 
 Article 190 The Inspection Service shall use in necessary cases the Inspection cards, 
according to findings in the establishment: 
1. When the inspector finds any equipment, utensil, room or compartment 
in conditions that must be corrected shall place a card with the legend 51 
 of “RETAINED S.P.”, the date and a description of the reason for 
retention.  
2. When the inspector finds a product or byproduct adulterated and 
therefore, improper for human consumption, shall use a card with the legend “REJECTED S.P”, as the date and a description of the reason 
for rejection.  
3.  The Inspection Service is the only authority that shall use and remove 
the Inspection cards in the establishments and shall maintain a record 
of the use of Inspection cards. 
 Article 191   The seals, metallic seals, or other approved material used to seal 
containers or meat product containers must have written a series number 
and identification with official abbreviations approved by SESPAS, can be use only once. The Inspection Service is the only authorized to place it 
when loading meat products loading in the establishment where produced.  
 Article 192   The marks and labels used in the immediate containers or in packing and 
the seals of the carcasses or parts of these shall change according to the 
requirements of a country where desired to export the product and shall be approved before their use by The Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department.   
 Article 193   The establishments will use boxes, bags or other packing material 
previously approved by The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
 Article 194   All meat products and meat byproducts must be labeled in a visible place 
and contain the following information: 
1.  Commercial name of the company or establishment.  2.  Commercial address of the establishment.  
3.  Authorization number granted by The Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department to the establishment.  
4.  Name of the product.  5.  Raw materials and ingredients used to process the product, in its 
qualitative composition.  
7.  Net weight.  8.  Lot number of products; and in case the product or products are 
processed for another company must say “manufactured by…;  for….”      
9.  Product code if it applies.   10. The official seal of “INSPECTED AND APPROVED” by The State 
Secretariat of Public Health and Social Assistance of the Dominican 
Republic.    
11. Instructions for the consumer of its conservation and use.   
12. Expiration date. 
 Article 195   All products, byproducts and derivatives of animal origin processed or 
used in authorized establishments shall count on with corresponding 52 
 Sanitary Registry of The State Secretariat of Public Health and Social 
Assistance.  
 
Article 196   The primary products not subject ed to any transformation, or have 
experienced only the processing effects such as deboning, evisceration, 
conservation by the cold, and are not added with any kind of substance, 
shall only require the approval of its use, packages and legends.   
 
Article 197   Meat products and meat byproducts that leave the establishment must do 
it accompanied by its corresponding Official Inspection Certificate. This must be authorized, signed and seal ed by The Responsible of the Food 
and Beverage Risk Control Department and by the Official Veterinary 
Inspector of the establishment, which shall be numbered in a consecutive order and shall remain under the safekeeping of the Inspection Service 
the entire time before being used. 
 Article 198   The Official Inspection Certificate shall contain the following information: 
1. Place (city and country)  
2.  Date  3. Name and number of the establishment 
4. Address  
5. Destiny (name of the company, address and country)  6. Marks of shipment or packing  
7. Number of invoice  
8. Number of shipment  9. Number of the container  
10. Signature and seal of the Official Veterinary Inspector 
11. Signature and seal of the Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department  
12. Product 
13. Origin 14. Number of pieces or bulks 15. Lots  
16. Codes  
17. Weight 
 
Article 199 The Official Inspection Certificate issued for products and byproducts 
destined for export will be process considering the requirements of the country of destiny. 
 
The General Directorate of Environmental Health through Food and Beverage Risk Control Department will be responsible of the certification 
of meat product processing establishments, as much as national level as 
international. 
 53 
 Article 200   The personnel of the Inspection Service shall carry an official identification 
that credits so all the time to enter the establishments, and shall be clearly 
identified when present in the processing room using the white color in the 
working helmet and an official monogram. 
 
TITLE XII 
OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST OBSERVE THE PERSONNEL WHO WORKS 
OR ENTERS THE PLANT 
 
Article 201   By requirement of the General Directorate of Environmental Health, the 
workers and employees must provide themselves a Card of Health where 
states they do not suffer infected-contagious and parasitic diseases, it 
must be extended by official authority and shall have a maximum validity of six (6) months. 
 
Article 202   Shall not work with tasks that imply contact with edible products in any 
stage of their process, people that suffer infected-contagious diseases, 
parasitic or skin affections. In cases suspected existence of an infected-
contagious, parasitic or skin disease, a Medical Certification of the state of health of the questioned worker shall be requested. 
 
Article 203   All personnel who works in direct relation with food products or acts in 
working environments of the establishments, refrigerating chambers, 
processing rooms, transport or loading places, must be dress with smock 
or another garment adequate to its specific tasks, that cover all clothes parts which can make contact with food products. These shall be white 
fabric, or another authorized color by the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department and in the cases in the nature of work requires it, they shall take over this article and not in substitution of the same one, another 
garment of impermeable protection or coat. 
 Article 204   The working clothes, must be clean and in good state at the beginning of 
everyday tasks, being the Official Inspector enough authority for the 
rejection and obligation to change clothing that are not in these conditions. 
When the clothing has been in contact with any part of an affected infected-contagious disease animal must change to clean clothes. 
 
Article 205   The personnel who works in contact with meats, edible products or edible 
byproducts of the same in any area or stage of the process, must cover 
their head with caps/hair covers or helmets, according to gender, which 
shall cover the hair totality. These clothing shall be white fabric and shall be subject under the same cleaning regime and eventually disinfection of 
the aprons. 
 54 
 Article 206   It is mandatory to use rubber boots or other impermeable material 
authorized by The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. Before 
beginning daily tasks, footwear must be perfectly clean.  
 Article 207   Any person present as normal or transitorily in any place or area of the 
establishments where process or deposit products, officials or not and 
whatever their position or condition, it is prohibited to use tobacco in any forms. Also, remain in areas where edible products are processed or 
deposited, must be equipped with the regulated clothing. 
 Article 208   Before beginning the daily or shift tasks the workers obligatorily must 
wash their hands, arms and forearms with hot water and soap and done 
every time whenever by physiological exigencies they attend to the sanitary dependencies. 
 
Article 209   All personnel destined to the tasks of cut, pieces or debone of meat, as 
well as the product manufacturing, are forced to wash their hands and 
nails with brush. Feminine and masculine personnel shall trim nails to 
finger tips, carry no jewels of any type and feminine personnel assigned to these tasks cannot have painted nails or acrylic during work. 
 
Article 210   The labor personnel of the establishments must count with dressers and 
appropriate baths, separated by sexes, and constructed according with 
the norms established in these regulations. 
 Article 211   All personnel, independently its position or function, will have prohibited 
smoking, spitting, drink and eat in the working and storage premises of 
food products or its raw materials. 
 
TITLE XIII  
OF THE HUMANITARIAN SACRIFICE OF THE ANIMALS 
 
Article 212   The Inspection Service shall assure that transporting animals in vehicles 
to slaughter shall comply with the norms for them established in NORDOM 
199. 
 
Article 213 The Inspection Service shall make sure that corrals, ramps and corridors be 
in good conditions: 1. They shall be free of sharps or sharpened pieces that in the Inspector’s 
opinion could cause a wound or pain to the animal. Loose planks or 
those with broken pieces or openings where the size allows the head, legs or hooves of the animal to enter and cause wounds or pain, must 
be repaired by the establishment. 
2.  The floors in the corrals, corridors and ramps must be constructed and 
maintained in good conditions so the animals do not slide when 
walking at any moment, although they are humid or with rainwater.  55 
 3. Corrals must provide enough space for the number of animals in them, 
avoiding overpopulation. 
4.  The corrals will be covered, including the isolation corral for suspicious 
animals.  
5. All corrals shall have no sharpened corners, and diminish the inverse 
direction of the animals in the corridors.  
6. Animal handling from one corral to another and to the stunning area 
must have the minimum excitation and annoyance possible. The 
animals shall not be forced to move fast beyond their own walking 
step. 
7. Cattle prods, sticks or other instruments used to move animals, must 
cause the least excitation possible. When exceeding, the inspector 
must prohibit their use.  
8. Cattle prods must be regulated to have an effective voltage but not 
exceeding 50 volts AC.  
9. Pipes, sharpened sheets or pointed objects that in opinion of the 
inspector can cause injuries or unnecessary pain, shall not be allowed.  
10. Separate the normal walking animals from fallen or those that cannot 
move, and take them to another corral.  
11. Dragging the fallen animals or those that cannot move, shall not be 
allowed, only if they are stunned.  
12. Mobilization of fallen animals or those that cannot walk shall be done 
with equipment for that intention.  
13. Corrals shall have water available 24 hours.  
14. When the animals must remain more than 24 hours and spend the 
night in the corrals, they must have enough space to lie down.  
15. Animals remaining in the corrals more time than stipulated or more 
than 24 hours shall be fed. 
 
Article 214   The methods approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department for stunning animals shall be effective in a form to avoid them suffering after this process. 
 
Article 215   When the Inspector observes at any time that animals are treated 
inadequately against the stipulated in these regulations, shall inform the responsible of the establishment the incident and assure what is 
necessary to avoid recurrence. 
 Article 216   When the establishment does not take appropriate steps, the Inspection 
Service shall take them to ensure that corrective actions carried out: 
1. If non-human handling of the animals is due to malfunction of 
equipment or flaw, the Inspector shall consider the equipment retained 
and shall not use it until it works adequately. 
2.  If non-human handling of the sacrifice is due to inadequate procedures 
from personnel of the establishment to lead the animals towards the 
stunning compartment, the Inspector shall suspend the entrance of the 56 
 animals to that area until he makes sure the procedures of handling 
the animals accomplish correctly. 
3. If non-human handling of the sacrifice is due to inadequate stunning, 
an inspector shall suspend the animal entrance to the stunning compartment until the establishment assures that the procedure shall 
accomplish correctly. 
 
TITLE XIV  
OF THE PROCEDURE FOR THE ANIMAL SACRIFICE 
 
Article 217   The slaughter conditions in the dirty zone shall be made in the following 
forms: 
1.  In bovine species: introduction to the stunning compartment or 
knockout drawer, stunning, hoist the head of cattle in the rail, cut the 
throat, bleeding, dehorn, skinning, cut of the head and legs or front 
extremities.  
2. For porks: mechanism or device for stunning, cut the throat, bleeding, 
scalding and remove hair.  
3.  From this zone, shall not have liquid drains towards the clean zone.  4. In case using the blood for human consumption or animal feeding, 
must count on a collecting system that prevents its contamination. 
 Article 218  Will perform in the clean zone in all species operations included after the 
bleeding to the exit of the head of cattle of the slaughter area. 
 Article 219   Stunning the animals shall be in the stunning compartment or knockout 
drawer destined for such purpose. Must be equipped with a system that 
assures fastening the animal, and allows expeditious and a non violent exit once unconscious. The stunning will base on methods that attenuate 
the suffering of animals allowing for their commotion electricity, inert 
gases, cerebral struck with or without captive bolt pistol. The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall authorize the animal sacrifice in a different form from the ones stipulated in these regulations.  
 
Article 220   When slaughter relates to certain religious groups recognized or 
constituted in conformity with Law, may use the ritual methods accepted 
by such groups. 
 Article 221   The following will be the operations corresponding to cut the throat: 
1. After stunning, the animal will be hoisted and suspended in the rail 
where the bleeding will carry out; operation which shall be done in all cases with the animal hanging.  
2. Once the animal is in the bleeding site, shall make a deep incise at the 
entrance to the chest, in such way that sections the great blood vessels in the proximity of the heart. For this procedure, the operator 
must use two (2) knives, one exclusively to cut the skin and the other 57 
 to section the great blood vessels. Both tools must be properly washed 
and sterilized between operations.  
3. The animal will bleed in approximately two (2) minutes. This shall 
perform immediately after stunning, at most one minute. 
 
Article 222   Completed the bleeding continue dehorning, cut the distal part of the front 
extremities, skin and cut the head, and immediately shall proceed to tie the esophagus; these operations shall perform in the dirty zone.  
 
Article 223   With the animal hoisted or in the bed shall proceed to enucleate the anus 
and tie the rectum. 
 
Article 224   The head of cattle can be skinned by the platform system or by the “aerial 
rail” or a combination of both. 
1.  The head of cattle shall descend in the bed system with a pulley to the 
movable beds, proceeding to skin in dorsal decubitus position.  
2.  Whichever the skin or skinning system, shall practice first an incision in 
the median line and shall skin from the belly, flanks, and sectioning 
only the skin.  
3.  Simultaneously, skin the distal part of the hind legs disarticulating them 
by the tarsometatarsal joint.  
4.  Once completed these operations and if skin is performed in the bed, 
the head of cattle is hoisted by a balance beam (hanger) carrying 
sheaves (pulleys) with hooks, which hold the head of cattle by the 
Achilles tendon. With the head of cattle partially elevated, skin the hindquarters. The operator who skins the hindquarters and the anus 
enucleation shall work in a platform at an appropriate height, when 
skinning in the aerial rail. 
5.  The penis or mammary glands will be removed immediately after 
skinning the abdominal zone.  
6.  Detaching the skin from the tail and spine shall be manually or 
mechanically. When using a mechanical system shall adopt measures to avoid splashing the neighbor head of cattle when skinning. 
7.  The skin must be removed from the slaughter area by tubes, canals, 
floodgates or other special means in such way not producing contamination of the slaughter area when dragging.  
8.  Once finalized the skin and the head of cattle placed in the aerial rail 
proceed to separate the trachea from the esophagus using a tool with blunt edges.   
9.  Immediately, saw the median plane longitudinally to the breastbone.  
10.  Proceed to remove the testicles and next carry out the evisceration of 
the head of cattle incising longitudinally the median plane of the 
abdominal muscles extracting the rectum, intestinal mass, stomach, 
spleen, liver, bladder, kidneys and uterus in females.  
11. Previous to the separation of the gastric mass from the intestines, 
carry out a double tie in the duodenum, one at a level close to the 58 
 pylori and another one to the ileum, previous compression of the 
intestine towards the abomasum.   
12. These viscera must be placed in the viscera cart or in trays. Removing 
the gallbladder will be performed in the slaughter area after the inspection and before the liver is sent to the giblets room.  
13.  Next, extract the heart, lung and trachea together with esophagus from 
the head of cattle.  
14. Transport of the viscera within the slaughter area through the system 
of trays or carts.   
15.  Once produced the total evisceration, the head of cattle, viscera and 
head shall have a correlative relation in the inspection process, made 
in the slaughter area.  
16.  Once practiced the final inspection, transport the viscera in the same 
carts or trays to the respective unloading area. The transport 
equipment shall not leave the environment of the slaughter area. In 
those cases when transporting confiscat ed viscera, shall count with an 
area or local with a washing device and immediate disinfection of the 
respective cart.  
17.  Shower the head shall to eliminate rests of blood and gastric 
regurgitation in an appropriate cabinet for such aim. They shall identify 
to which head of cattle belongs and pass to the head inspection zone. 
 Article 225   Eviscerated the head of cattle, proceed to saw throughout the spine in the 
median plane to divide in half carcasses and immediately to its cleaning.  
 Article 226   Finalized the previous operation, the half carcasses shall be inspected 
finally to set out their destiny. This inspection area shall count on: 
1. A container where all condemned products shall be deposited 
immediately. From this container these products must go directly to the 
render or incineration, avoiding dripping during their route. If using the 
rail to transport the hoisted meat, must have an exclusive corridor for this service.  
2.  For the inspection of the viscera, must separate and identify the 
corresponding ones to each head of cattle, At this moment the 
personnel of the Inspection Service will proceed to check lymph glands by vision, palpation and incision.  
3.  The head of cattle suitable for human consumption shall be sealed as 
inspected and approved with the official seal of the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 227   Finished the inspection and considered suitable for consumption, the half 
carcasses shall pass through the tunnel or washing hall, and shall be washed through waterspouts or sprayers. The water pressure shall be 40 
pounds per square inch. It is prohibited the use of rags or papers to dry 
the head of cattle, as well as air pressure; it shall be allowed to drain off, previous approval of the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, 
stainless metallic spatulas to which shall be applied an adequate washing 59 
 and sterilization routine. The half carcasses will continue to the airing 
room or refrigerating cameras.  
 
Article 228   Porks that arrive to the slaughter area shall be subject to the stunning 
procedure, similar to bovines and following the next: 
1.  For the specie, the knockout drawer or stunning compartment can be 
utilized or not, performing this operation with special equipment destined to fasten and drag the porks. 
2.  Once bled the animal if not skinned immediately, must proceed to 
scald in water at an adequate temperature.  
3.  Finalized the scalding shall carry out the hair removal manually or 
mechanically. 
4.  Once removing the hair and before entering the clean zone, shall 
shower the carcass with cold water. 
5.  Other operations not described in this Article shall be done in a similar 
form to those of the bovine specie.  
6. For commercial reasons, the longitudinal saw of the pork shall be 
carried out in an incomplete form up to the neck zone and leaving the 
head attached to the carcass. 
 
Article 229   During all the operations conducted in the slaughter area, the carcasses 
and half carcasses, with skin or skinned, shall be handled in such way to avoid contact between them, with the equipment or with the facilities. In 
the same manner, the half carcasses or quarters must be placed within 
the refrigeration chambers. 
 
TITLE XV 
OF THE ANTE-MORTEM INSPECTION 
 
Article 230 The ante-mortem inspection will perform in the pens of the establishment, 
where will be examined animals presented for slaughter day.  
 Article 231   Shall not slaughter any animal without previous authorization of the 
Inspection Service, reason why the ante-mortem examination of all 
animals destined to the sacrifice is obligatory. This examination shall be done when the lot arrives to the establishment; repeating periodically and 
having the last one carry out immediately before the sacrifice. 
 Article 232  The ante-mortem inspection shall be done in the corrals of the 
establishment or the accessing corridors, with natural light or in defect with 
a luminance source not less than five hundred fifty (550) lux units. 
 
Article 233   All lots of animals that not inspected when arriving to the establishment by 
any circumstance, the authority of the establishment must notify such fact to the Inspection Service.  
 60 
 Article 234   The resting period in the resting places shall be a minimum of twenty-four 
(24) hours and a maximum of seventy two (72) hours, for the bovines. The 
porks must remain not less than twelve (12) hours and no more than 
twenty-four (24) hours. The resting time could be reduced to half the minimum time indicated, when cattle comes from fairs or distant markets 
no more than fifty (50) kilometers and the transport is through mechanic 
means. The Inspection Service can also prolong the resting time, when sanitary conditions of cattle require it. 
 
Article 235   When a lot of cattle comes from remote sites more than fifty (50) 
kilometers, the resting period can be shorten with a written order from the 
establishment, and can exempt having reasons founded in opinion of the 
Inspection Service that justifies it, and when their sanitary state allows it, whenever the establishment takes care of any emergent contingency. In 
no case, the resting will be inferior to six (6) hours.  
 Article 236   The animals during the confinement in corrals must have plenty of water 
to drink.  
 Article 237   In the inspection of the cattle in the corrals, first the animals altogether 
within each corral shall be examined, later shall make them walk back and 
forth in the corridors outside the corral, to appreciate possible claudication, skin lesions, secretion through the natural openings and any other 
suspicious symptom, also: 
1. The animals shall be walked returning to the same corral where 
removed, observing them again.   
2.  If necessary, the rectal temperature may be taken.  
3. The Veterinary Doctor Inspector shall have a flashlight and 
thermometer for clinical use during this task.   
4.  Carried out the inspection of the animals in each corral shall place in 
their card his observations and will leave writing of its conformity in reference to its health, indicating the day and hour of its act. 
 
Article 238   During the ante-mortem examination, the Veterinary Doctor Inspector who 
suspects the presence of any infectious or contagious disease, and for whose diagnosis it is essential the collaboration of the official diagnose 
laboratory or those credited, will isolate the lot, disinfect places where it 
had transited, communicate the news to its immediate superior, and send material samples to the laboratory marking the suspicious animals.  
 
Article 239   Once received the answer of the laboratory shall proceed in the following 
form: 
1. When the result is negative, the animal or animals shall be killed 
separately from other animals, arriving to the slaughter area with the indication of “suspect”. 61 
 2.  When the result is positive, shall adopt the measures anticipated in 
these regulations. 
 
Article 240   When detecting animals that suffer diseases during the ante-mortem 
inspection, and whose cause must be condemned and destined to render, 
shall not be slaughter in the sacrifice area, having to do it in the necropsy 
room. 
 
Article 241   For the females that abort in corrals, as a result of an infection, will be 
chosen by one of the following actions:  1.  Remove it from the establishment with written authorization of the 
 Inspection Service for treatment purposes.  
 2.  Sacrifice it in the necropsy room and destine to render. 
 
Article 242   For the animals born in the corrals, consider the following conditions: 
1.   Remove it from the establishment with written authorization of the 
Service of Inspection.  
2.   If the animal is dead, shall condemn and send to the render.   
3.   Raise it within the establishment by a minimum period of 30 days. 
 
Article 243   Animals with generalized traumatisms shall be sacrificed in the necropsy 
room and all their parts shall be sent to the render.  
 
Article 244   Animals that present evident signs of vesicular diseases in mouth, hooves 
or udder, shall be separated and taken to the isolation corral for suspicious animals, shall sample and send to the State Secretariat 
Laboratory of Agriculture. The animal shall not be sacrificed until obtaining 
a diagnosis from the laboratory and all symptoms have disappeared.  
 
Article 245  Animals that present evident symptoms of any non-contagious disease in 
the ante-mortem inspection shall be sent to the suspicious animal corral and shall be sacrificed at the end, identifying them as such or allowing their exit from the establishment for their respective treatment.  
 
Article 246   Animals that present symptoms of infectious or contagious diseases, 
exotic diseases, or of sanitary and economic importance for the country, 
must be sacrificed in the necropsy room and be sent to the render or 
incinerator. 
 
Article 247   When during the ante-mortem examination verifies or suspects diseases 
such as: anthrax, hog cholera, salm onellosis, parturient paresis, transport 
tetany or other susceptible disease to therapeutic treatment, with the 
possibilities of success, shall proceed to the following: 
1.  If the animal is diagnosed with anthrax or carbuncle, it shall be sent 
immediately to the necropsy room for sacrifice without bled and sent to 
the render with skin, without allowing to be cut in pieces.  62 
 2.  In the corrals, all utensils and containers, as well as the place where 
the animal or the affected lot of carbuncle had passed, shall be 
disinfected as indicated in these regulations.  
3.  In the lot or lots where a case of anthrax had taken place shall be 
located in the isolation corral and shall be slaughter only after forty 
eight (48) hours past the last death. If in this lapse a new case took 
place, the lot shall remain isolated and shall communicate the establishment that must apply to all animals surviving serum, 
antibiotics or any specific medication accepted by the Inspection 
Service, being prohibited the use of live vaccines.  
4.  Once applying the medicine to the animal or animals, they can remain 
in the isolation corral in observation during ten (10) days minimum, if 
no new cases take place they shall be released for sacrifice. 
 
Article 248   When the porks in the ante-mortem inspection show clear symptoms of 
hog cholera shall proceed to the following: 
1.  They shall be condemned and sent to the necropsy room for 
sacrifice and later destined to the render or incinerator.   
2. The rest of the animals in the same lot shall be sacrificed at the end 
of the slaughter.  
3.  Proceed to the disinfection of all corrals and utensils as established 
in these regulations. 
 
Article 249  The animals in which suspects Salmonellosis by presenting enteritis, 
vaginal secretions, arthritis or skin suppuration processes, shall sacrifice in the necropsy room and sent to the render and later to the inedible 
byproduct process. 
 Article 250   When animals appear with symptoms of parturient paresis, transport 
tetany or other susceptible disease of therapeutic treatment with the 
possibilities of success, the establishment shall decide on its immediate sacrifice in the necropsy room and destine them to inedible byproducts or treatment until healing outside the establishment. 
 
Article 251   The establishment shall notify the Inspection Service the existence of all 
dead or fallen animals in the transport or in the corrals of the 
establishment, immediately. 
 Article 252  The Inspection Service shall dispose the fallen animals immediately, 
determining in each case if they shall be sent to the necropsy room for 
their sacrifice and later destruction, following the related with BEE suspicious animals that refers in these regulations. 
 
Article 253   When the Inspection Service authorizes the transfer of dead or dying 
animals to the necropsy room, they shall be transported in an exclusive 
vehicle for that purpose. This vehicle shall be covered with stainless metal 63 
 and easily clean. After each use, the vehicle shall be washed and 
disinfected, according to what is indicated in these regulations for that 
purpose.  
 Article 254   In the case of those animals suspicious of having died of infected-
contagious diseases, shall be lead to the necropsy room, with obturation 
of their natural openings. If during the necropsy is proved an infectious or contagious disease, the Inspection Service shall send material to the 
official laboratory or that credited by the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department to confirm the diagnosis. The animal or its offal will be destined to the render or incinerator.  
 
Article 255   Pork entering the establishment with a corporal temperature of 41
0 C or 
1060 F, or above, as the cattle, goats or sheep with a greater temperature 
of 400 C or 1050 F shall be marked as suspects. If any doubt on the cause 
the Official Inspector shall retain the cattle by a reasonable period to determine the cause. Any animal retained by this cause shall be 
reevaluated its temperature on its slaughter day. If continues having the 
temperature over the previously described it shall be rejected and shall determine their destiny.  
 
Article 256   All animals affected by epithelioma of the eye, actinomycosis or 
actinobacillosis or benign injuries in certain parts of the body shall be 
marked as suspicious for sacrifice even though the injuries are visible. 
 Article 257   All animals considered suspicious by the Inspection Service shall be 
marked with a tag, emblem or marks visible for their identification in the 
corrals or if they have been allowed to enter the slaughter room at the end of the day.   
 
Article 258   The Inspection Service along with the representative of the State 
Secretariat of Agriculture shall maintain the documentation on the received animals in the establishment and the emitted in the ante-mortem 
inspection, having in files complete information of suspicious or rejected 
animals. 
 
TITLE XVI  
OF THE POST MORTEM INSPECTION 
 
Article 259   After slaughter, all animals shall immediately be subject to a macroscopic 
examination of its organs and tissues, completing with a microscopic and bacteriological examination when necessary. This post-mortem inspection 
will show if the carcass or part of the carcass is not affected by any 
disease or condition that makes it non-suitable for human consumption, in addition it will be demanded that: 64 
 1. The Inspection must be made only by the personnel of the Official 
Inspection Service.  
2. The Official Inspection shall be made in 3 specific points: head, viscera 
and carcass, being this last one exposed to the inspection before the final washing and after any cleaning or final cut.   
3.  The evisceration shall take place in a non-smaller lapse of 30 minutes 
from the moment in which the animal has been sacrificed. If by causes of force majeure, this lapse extended, all head of cattle must be under 
bacteriological examination.   
4. The head and all the organs, shall accompany the carcass, until the 
final opinion of the Inspection Service. Reason why the 3 parts shall be 
clearly identified until approve releasing. 
5. All carcasses that observe some injury before divided into half 
carcasses shall be identified, whichever the anatomical region where 
present and places in danger the health of the personnel or hygiene of 
the working instruments. The head of cattle with its viscera shall be removed from the working line, and examined by the Veterinary 
Inspector, not allowing be washing or cutting before the final dictum.  
6.  When injuries of difficult immediate macroscopic diagnosis appear, the 
carcasses and their viscera will be deposited in the retention cage at 
the orders of the Inspection Service, until the laboratory exams allow to 
orient the criteria to follow.  
7. When observing abnormal conditions in the carcass or its viscera and 
make suspect the presence of some injury that can determine that the 
carcass or part of it is inedible or  of conditional consumption, shall 
remove them from the common rail and taken to the retention rail for 
reinspection and final dictum.  
8. It is prohibited all kind of manipulation that tends to mask or disappear 
the injuries. Such conduct will be cause of condemning the carcass or 
its parts destined for render. 
 Article 260  Animals post-mortem inspection includes macroscopic visual observation, 
palpation, organ cutting and lymph glands, viscera and parietals muscles 
cuts. In addition: 
1. Shall macroscopic visualize, the state of nutrition of the carcasses, 
contusions, hemorrhages, color alteration, bleed efficacy, 
abnormalities such as bony tumefactions, bone deformations, joints, 
muscular, or any tissue, organ or cavity.  
2. Shall be examined visually and by palpation, the serous membranes, 
the soft tissues to verify their consistency and when possible the lymph 
glands located in the deep muscles.   
3. Shall examine previous incision, the visceral, superficial parietal lymph 
glands and the parenchyma of the organs considered necessary, two 
incisions in each masseter muscle (internal and external) for the Cysticercosis investigation, or what specifically indicates these 
regulations. 65 
 4. The blood destined for human food, or as byproduct with that same 
purpose, or for the process of biological products, shall be collected 
having extreme hygienic precautions that SESPAS determines, in 
containers that meet the conditions established in these regulations where the blood of not more than ten (10) animals be collected per 
container. In all the cases, the animals will be individualized. If any is 
affected by infectious or contagious disease, the total of the content of the container will be declared non-suitable for human consumption.   
5.  The blood not obtained according to the previous clause, must be 
collected in deposits with a lid and obligatorily dehydrated in totally, dried by mechanical means or partially by heat, for animal feed, 
operations to achieve at the same slaughter plant. When cooking, 
SESPAS will authorize the systems t hat guarantee the treatment of the 
blood at 70º C or 158º F during thirty (30) minutes.  
6.  Blood withdrawal is forbidden from the slaughter establishments in 
conditions different from the ones stipulated previously. Only when technological reasons of the blood industrialization plants make it 
necessary, like the use of the “spray” system or another dehydration 
method approved by SESPAS, the blood donating establishments can give it in a liquid state, previous authorization of SESPAS. In cases in 
which the blood has not been collected in the conditions indicated in 
this article must adjust to the norms  that on the matter are established 
for these special cases; it is also prohibited to introduce the hand in the 
container for blood defibrination.  
7. The examination of the head will take place after its cleaning and 
washing with high-pressure water, will incise with foliar incision the 
retropharynx, submaxillary and parotid lymph glands and extirpate 
tonsils. 
8. Incise the masseter and pterygoid muscles to investigate the presence 
of Cysticercus, neoplasia, xanthosis and other pigmentary alterations.   
9. The eyes, nasal cavities, gums, lips and velum palatinum will be 
examined through visualization and palpation, to investigate abnormal pigmentations, neoplasia, erosions, ulcers, abscesses and necrotic 
tissues.   
10. Once removing the tongue from the oral cavity, inspect through 
visualization and palpation to investigate aphthae, abnormal ulcers, 
abscesses, abnormal tissues, and abnormal pigmentations and 
actinobacillosis injuries.  
11.  The larynx will be incised longitudinally at the median plane and 
inspected through visualization and palpation, to determine ulcerous, 
neoplastic or parasitic injuries.  
12. For the examination of the pharynx shall proceed in analogous form to 
that of the larynx. 
13. The lungs shall be examined by visualization and palpation; cut the 
parenchyma, and foliar incision of the bronchial, mediastinal and apical 
lymph glands. The great bronchi shall be incised longitudinally and the 66 
 parenchyma shall be incised in its terminal third, perpendicularly to its 
great axis.   
14. The esophagus shall be examined by visualization and palpation, to 
determine the presence of neoplasia, abscesses and parasitic injuries.   
15. The stomach shall be examined by visualization and palpation. 
Incisions will be done to inspect the mucosa if needed. The gastric and 
gastrosplenic lymph glands shall be incised by foliar incisions.  
16. The intestines shall be examined by visualization and palpation. The 
mesenteric, cranial and caudal lymph glands shall be incised by means 
of foliar incision, after extended the mesentery. 
17. The examination of the liver will be through visualization and palpation, 
incision of the parenchyma and foliar incision of the retro - hepatic and 
portal lymph glands. The incision of parenchyma will be practiced on the stomach face of the liver in such a form that it sections the biliary 
canaliculus. In the base of the Spigelius lobe will be performed a deep 
incision.  
18. The examination of the pancreas will be through visualization and 
palpation, and incisions of the parenchyma, when considered 
necessary.   
19. The spleen examination will be through visualization and palpation. 
When considered necessary the capsule will be open to observe the 
parenchyma.  
20. The pericardium examination will be through visualization and 
palpation after incising. 
21. The heart examination will be through visualization, palpation and 
incision of the myocardium and endocardium for the elimination of clots 
and visualization of the atrioventricular activities. The cut of the 
myocardium will be longitudinal from the base to the vertex through the left auricle and ventricle and the interventricular septum and interatrial 
septum.  
22. The kidneys and adrenal glands will be examined lacking of their 
adipose cover, as well as of its fibrous capsule, the renal lymph gland will be incised in foliar cuts and in case of doubt the parenchyma of the 
kidney also.  
23. The bladder will be through visualization and palpation.   24.  The uterus will be through visualization and palpation, having to open 
the organ in all the cases by means of a longitudinal cut for the 
examination of its mucosa.   
25. The udder examination will be through visualization and palpation and 
by deep a longitudinal cut, which reaches up to the galactophorous 
sinuses. The incision of mammary lymph gland will complete the examination. 
26. The testicles examination will be through visualization and palpation. 
The inspection must assure the removal of these and the spermatic cord.  67 
 27. The central nervous system (brain and spinal marrow), will be 
examined by visualization and palpation once opened the cranium and 
sawed the spine longitudinally.   
28. The pleura and peritoneum examination will be through visualization 
and palpation.  
29. The examination of the bones will be through visualization in the 
surfaces of cut that by the manipulation have been uncover.  
30. The examination of the joints will be through visualization and 
palpation and in case of suspecting the presence of injuries by incision 
of the articular capsule.  
31.   The lymph glands that obligatorily must incise through foliar cuts in 
each half carcass are the following ones: preescapular, prepectoral, 
presternal, precrural or pre femoral, superficial sciatic-inguinal or retromammary according to sex, iliac external and internal, in case of 
doubt will incise popliteal, axillary and supra sternal lymph glands.  
 Article 261   The animals inspected and in agreement with the result of the conducted 
inspection, may be destined to: 
1.  Human consumption or meat product process.   2.  Incineration or processing in the render: in case of injuries that cause 
the carcasses to be inappropriate for human consumption. After 
applying this process, the material can be destined to the inedible byproduct process.   
3. The viscera will be destined according to the defined in the previous 
numerals.  
4.  When the carcasses, half carcasses, quarters or organs were destined 
to the render, and introduced directly from the slaughter area, will be 
denatured with odorless products approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
 
Article 262   The Inspection Service, will mark in each case, the carcass, half carcass 
or quarters of carcass, in the following way: 1.  For human consumption the carcass, half carcass or quarters of 
carcass will be identified with the official Inspection seal of: Inspected 
and approved.  
2.  The carcass, half carcass, quarters and organs will be marked with the 
condemned seal when condemned and sent to the render or 
incineration. 
 
Article 263   Those companies qualified by the Competent Authority will remove the 
organs, part of organs or its secretions used by the pharmaceutical industry, from the establishment. The person properly authorized through 
sealed containers, accompanied by the sanitary documentation issued, 
will make their removal. 
 68 
 Article 264   The carcasses, half carcasses, and quarters inspected and approved for 
human consumption, will be sealed according to the following 
specifications: 
1.  Seals will be placed on the external face of the carcass, in the hind and 
in the front quarter of sacrificed animals. 
2. The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall authorize the 
change of the location of the seals when considers it proper.  
3. Meats declared suitable for human consumption must be sealed and 
transported accompanied with the sanitary documentation emitted by 
the Inspection Service.  
4. The customs and border authorities, as well as the transport 
companies, will demand as previous condition for the acceptance of 
the load, the test of fulfillment of the previous clause. 
 
Article 265   The destiny of the animals inspected according to the injuries or diseases 
will follow the specific procedures detailed below: 1.  In the cases of multiple injuries of Actinobacillosis in most of the organs 
and lymph nodes, must proceed to condemn totally the animal. When 
the disease is located in the tongue, sublingual nodes or in any region or organ, the organs or affected regions will be condemned, whenever 
the general state of the animal is not affected.  
2.  When verifying generalized Actinom ycosis, the animal must be totally 
seized. In the located actinomycosis, shall proceed to the partial 
condemn. 
3.  When the animal appears in good nutritional condition and located 
injuries are verified, shall be given to the consumption after extracting 
the affected organs.  
4.  The affected head with Actinomycosis shall be confiscated, excepting 
the cases in which the maxillary injury is a minor lesion, strictly located 
and without suppurations or fistulous regions.  
5.  Shall condemn and destined to the render, the animal that presents 
Anaplasmosis or Piroplasmosis in the acute form.  
6.  The animal shall be condemned and destined to the render when, by 
the action of Anaplasma or Piroplasmosis, presents edematous 
filtration of muscles or a cachexia state. When the head of cattle presents an acceptable nutritional state, condemn shall not take place, 
although some findings are observed.  
7. When suspecting Brucellosis in the udder, the organ shall be 
condemned, as the retromammary, iliac and sciatic lymph nodes.  
8.  The porks that present injuries produced by brucella in bones, joints, 
testicles, matrix, spleen or other organs shall be condemned and destine to the render, in case of doubt, shall destine to the render.  
9.  When suspect Bacterial Anthrax in the slaughter area, proceed to the 
immediate detention of the activities developed in the establishment and if confirmed, proceed to condemn and destine the animal to the 
render totality, including the skin and all its organs and tissues.  69 
 10. When the verification of the disease takes place during the viscera 
inspection, proceed as indicated in number 9 with the infected carcass, 
the previous carcass and the three (3) carcasses following the ill 
carcass.   
11. All the bled animals, later to the sick, shall be washed by aspersion, 
without brush, with a watery solution of hypochlorite with a 
concentration not smaller than two thousand (2000) parts per million of active chlorine.   
12. Hands and arms of the personnel who has been in contact with the 
infected animal, shall wash with the same solution mentioned in number 11 or one watery solution of formaldehyde at one (1) by a 
thousand (1000).   
13. The facilities, equipment and working tools shall be washed tediously 
with water at a temperature not less than 82ºC or 180 ºF or water 
vapor and then shall be disinfected with a solution approved by 
SESPAS for this purpose.  
14. The waterproofed aprons and the footwear of the personnel must 
disinfect with a disinfectant solution approved by SESPAS for this 
purpose.  
15.   When the Acute Bacterial Anthrax is confirmed in a pork, proceed as in 
other species, disinfecting the dehairing machine, previous drainage of 
the water tank for scalding.  
16. If the Bacterial Anthrax has been verified like a chronic process, shall 
be sent only the affected pork to the render and shall disinfect with a 
solution of hypochlorite at two thousand (2000) parts per million of active chlorine the five (5) later porks, letting the solution work for thirty 
(30) minutes and washing it later with common water. 
 Article 266   When Cysticercosis is verified in a bovine, proceed as following: 
1.  If verified that a head of cattle is affected by cysts of Cysticercus bovis 
and the meat is watery or faded, condemn will be total and destined to the render.   
2. If it verifies that, a head of cattle is infested in massive form with 
Cysticercus bovis it shall be confiscated and destined to the render. 
When the head of cattle presents one or more cysts by anatomical region and in several regions simultaneously with a maximum of five 
(5) cysticercus per head of cattle, it is considered massive infestation 
with the purpose of setting up the condemn criterion. 
3.  If a cyst in a superficial muscle is verified, shall investigate in the entire 
carcass by means of deep cuts and if the expressed in number 2 is not 
observed, the criteria of number 4 shall be applied.  
4.  When a cyst of Cysticercus bovis verifies, found in any state in 
masseter muscles or heart, carcass, previous extirpation of the piece 
of muscle with parasite, it shall be subject to cold during 20 days, without increasing the temperature during that period, measured in the 70 
 deepest part of the muscle from -10º C or 15º F. After this process, the 
carcass can be released for consumption.  
5.  The fat of the head of cattle with parasites shall be condemned and 
destined to the render.  
6.  The organs of the head of cattle with parasites shall be condemned 
and destined to the render. 
 Article 267  For the bovine inspection in the research of Cysticercus bovis, proceed as 
follow: 
1. Head: Shall practice parallel cuts in the muscle surface in masseter 
and pterygoid. 
2. Tongue: Will be observed and palpated making cuts in the lateral 
base region. 
3. Heart: the external surface will be examined and a longitudinal cut will 
be done from the base to the vertex through the left auricle and 
ventricle and the interventricular septum and interatrial septum 
4.  The diaphragm, neck and intercostals muscles as other superficial 
muscles examination will be through observation and through serial 
cuts. 
 
Article 268 When proved the presence of Cysticercus cellulosae in porks, the 
carcass, organs and parts will be condemn and destine to the render. 
 
Article 269 When verified the presence of Distoma in liver, the viscera shall be 
condemn. If present in icteric o cachectic form, the carcass shall be condemn and destine to the render. 
 
Article 270 For the parasitic diseases not mentioned in these regulations and transmit 
to human, proceed as following:  
1. If the lesions are located and allow the extraction of the parasites or 
the lesions caused by them, these parts will be condemn and the rest to the human consumption will be destined. 
2. If the parasitic disease generalizes in such manner it makes 
impracticable extracting the lesions, the carcass will be condemn 
totally and destined to the render. 
3. Intestines that present oesophagostomum nodes, in a quantity greater 
than 5 per meter, will be condemn. When the amount is smaller, the 
extirpation will be allowed. When the animal presents cachexia, concomitant with oesophagostomiasis will be condemn and destine to 
the render.  
4. When the presence of Stephanurus dentatus verifies in the peri-renal 
fat or kidneys, these parts will be condemn. 
5. If exists concomitant with the Stephanurus, hydronephrosis with 
uremia or cachexia, the animal will be condemned and destine to the render. 71 
 6. The livers shall be condemned and destine to the render when they 
present nodular necrosis. When the injury coexists with other 
alterations, the carcass must also be condemn and destined to the 
render. 
7.  The organs and parts of the animals parasited by hydatic cysts will be 
condemned. 
 Article 271   The affected animals with acute Leptospirosis shall be condemned and 
destined the render. When finding injuries located in an organ like kidney, 
liver, brain and others and does not exists other pathological alterations, shall condemn only the affected organ. 
 
Article 272   When necrosis appears in the bovines’ cattle hooves without 
complications, only the affected parts will be condemned. However, if 
appears septicemia or cachexia with the necrosis of the hooves, the 
carcass shall be condemn and destined to the render. 
 
Article 273   When hog cholera appears in the porks in acute or chronic form, with 
added suppurative infections such as infectious enteritis of the porks, porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, swinepox, the Veterinary Inspector 
will proceed in the following way: 
1.  If acute and characteristic injuries of hog cholera appear, in organs or 
tissues, besides the kidneys, nodes and skin, condemn will be total.  
2.  If the carcass presents doubtful lesions in kidneys or lymph nodes or in 
both simultaneously and at the same time verifies characteristic lesion of Hog Cholera in an organ or tissue, all the lesions of the same origin 
must be considered to these last and its condemn will be total.  
3.  If it presents acute lesions in organs or nodes, concomitant with an 
advanced cachexia or if verifies centers of lymphoid suppuration, 
condemn will be total.  
4.  The porks with chronic Hog Cholera or lesions of smallpox in skin that 
at the same time presents necrotic centers in arm, kidneys and other organs that indicate the existence of Salmonella will be condemned 
and destined to the render. 
5.  The porks that present in the skin lesions of smallpox shall be used for 
human consumption when the acute period has passed and whenever 
they are free from Salmonella. If the Smallpox appears in the acute 
period, the porks will be condemn and destined to the render.  
6.  The presence of some petechia in the kidneys of the pork or lymph 
nodes without concomitance with other lesions, will not give rise to 
condemn.  
7.  If during the slaughter they had been accidentally contaminated with 
gastrointestinal content, the tissues impregnated of this content will be 
extracted and latter will be washed tediously with chlorinated potable water in the proportion of 3 parts per million of residual active chlorine. 
 72 
 Article 274   When Sarcosporidia attacks the carcass, proceed in the following form: 
1. Shall condemn and destine to the render when a generalized 
infestation with modification of the muscular tissue verifies.   
2.  If no modification is present on the muscular tissue, but the 
Sarcosporidia is in great amount, the carcass will be condemned and 
destine to the render.  
3.  When eliminating Sarcosporidia, the head of cattle can be used for 
human consumption. 
 
Article 275   The animals in which undernourishment verifies, for being affected of 
scabies or whose meats present inflammatory or edematous 
characteristics, shall be condemned and destined to the render. If the 
scabies is benign, the animal shall be admitted for human consumption. 
 
Article 276    Animals affected by the following diseases, must be condemn totally: 
1. Shipping fever.  2. Pyemia.  
3. Anthrax.  
4. Black leg 5. Malign Edema. 
 
Article 277   All animals, whose consumption can cause food toxic-infections in 
humans, shall be condemned and destined to the render. The Veterinary 
Inspector shall consider the inflammatory processes to judge these 
animals, concomitance with infectious diseases and in necessary case the result of the bacteriological analysis. 
 
Article 278   The animals that present acute toxoplasmosis, shall be condemned and 
destined to the render. 
 
Article 279   Carcasses of animals affected with Tuberculosis must be totally 
condemned and shall be destined to the render when:  1. Concomitant with tuberculous lesions the animal has presented 
 fever immediately before its sacrifice.  
 2. The tuberculosis is concomitant with a cachectic state.   3. When verified tuberculous origin alterations in muscles or 
 intramuscular tissues or bones, joints or lymph nodes as result of 
 the passage of the bacillus through muscles, bones or joints.  
 4. Present simultaneous miliary tuberculous lesions in two (2) 
 parenchyma or in (1) parenchyma and one (1) of the splenic serosa 
 or in one (1) tumefaction of the lymph node whatever they were the  locations of the miliary lesions.  
 5. They present verified caseous tuberculous lesions on organs of the 
 great visceral cavities with alterations of its serosa.  
 6. There is generalization, having to consider the tuberculous lesions 
 located in the respiratory or digestive apparatus, including their 73 
  ganglia, and verifies in one of the following organs: spleen, kidneys, 
 uterus, udder, ovaries, testicles, renal capsule, brain and spinal 
 marrow or its membranes.   
 7. Present numerous tubercles uniformly distributed in both lungs, and 
 tuberculous lesions that indicate recent collapse of the organic 
 defenses, like the generalized tuberculosis of the lungs, 
 bronchopneumonia with sarcomatous aspect, massive caseous  tuberculosis of organ, exudative tuberculosis of pleura, peritoneum, 
 pericardium or meninges, caseous hypertrophic tuberculosis.  
 8. The lymph nodes present semi-caseous, congestive, edematous 
 processes, with hemorrhagic focus in the marginal zones or 
 hypertrophic alterations resulting from a generalized acute 
 tuberculous infection.   9. When observing fibrous or calcified lesions in the organs of the two 
great splenic cavities with alterations of the corresponding serosa.    
 10. Two or more affected lymph nodes appear, corresponding to 
 different quarters, without generalization. 
 
Article 280   When the animal presents Tuberculosis in circumscribed areas shall 
perform a partial condemn as in the following cases: 
1. When the lesions are slight, located, the lymph nodes can be extracted 
without practicing condemn.  
2. When affected the sub scapular or axillary, subdorsal, popliteal and 
cervical lymph nodes, will extirpate only them, having or not those of 
the head affected. 
3. When the preescapular, prepectoral,  pre-sternal or the sternal lymph 
nodes are affected, the quarter of the carcass will be condemned.  
4. When present tuberculous lesions of an organ of a single splenic cavity 
with alterations of the corresponding serosa as a result of a process 
originated by infections by antiquity, condemn the quarter of the 
carcass and the diaphragm.  
5. When the heads present tuberculous lesion they shall be condemned.  6. In porks that have affected one or two nodes of the head and do not 
present another tuberculous lesion, the nodes will be extirpated without 
carrying out condemn.  
7. All affected organ with tuberculosis shall be condemned or only when 
the corresponding lymph node.  
8. To establish the existence of acute tuberculosis, the lung shall be 
examined in the pork, through a deep, longitudinal cut, starting with the 
dorsal surface.   
9. All carcass or organ in contact with the knife or other working tools, 
infected with tuberculous material, will be condemned. Knives and 
equipment shall disinfect according to the article of these regulations 
referring to disinfection by contamination of infectious contagious disease. 
 74 
 Article 281   When different diseases appear, the procedure shall take place 
according to them and shall perform as follows: 
1.  Icteric animals shall be condemned and destined to the render. When 
having doubts in the diagnosis, the animal shall be taken to the cage of retention in the refrigerator chamber at a temperature that assures its 
conservation and shall practice the investigation of biliary pigments.  
2.  Carcasses, affected by pigmentation due to the use of medicine shall 
be condemned and destined to the render.  
3. When a carcass is affected with a condition of melanotic pigmentation, 
(melanosis, and similar) and this is slight extended and tissues are excisable, the affected parts shall be condemned and the rest of the 
carcass shall destine to human consumption, if the melanosis 
embraces great amount of tissues, the carcass shall be condemned and destined to the render.  
4.  When a carcass with brown yellowish coloration appears, affecting 
cartilages, tendons and joints and these parts can be excised, the carcass shall be used for human consumption. If the pigmentation 
appears more extended, proceed as in the melanosis case.  
5.  When the muscular rigidity is located in the front quarters resulting 
from bleeding, there will be no place to condemn.  
6.  The cachectic carcasses shall be condemned and destined to the 
render. The undernourished animals, free of any pathological process shall be destined to the cooked product process.  
7.  Carcasses that present edematous infiltrations of parenchyma or 
connective tissue shall be condemned and destined to the render. 
8.  Carcasses that present marked and diffuse muscular alterations 
because of the febrile state shall be condemned and destine to render. 
9.  Carcasses that present putrefaction processes, even though these are 
in circumscribed zones shall be condemned and destine to render. 
10. Meats will be considered as repugnant, when they present bad aspect 
or abnormal coloration, or that they release disagreeable odors or others considered abnormal. They shall be condemned and destined to render if there are not lesions  and diseases specified in these 
regulations and that they have another destiny. Shall not be accepted 
for slaughter the non-castrated porks or with clear evidences of recent castrations.  
11. When bloody meats appear, because of lesions in the digestive 
apparatus, shall be condemned to the render.  
12. If the hemorrhagic or congestive lesions take place due to 
traumatisms, the affected regions shall be extirpated and the rest 
released for human consumption.  
13. Animals that present signs of intoxication as a result of the ingestion or 
application of toxic products, shall be condemned and destined to the 
render.  
14. All animal that dies accidentally in the premises of the slaughter 
establishment and not bled and eviscerated in immediate form, 75 
 whatever the appearance of the animal, shall be condemned to the 
render, except the skin.  
15. Animals that come from females killed in advanced gestation state 
shall destine to process inedible byproduct.   
16. When a hepatic process has caused alterations in the animal, like 
anemia, jaundice, lose weight or the liver presents an extended 
suppurative process, the animal shall be condemned and destined to the render.  
17. When lesions appear in a liver, produced by the passage of parasites 
or the presence of their larvae, the liver shall be condemned and it will be destined to the render.  
18. The presence of nephric lesions such as nephritis, necrosis, or 
pyelonephritis, implies to establish their concomitance with infectious contagious diseases and the presence of uremia. In all the cases, the 
affected kidneys will be condemned.  
19.  The cystic kidneys will be condemned and destined to the render.   20. When animals appear affected wi th ocular neoplasia, in the orbital 
region or in the corresponding lymph nodes, if the affection has 
damaged the bony structures of the head with an extended infection that has suppuration and necrosis, or if metastasis exists
 from the eye 
towards the orbital region or to another organs, muscles, skeleton and 
other tissues, or if the affection is associated with cachexia or secondary alterations, they will be condemned and destined to the 
render. 
21. When the neoplastic affection of the eye or orbital region is located and 
the animal presents an acceptable general state, the head will be 
condemned, including the tongue.  
22. Animals affected by malignant tumors will be condemned and destined 
to the render. 
23. Porks with benign melanotic tumors, will have them excise and the 
adjacent tissues. In cases where the lymph nodes are invaded, the quarter of the carcass corresponding to the affected ganglion will be condemned and destined to the render.  
24. The porks affected by urticaria, scabies demodecica, erythema or 
scleroderma can be used for human consumption, after excising the affected parts and provided that the musculature presents a normal 
aspect. 
 Article 282   The Inspection Service shall condemn the risk material from Bovine 
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and must ensure: 
1. To condemn the tonsils or amygdala and the distal ileum removing the 
small intestine completely from all the sacrificed bovines 
2. To mark or identify animals older than 30 months to which condemn 
the parts indicated in the previous number, in addition with the encephala, bones of the head, eyes, ganglia, trigeminal nodes, the root 
of the dorsal ganglion, spinal cord or spinal marrow, spine (exception 76 
 for the vertebrae of the tail, transverse wings of the thoracic and 
lumbar vertebrae and the wings of sacrum).   
3. Equipment used for the removal or segregation of the risk material of 
the carcass shall be disinfected routinely during the process.  
4. That the sacrifice shall be set in such a way, in which those animals 
younger than 30 months be slaughter separately or before the older 
animals.  
5. That the material shall have to be collected in special containers 
clearly identified and sent to the render or to incineration.   
6. That the procedures implemented by the establishment to achieve this 
work under the supervision of the Inspection Service are written and 
inserted in HACCP Plan or in the SSOP or any other program.   
7. That during the process the establishment makes effective corrective 
actions for the control of the risk material.  
8.  That the establishment maintains control for the adequate removal, 
segregation and condemn of the risk material according to the written procedures.  
9. That the establishment assures that meat byproducts that contain 
these risk materials shall not be use for human diet or ruminants. 
10. That shall count with records and documents that will give faith of the 
implementation and fulfillment of the procedures of handling of risk 
materials. These shall remain available for 2 years for audit by the health authorities. 
 
TITLE XVII 
OF THE PROCESS 
OF DEBONED MEAT AND ITS PRODUCTS 
 
Article 283      All establishments that elaborate and process debone meat will comply 
with the requirements for special construction and the sanitary-hygienic 
norms of the meat product establishments. In addition to the general conditions in Title VII, meet the following specific conditions, without damaging the compliance of another construction exigency and 
sanitary-hygienic requirements that in relation with the work to develop 
consigns in these regulations: 
 
1. Establishments shall be separated from all other section or 
establishment where other activities of industrialization or storage are performed.  
2.  Meats that enter an establishment shall be lead to the place of their 
manipulation by means of rails, containers or other means that in opinion of the Inspection Service are appropriate. The meat shall not 
contact the outer environment at any moment.  
3.  During work in the deboning room, shall stay at an environmental 
temperature not over 10ºC or 50ºF while the temperature of the 77 
 refrigerated meat does not have to surpass the seven degrees 7ºC or 
45ºF.  
4.  Accumulation of bones is not admitted, which shall be removed in a 
continuous form during the task.  
5.  It is not allowed to throw or to deposit wastes or bones in the ground. 
Transport shall be through trays, carts or containers destined to such 
aim, which shall meet the requirements established for this type of equipment in Title VII of these regulations.  
6.  When carcasses, half carcasses and quarters do not come from the 
same establishment, but from another establishment approved by SESPAS, shall arrive cooled with a maximum temperature of 5ºC or 
41ºF.  
7.  Refrigerating chambers destined to deposit carcasses for their later 
debone, must be independent of the refrigerating chambers destined to 
deposit of the deboned meat. The capacity of the chambers should be, 
as minimum, equal to the maximum production capacity. The construction characteristics must respond to the established in Title IV 
of these regulations.  
8.  Thawing of carcasses, pieces or meat cuts, shall not be done by 
means of hot airflow.  
9.  Containers and packages used to cover the meat cuts shall be 
authorized by SESPAS. They will be of first use and shall be stored so in order to assure its hygiene before and during its use. 
10. The area destined to the secondary packing must be separated from 
the deboning meat zone. 
11. Accesses within the establishments shall be paved and with adequate 
areas for loading and unloading, which shall be covered to enable the 
means of transport be well protected during these operations, by eaves not smaller than five (5) meters.  
12. Unloading carcasses, half carcasses or quarters shall be done with 
aerial rails or other mechanic mean. Meat cuts shall be transported in carts. In no case, will allow transport in shoulders.  
13. Meat processing establishments shall have the following 
areas/departments, according with the industrial activities they 
perform: a. Office destined to the Inspection Service.  
b. Deboning room.  
c. Processing room. d. Refrigerating chambers. 
e.  Dryers.  
f. General depot for dry ingredients or additives.  g. Local for washing utensils.  
h. Local for labeling, package and shipping.  
i. Deposits for residues of cleaning, wastes and condemn.  j. Restrooms.   
k. Dressers. 78 
 14. When the nature of production is not required to have any of the above 
units, it will be exempted when the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department authorizes it. 
15. All the areas enumerated in clause No.13 shall be separated to each 
other, with their doors and outer windows protected with stainless 
screens 1/16 of inch or air curtains. 
16. The facilities shall be consistent in size and capacity to the production, 
estimated to be in pounds or kilograms per day. 
17. The premises destined to debone shall meet the conditions established 
in this title for that activity without damage of others demanded in these regulations.   
18. The rooms destined to debone and process can be common when the 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department authorizes it.  
19. Illumination in the processing room will be natural or artificial, allowing 
a correct development of activities in all environments of the premises. 
The intensity of the light will be as established in Title IV in these regulations, demanding a minimum of two hundred twenty (220) lux 
units in the working places. In no case, the light must modify the colors 
of the raw material.  
20. In the processing room, water faucets shall be available in sufficient 
quantity to carry out their cleaning and located not less than thirty (30) 
centimeters and not more than fifty (50) centimeters from the ground.  
21. The working personnel shall sanitize their equipment and utensils 
regularly. 
22. The Inspection Service shall inspect the hygienic conditions of the 
facilities, equipment and instruments before beginning each working 
shift. 
23. It is prohibited the permanence of non-authorized persons in the 
places where meats are processed in the establishment. 
 
Article 284   The equipment to be used in the integral process of raw materials, are: 
1.  Aerial rails, pulleys, carts, trays, molds, tables and machines, must be 
of easy cleaning and disinfection and shall not release strange 
substances to the raw material.  
2.  Machines destined to the tasks of cutting, tender, chopping, mixing, 
grinding and kneading meat products in process, shall have stainless 
steel all the pieces exposed to edible products.  
3.  Metals or other materials in contact with foods and their raw material, 
must not contain more than one (1%) percent of lead, antimony, zinc or 
other impurities, nor more than zero point zero one (0,01%) percent of 
arsenic or other harmful substance.  
4.  The use of synthetic material in the construction of the machines shall 
be admitted whenever it is resistant to abrasion, hot water, not fragile 
and responds to the prescriptions of the previous number.  79 
 5. Sinks shall be constructed with impermeable materials and smooth 
surface, according to the established in Title IV of these regulations. 
Their drains must connect to the general net. 
 Article 285   The local for the general storeroom for dry ingredients or additives must 
comply with the following special requirements: 
1.  Shall be an independent local from other units of the factory.  2.  Shall have shelves for classification and deposit of additives. These 
containers must be easy to wash and clearly identified.  
3. All the packages shall be enclosed in their original packing; containers 
are not allowed to be opened in this storeroom.  
4. The storeroom shall be conditioned according to the required by the 
products stored there. 
5.  The utensils used in handling the additives must be limited to the 
specific use to which they are intended. The building material of the 
utensils shall be stainless steel or plastic and their design will make them easy to clean.  
6.  Within this storeroom, there will be an area where products of 
restricted use are deposited, which will be closed with key and under the control or custody of the Inspection Service. The Inspector shall 
have to count on of an inventory of existence or entrances and exits of 
these substances daily to the establishment. 
 
Article 286   During the process of non-stuffing products, the temperature in the 
working environment shall not exceed 10ºC or 50ºF and the refrigerating chambers shall adjust to the requirements established in Title IV of these 
regulations. 
 Article 287   Non-stuffing meat products shall comply with the following norms: 
1. Ground Meat:  Processing of the chilled or frozen beef without 
additives, whose percentage of fat shall not be greater than 30% and shall not contain added water or any other extenders of volume.  When using cheek meat shall not be allowed more than 25% and it must be 
declared in the label. 
2. Hamburger : Product processed with chopped beef with the addition of 
salt, sodium glutamate and ascorbic acid. Its fat content shall not 
exceed 30%. In addition, shall not be added water to the mixture. 
3. Preformed cakes of chopped or ground meat (beef patties) : 
Processed product of chopped or ground beef without addition of fat or 
flavoring additives or others. Water will not be added or only the 
necessary for the preformed of the pattie. 
4. Fabricated Steak : Chopped or ground meat used to process formed in 
steak form with additives like hydrolyzed protein and flavorings. Could 
be added or not fat that will not exceed 30%. The addition of transglutaminase enzyme at levels of up to 65 ppm will be added like 
binders.   80 
 5. Breaded Steak : Product consisting of a slice or a fillet of meat 
breaded.   
6. Product Prepared by Breaded Steak : All meat food obtained from 
specific lines of technology such as the chopping, flaking, compacting and that responds for its physical or dimensional characters which they 
own of the breaded beefsteak and that it is breaded.   
7. Meat for Breaded Steak : Slice or fillet of meat without bread. 
8.  Special Meat Cuts:  Slices, strips, cubes or any form of cut of clean 
meat without bread.   
9. Skin or Pork Rims : Byproduct from the pork skin defatted exposed to 
cook to a temperature of not less than 49
0C or 1200F. 
 
Article 288   The local destined for the labeling, packaging and shipment must meet the 
demanded general requirements for the rest of the units.  
 
Article 289   The area destined for washing utensils and other items used in the 
product processing must count on a sink  according with the necessities for 
which it is destined and abundant water provision.  
 Article 290   All products introduced in the waste room must be denatured according to 
the direction of the Inspection Service.  
 Article 291   The deboned meat and the non stuffed meat products when stored 
already packed must be found at a temperature of maintenance for fresh 
cuts of 0
0 C or 32 0 F and for frozen product of -28 0 C or -180 F. 
 
TITLE XVIII 
OF THE METHODOLOGY OF SAMPLING  FOR THE CONTROL OF PATHOGENS 
 
CHAPTER I  
METHODOLOGY OF SAMPLING FOR Escherichia Coli (E.coli) 
 
Article 292   Each establishment shall perform the analysis for E. coli, for which shall: 
1. Collect the samples according to the sampling techniques, 
methodology and frequency requested in these regulations.  
2. Count on a manual for the procedures of sampling, where it is 
assigned who shall perform the sampling, how shall be done the 
random selection of the sample(s), their handling and transport. This manual shall be reviewed and approved by the Food and Beverage 
Risk Control Department and shall always be available for its revision.  
3. Sample considering all the carcasses that are in refrigeration.  4. Sample through sponge or cuts of the flank, rump and brisket.  
5. Establish the frequency of the sampling that shall be according to the 
volume of slaughter, having this 1 sample per every 300 slaughtered animals, but, a minimum of one sample during each week of operation.  81 
 6. In the case of porks take one sample per every 1,000 slaughtered 
animals but a minimum of one sample during each week of operation.  
7. Analyze the sample by means of an approved quantitative method for 
E. coli.  As an official method, shall adopt the developed one by the recognized Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC).  
8. Interpret the analysis through the NMP method (more probable 
number), having a confidence level of 95%.  
9. Have audited, if counts on with its own laboratory, its procedures, and 
validation by the official competent authority or by the official laboratory 
of reference, having records of an Inter-laboratorial checking program of their approved techniques.  
10. Have a regular training program for the technicians of their laboratory.  
11. Evaluate the results using process control techniques in statistical form 
when sampling by the sponge method.  
12. Have the procedures of the moving window of 13 samples to evaluate 
the results.  
13. Maintain the records and data of the results of the samplings in the 
terms of CFU/cm2 (Colony Forming Units by square centimeter), which 
will stay in a table of data containing the 13 more recent results. The establishment will maintain the records by two years for its revision and 
audit.  
14. Comply with the conditions in these regulations when sending the 
samples out of the establishment. 
 
Article 293   The criteria for the evaluation of the results of E. coli will be the following 
ones: 
 
Type of 
Livestock 
Specie Lower limit of 
marginal 
range (m) Upper limit of 
marginal range 
(M) Number of 
samples 
tested (n) Maximum number 
permitted in 
marginal range (c) 
Bovine Negative Over  
100 CFU/cm2 13 Less than 
3 
Swine 10 CFU/cm2 Over  
10,000 CFU/cm2 13 Less than 
3 
 Article 294   When the sampling results do not comply with the evaluation criteria it 
indicates that the establishment is not controlling the fecal contamination. 
The Inspection Service must take acti ons to enforce the provisions of 
these regulations, from the written notification of the deviations to the 
suspension of the Inspection Service. 
 
CHAPTER II  
METHODOLOGY OF SAMPLING FOR Escherichia Coli 0157:H7  
(E. coli 0157:H7) 
 82 
 Article 295   Meats destined to special cuts, stuffings not cooked, prepared meats, 
base for ground meat and ground meat, shall be sampled for detection of 
E. coli 0157:H7; the methodology will be the following: 
1. The official Inspector shall be the responsible to sample or collect the 
sample, prepare it and send it to the official laboratory.  
2. Shall be requested the establishment to add to the annual 
reassessment the changes that correspond to its HACCP Plan and SSOP to comply with this requirement.  
3. Samples shall be only from the product processed in the 
establishment. 
4.  The sample shall be before the final packing of the product and sent to 
the laboratory before the establishment completes the pre-shipment 
revision.  
5. Samples shall be taken to each lot of product that applies (the 
establishment will determine what will be the consideration for lot) to 
which it already has been made all the process.   
6. The Inspection Service will retain the lots until it receives the results 
before shipping the product.   
7. Handling and transport of the samples described in these regulations.  8. The laboratory will have to inform to the Inspection Service of the 
results for releasing the lots.  
9. A manual of procedures will be prepared for sampling, handling and 
transporting the samples and definition of lot for each establishment.  
10. The official personnel responsible of taking the samples shall have a 
specific training for it, having to make it the competent authority.  
11. Samples will be aseptically been taken in an appropriate number of 
pieces per lot. 
 Article 296 When the establishment obtains positive or presumably positive results, 
the actions taken with the product will be the following: 
1. The Inspection Service will reques t the establishment to arrange that 
the product be sent to the render or heat treatment for its immediate destruction under the official supervision and must notify immediately 
in writing to the Responsible of the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department.  
2. If the product leaves the establishment in order to be sent to a render 
of another establishment or to be applied another process of 
denaturation it must have the approval and supervision of the Inspection Service. 
3. The establishment and the Inspection Service must maintain a record 
of the destruction or elimination of the lot of products with their respective results.  
4. The Inspection Service must make sure that the establishment has 
established the precise respective corrective measures, as well as the changes in its HACCP plan and the programs that are required.  83 
 5. If the establishment does not apply any or some of the previous 
measures the Inspection Service shall notify it to the Food and 
Beverage Risk Control Department and apply the sanctions that will 
result from a written notification to the withdraw of the Inspection Service. 
 
CHAPTER III 
METHODOLOGY OF SAMPLING FOR SALMONELLA 
 
Article 297   The random sampling procedure will be used to select the half-bovine 
carcass, which must have remained 12 hours or more in the refrigeration 
chamber. The sampling procedure shall be through groups of consecutive 
samples of minimum annual operation observed in these regulations that applies to the species.   
 
Article 298   The methodology shall be the same for the three places of the half-bovine 
carcass, where investigating contamination by Salmonella; they are flank, 
brisket, and rump. Shall count on with a manual as a guide to locate these 
areas and for this procedure: 1. Make sure labeling all the tubes and that all the materials are at hand.     
2. If using reusable template be sure to submerge it from 1-2 minutes in a 
disinfectant solution before taking the first sample and repeat this passage between each sampling. When taking apart the template from 
the disinfectant solution shake to remove excess of liquid.    
3. Locate the flank, brisket, and rump of the half-bovine carcass, 
according to the instructions for this analysis.   
4. Locate the stairs near the half carcass to sample.   
5. Use sterile gloves when sampling.   6. Remove the cap of the test tube containing sterile buffered peptone 
water and avoid touching the tube opening.   
7. Proceed to damp a sponge in the sterile buffered peptone water.   8. Wipe the humid sponge first in horizontal form and then vertically 
through the delimited area of the temple of 100 cm
2 for the head of 
cattle and 50 cm2 for porks. The pressure applied to the sponge, is 
similar to that needed to remove dried blood from the carcass surface. Introduce again the sponge in a sterile bag and add 10 ml of sterile 
buffered peptone water, in such way that it is impregnated totally with 
the solution.   
9. This procedure will be done in the same form in the 3 selected places, 
(flank, brisket, and rump), with the purpose of obtaining a complete 
sample.   
10. Place bags with sponges as soon as possible in the cooler or 
refrigerator and must be transported to the laboratory.   
11. Shall not pass more than 24 hours from the moment of sampling to the 
moment in which the analysis in the laboratory begins, making sure for 
maintaining the cold chain all the time. 84 
  
Article 299   The sampling for Salmonella in ground meat and packed product shall be 
random after the grinding process and before the addition of spices or 
another ingredient if it is possible and before the packing. 1. Aseptically take 25 grams of ground product, put the sample in a sterile 
bag and send it to the laboratory. Select several portions of the meat 
so that the sample is representative of the lot of the product. 
 
Article 300   Shall select randomly the carcasses to analyze from all the carcasses 
available. Both parts of the half carcass (front and hind) must have equal opportunity to be select with the frequency of the sampling. Each 
establishment must count on with its procedure: 
1. The frequency will be one sample per three hundred (300) carcasses.   2. Any method can be use to determine the random number.   
3. Keep a written record of the random numbers selected and the 
procedures used for this purpose. 
 
Article 301    Handling of the samples shall be as follows: 
1. Refrigerate immediately and remain so until analysis.    2. If analyzed outside the establishment, must do as soon as possible, 
after the sampling. Pack these samples with sufficient cooling material 
to maintain a temperature of 0
0 C–100 C or 320–500 F and transport 
immediately to the laboratory.    
3. Send them to the laboratory the same sampling day and shall analyze 
in a period no longer than 24 hours after sampling. 
4. Place them in position to avoid leakage of liquids, if needed it can be 
used newspaper to absorb shocks and to assure its vertical position.   
5. Place a cardboard on top of the samples and then put on top of the 
cardboard packages of dry ice, this way prevents that the dry ice 
comes in direct contact with the samples. Use enough dry ice to 
maintain the samples at refrigeration temperature. 
 Article 302   For the analysis of samples of Salmonella and their reports: 
1. If samples of the carcasses cannot be analyzed after the day they 
were taken, then the carcasses shall be kept refrigerated until it is possible the analysis.  
2. The analysis procedure shall be an officially validated method. 
3. Results of the report of Salmonella analysis will be positive or negative. 
 
Article 303   In establishments that process bovine meat requires a standard of 
efficiency for the detection of Salmonella, reason why the establishment shall have implemented the HACCP system in which the positive 
deviations in the analyses of Salmonella shall not exceed: 
1. For adult cattle, 2.7% of a sampled population that represents 58 
analyzed samples, the maximum number of positive shall not exceed 
2.   85 
 2. For young cattle (young bulls or calves) 1.0% of a sampled population 
that represents 82 analyzed samples, the maximum number of positive 
shall not exceed 1.   
3. For ground meat, it shall not exceed the 7.5% of positive deviations in 
a number of 53 samples of and a maximum of 5 positives.   
4. For porks it shall not exceed the 8.7% of positive deviations in a 
number of 55 samples and a maximum of 6 positives. 
 
Article 304   The procedures to follow according to the results of the analysis for 
Salmonella: 1. If the results of the first set of samples are deviated from the permitted 
limit, the establishments must take immediate corrective action and 
then make a second set of samples of equal numbers at random, to verify that there are no deviations.  
2. If the second set of samples taken randomly to verify the efficiency fail, 
must revise the HACCP system and later a third sampling will be done.  
3. If the third standard sampling of efficiency is random and this deviates 
from the established limit, the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department will suspend the Inspection Service to the establishment until verifies satisfactorily and notifies in writing to the Responsible of 
the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department that deficiencies 
have been corrected. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
SAMPLING METHODOLOGY FOR Listeria monocytogenes 
 
Article 305   Sampling will be mandatory for all processed ready-to-eat (RTE) products; 
the establishment will identify the sampling areas where the processing products are exposed such as storage, cooling or freezing chamber, 
packing and internal transport.  
 Article 306   The establishment must establish 2 sampling sites: 
1. None direct contact surfaces: As drains, floors, walls, refrigeration 
units, lights, etc., considering those with potential contact with the 
product such as borders of the equipment, legs of tables, etc.  
2. Direct contact surfaces: as conveyor bands, tables, containers, 
equipment surfaces, baskets, etc. 
 Article 307   May conduct these samplings during the operations of cleaning pre-
operational and operational. The establishment will develop procedures 
for this task.   
 
Article 308   Samplings in surfaces shall be: 
1. Not less than two per month in pre-operational in indirect and direct 
surfaces.  
2. Not less than 3 per month in operational in direct contact surfaces. 86 
  
Article 309   The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall be able to modify 
these samplings based on historical antecedents of the establishments 
and the conditions of process or by requirements of a country where the products export. 
 
Article 310   The sampling Method shall be the following one: 
1. The sampling system shall be by sponge or gauze, not by swab, using 
aseptic techniques with sterile equipment and gloves. The area to 
cover shall be approximately one square inch, but shall depend on the equipment used.  
2. For operational samplings or those made during the production 
process of the establishment shall be taken from 2 to 3 hours after having started.  
3. After sampling, refrigerate the samples for their analysis, which shall 
be no more than 24 to 48 hours after.  
4. Methods used for the analysis of Listeria spp. will be those recognized 
by the AOAC.   
5. The results of the analysis will be positive or negative. 
Article 311   The procedure before the finding of positive results: 
 
1. Sampling must be clearly documented and the origin of the data from 
where the results come.  
2. Document corrective and preventive actions taken with respect to the 
result.  
3. Perform a revision of the programs and procedures of cleaning and 
disinfection. 
4. The affected area shall be object of a thorough cleaning and 
disinfection and verify its effectiveness and should document the 
corrective actions.  
5. Shall sample again in the same form and place where the sample was 
found positive and if negative will be able to return to the program established.  
6. If there is a positive result in the place, again the process shall stop 
until the investigation of cause. 
 
Article 312   The investigation of cause in an indirect contact area in an establishment 
occurs when this has given positive in a second round of samples and will be the following one: 
1. Swabbing will be done by 3 consecutive days in the pre-operational.   
2.  If these turn out to be negative, it will go back to the normal sampling 
frequency.  
3. If one of the swabs is positive, additional corrective actions must be 
taken and return to make 3 consecutive samplings.  
4. If in the third sampling of 3 consecutive samplings the result is positive 
the equipment shall be removed from the process or the area shall be 87 
 retained for its evaluation until the source of contamination is identified 
and eliminated. 
 
Article 313   The Investigation of cause in an area of direct contact in an establishment 
occurs when appears positive in a second round of samples, and will be 
the following one: 
1. Swabbing will be done by 3 consecutive days in the pre-operational.  2. If in this sampling one of the swabs gives a positive result, continue 
with a cleaning and deep disinfection.    
3. If in the third sampling of 3 consecutive samplings the result is positive 
the equipment or the area must be retained for its evaluation until the 
source of contamination is identified and eliminated.  
4. In order to use the equipment again it shall be sampled by 3 
consecutive days in the pre-operational and its use shall be allowed if 
these results are negative.  
5. Shall maintain a procedure of control of sampling of the product from 
the equipment that was affected and that has been released, sampling 
by 3 consecutive days of process,  one piece of the product of the line 
per hour of production, the samples could be composed to be sent to the laboratory. All products under this sampling shall be kept as retain 
until the results of the analysis.  
6. If these occur as a negative result, the product will be released and it 
will return to the normal sampling frequency.  
7. Reprocess or destroy the products if they are positive samples to 
Listeria monocytogenes, and remove the equipment from the processing area until making sure that the contamination source has 
been eliminated. 
 Article 314   All these studies and the control of  the procedure achieved will be under 
the supervision and control of the Inspection Service.  
 Article 315   When a third sampling results positive the establishment will be forced to 
make a revision of its HACCP plan to determine if an additional PCC for 
the control of the Listeria is required.   
 Article 316   The Inspection Service must be informed and will have under control all 
the procedures, handling of samples, corrective actions, and what the 
entire establishment makes with respect to these procedures, described or not in this chapter.  
 
Article 317   For establishments that are in remodeling stages and operation should do 
the following: 
1.  The establishment will set up a more aggressive sampling program 
than normal to assure the integrity of the product.  88 
 2. Shall include environment samples of the areas in construction and the 
place where part of the process happens or sharing the same 
environment.  
3. Sample the indirect surfaces (floors, walls and drains) adjacent to the 
remodeling area from its beginning.  
4. The establishment shall create clear procedures of corrective actions 
for its approval by the Inspection Service before starting remodeling works and the effectiveness of the sampling of the program that shall 
establish for this purpose.   
5. Workers contracted for remodeling shall count on an initial training of 
good practices to avoid poor procedures.  
 
Article 318   Use samples for Listeria monocytogenes taken from products only for this 
analysis.  
 
Article 319   The official personnel or those trained by the establishment under the 
surveillance of the Inspection Service shall be the only ones able to make 
this sampling. 
 Article 320   The sampling will be aseptically following the next method: 
1. The person that samples will do it with their hands washed, disinfected, 
and will put on sterile disposable gloves.  
2. Will sample by duplicate from the final area of the packing and place 
them in a bag or sterile box.  
3. Unwrapped samples can be done with sterile plastic polyethylene film.   4. Clearly identify all the samples indicating all the data on the lot, 
product, process, date, etc.  
5. Place the samples in refrigeration immediately and prepare them to be 
sent to the laboratory. The duplicate of the samples will stay until the 
results have been received from the laboratory and the lot of product is 
released. 
 Article 321   Will accept the results of analysis of all the samples of Listeria that the 
Inspection Service made in the official laboratory or officially recognized 
laboratories. Will not recognize as official the results emitted in the laboratory of the establishment.  
 
Article 322   Receive the product samples in the laboratory not more than 24 hours 
after sampling and keep them through all their transfer in refrigeration and 
in aseptic form.  
 Article 323   Retain the lots of sampled products until obtaining the results of the 
analyses and these results will be included in all the pre-shipment 
documents.  
 
Article 324  If the results are negative, release the lots for their commercialization.  89 
  
Article 325   If the results are positive the establishment will have to perform the 
following: 
1  Destruction of the product. 2. Post- lethality treatment for microbial elimination. 
 
Article 326   For the post-lethality treatment, shall understand the following:  
1. Antimicrobial agent : The substance added in the stuffing product that 
has the effect to reduce or eliminating microorganisms such as L. 
monocytogenes that limits or prevents its growth during the shelf life of the product such as potassium lactate and the sodium diacetate.  
2. Antimicrobial process:  An operation such as freezing the product, 
which has the effect of suppressing or limiting the growth of microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes during their shelf life.  
3. Lethality treatment : Process that includes the application of an 
antimicrobial agent, which will e liminate or reduce the number of 
pathogenic microorganisms in the product, making the product safe for 
human consumption. Examples: cooking or the application of 
antimicrobial agents.  
4. Post-Lethality treatment for microbial elimination : Treatment for 
the microbial elimination applied to the final product or packed in order 
to reduce or eliminate the level of pathogens found in the product.   
5. Post-lethality processing environment for the microbial 
elimination : The area of an establishment where the product is taken 
after being subjected to an initial lethality treatment. The product will expose in this area to slicing, peeling, re-packing, cooling with a brine 
solution, or other processes.  
 Article 327   For a product to maintain sanitary conditions required to comply with the 
procedure of the post-lethality treatm ent the establishment shall use:  
Alternative 1 :  A system of post-lethality treatment for the microbial 
elimination  AND an antimicrobial agent or a process that limits the growth of the L. monocytogenes to consider in 
this case:  
1.  Include the procedure in its HACCP plan or in the SSOP.  2. Validate the effectiveness of the procedure that wants to carry out 
and document it. 
Alternative 2 :  A system of post-lethality treatment for the microbial 
elimination OR an antimicrobial agent or a process that 
limits the growth of the L. monocytogenes to consider in 
this case:  
1.  Include the procedure in its HACCP plan or in the SSOP.  
2. Validate the effectiveness of the procedure that wants to carry out 
 and document it.  
 3. Carry out reliable samplings of the agent or treatment used.  90 
  4. Identify the conditions under which the tests were conducted, 
 including the considered areas.   
 5.  Include an explanation about why the tests conducted assure or are 
 sufficient for their effectiveness.   
Alternative 3 : The use of sanitation measures only, in this case will add to 
stipulated in the previous alternative the following:  
1.  Provide results with analysis of tests of food contact surfaces in the 
post-lethality processing environment to ensure that they are 
hygienic and free of L. monocytogenes.  
2. Identify the conditions under which the establishment will 
implement hold-and-test procedures following a positive test of a 
food-contact surface for L. monocytogenes.  
3.  Identify the size and location of the area where the tests will 
conduct.  
 
Article 328   When using alternatives 2 and 3 est ablishments will apply samplings with 
a greater frequency than in 1 and with the use of alternative 3 they will be 
greater than 1y 2.  
 Article 329   For any of the alternatives used may use verification testing for the L. 
monocytogenes and Listeria spp. to guarantee the effectiveness of the 
procedure used.  
 
Article 330   For any of the alternatives used should carry out specific sanitary 
measures to control L. monocytogenes, with agents or growing suppressors. They may be incorporated in the HACCP plan or SSOP of 
the establishment, determining in the hazard analysis that by this 
procedure contamination with L. monocytogenes is less probable to happen.  
 
Article 331   The establishment that uses these reconditioning procedures of product 
by contamination of L. monocytogenes must declare it on their labels. 
 
CHAPTER V 
SAMPLING METHODOLOGY FOR THE MEAT RAW MATERIAL  
AND PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 332   Conduct microbiological examinations to the raw material and processed 
products to verify their sanitary conditions according to the following 
criteria:  
1.  Carry out daily microbiological examinations of chopped and grounded 
meat or comminute originating from bovine and swine species or the 
mixtures of them or other species.   
2. Shall conduct weekly microbiolog ical examinations from processed 
products.     91 
 4. Examinations shall be conducted in an Official Laboratory or in an 
officially recognized Laboratory by the Competent Authority.  
5. Collected samples will be formed by five (5) units and will be 
representative of the daily production.  
6. Analysis methods shall be according with the standards recognized by 
HACCP.  
 Article 333   The microbiological criteria for the grounded or chopped meat will be the 
following:  
1. Listeria monocytogenes:  Negative  2.  Escherichia coli; n=5, c=2, M=5x10
2 UFC/gram, m=50 UFC/grams.  
3. Mesophilic aerobic germs: n=5, c=2, M=5x10 UFC /gram, m=5x1055 UFC 
/gram.  
4. Salmonella: n=5, c=0, absence in 25 grams    
5. Staphylococcus aureus: n=5, c=2, M=103UFC/gram, m=102 UFC/gram.   
 Article 334   For Salmonella results will be negative or positive.  
 
Article 335   The microbiological criteria for other pathogens in carcasses, equipment 
and facilities will be the following:  
1. Listeria monocytogenes:   Negative.    
1. Staphylococcus aureus: n=5, c=1, M=5x10
3UFC/gram, 
m=5x102UFC/gram.   
 
Article 336   The Interpretation of the expressed microbiological criteria in this chapter 
will be:  
M=  is the limit of acceptability over which the results are considered 
satisfactory.  
m =  is the limit under which all the results are considered satisfactory.  
n =  is the number of units that compose the sample.  
c =  is the number of units of the sample that show values located 
between “m” and “M”.   
 
Article 337   For the mesophilic aerobic germs, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus 
aureus, a plan of three classes will be performed: an inferior class or equal to limit “m”, a class between limit “m” and limit “M” and one class superior 
to limit “M”. The results will be satisfactory when all the values observe 
inferior to limit “m”; acceptable when, in meat products c/n equal to 2/5 (or 1/5) for Staphylococcus aureus the observed values are included between 
the established limit “m” and “M”, and will result unsatisfactory when at 
least one of the observed values surpasses limit “M”, or c/n is superior to the relation mentioned before. 
 
Article 338   Samples taken in carcasses for analysis of Salmonella, and E.coli 0157: 
H7, in addition to the officials of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli and 
other therefore considered according to the Food and Beverage Risk 92 
 Control Department shall be taken by Official Inspectors in the authorized 
establishments and be analyzed in the Official Laboratory.  
 
Article 339   The Official or recognized laboratories shall have the obligation to receive 
the samples and grant the results in the required time. Will cooperate in 
training the personnel of the Inspection Service and the establishment that 
requires it, conduct control programs and certification to the laboratories of the establishments, Inter-laboratorial tests and audit, as to conduct all the 
documentation on the samples and keep them at least for two years in 
their files. 
 
TITLE XIX 
OF THE SAMPLING OF CHEMICAL RESIDUES 
FOR MEATS AND MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 340    The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department together with the 
Official or credited laboratory responsible of making the analyses of 
residues, will have to develop a National Program of Control of Chemical 
Residues for all the meats and meat products that are processed in the country and imports. Review this program annually and will contain the 
results of the analyses of the previous year. The deadline for the 
preparation for subsequent years will be the first 15 days of January. 
 
Article 341   The levels of tolerance of the chemical residues in the meats will be 
conducted for organ chlorinated, organ-phosphorated, antibiotics, sulfas, chemical pollutants, dewormers, anabolics, pyrethroids and heavy metals, 
identifying their maximum level of tolerance and the tissue from where the 
sample will proceed from.   
 
Article 342   The prohibited chemical substances for their use are: 
1.  Chloramphenicol  2.  Clembuterol  3. Diethylstilbestrol (DES)  
4. Dimetridazole  
5. Ipronidazole  6. Nitromidazole  
7. Furazolidone (except for topical use)  
8. Nitrofurazone (except for topical use)  9. Fluoroquinolones  
10. Glycopeptides 
 
TITLE XX 
OF THE REINSPECTION OF DEBONED MEAT 
 93 
 Article 343   The Inspection Service will conduct a reinspection of the carcasses 
immediately after they exit the chiller and directed to the deboning 
process.  
 Article 344  The re-inspection station shall have the same conditions that the 
inspection stations established for post-mortem in these regulations; these 
will count on with a platform, hand washer, sterilizer, illumination and an inedible product container. Install one or two reinspection stations that 
must comply with the verification of the front and hindquarters in their 
external and internal parts. 
 
Article 345   Re-inspection of deboned meat is a mandatory procedure conducted by 
the Inspection Service. Sample the meat randomly to guarantee the quality and health of the products obtained in the deboning room and meat 
process. It does not apply to big cuts.   
 Article 346   Shall designate an area to use for reinspection within the deboning room 
with a table and equipment for that purpose and will be near to a hand 
washer and sterilizer to sanitize the equipment and instruments to use. 
 
Article 347   Re-inspection areas will have at least an illumination of 550 Lux units.  
 Article 348   Conduct the selection form of the sample as considered appropriate, it can 
be random between the packages of the lots that are processed or 
randomly taking packages every hour or two of the process and from different processed cuts. Take not less than 12 pounds per sample or 30 
pounds 4 times per shift.  
Article 349   The inspector will examine the product meticulously, shall classify its 
defects and determine the acceptance or rejection of the lots or 
processing hours according to the criteria of established defects. The 
defects can be classified in minors, majors and critical. Consider the 
presence of fecal matter or ingesta always as a critical defect.  
 
Article 350   Describe all procedures, forms, classifications and evaluation of criteria for 
the determination of results in a manual of procedures, where clearly details the inspector how to conduct the reinspection.  
 
Article 351   The Inspection Service will maintain the reinspection records not less than 
two years for its review, and will send every month the data to the offices 
of the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
 
TITLE XXI 
OF THE TRANSPORT OF MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 352   In relation to animal transport and those transporting meats and meat 
byproducts destined to human consumption, the establishment will only 94 
 allow the entrance of these vehicles if the same count on the authorization 
of SESPAS that qualifies them for that activity.  
 
Article 353   The means of transport will have an official document granted by 
SESPAS, which will credit their authorization and must be presented by 
the carrier’s driver whenever required by the competent authority.  
 Article 354   All vehicles that concur to an authorized establishment by SESPAS for 
loading or unloading meat products and meat byproducts must be in good 
conditions of hygiene and disinfection.  
 
Article 355   The personnel assigned to the tasks of loading and unloading meat 
products, meat byproducts and meat derivatives, must comply with the articles on the personnel general hygiene described in these regulations.  
 
Article 356   The utensils and other instruments used in transport will respond to the 
exigencies mentioned in these regulations. Do not place the auxiliary 
elements for the mechanical maintenance and cleaning of the vehicle in 
the cargo box.  
 
Article 357   All vehicles that transport meat products and that have been loaded in an 
authorized establishment by SESPAS, must leave the place with a band metal seal or any other material (pre-sealed) and with the corresponding 
health documentation.  
 Article 358   Do not remove the seals from the vehicles without the presence and 
authorization of the Inspection Service at destiny. Any other national or 
municipal authority, that in exercise of its functions removes the seal, must brief this situation to the back of the health documentation, indicating the 
new number of seal placed, signature, an explanation of the motive and 
the position that occupies in the operating institution.  
 Article 359   Do not transport meats of different species simultaneously when some of 
them can transmit odor to the rest . Transport packaged  finished products 
together with the same or approximate temperature of conservation.  
 
Article 360   Vehicles or containers that arrive to ports, airports or border passages 
with meat products and meat byproducts shall be accompany with the health documentation and will require the inspection of SESPAS located in 
the place, which shall notify with a minimum anticipation of 24 hours.  
 Article 361   In order to transport meat products and meat byproducts that drain liquids, 
the vehicles must have receptor tanks for them.   
 Article 362   During the transportation of the meat and meat products the interior of the 
box of the vehicle must maintain a temperature not exceeding 10ºC or 95 
 500F and the temperature of the chilled meat should not exceed 7ºC or 
450F.  
 
Article 363   When using ice for refrigeration, this will respond to the exigencies that 
Dominican Norm NORDOM 447 establishes and it will be transported 
prepared in drawers or plastic bags that must fulfill the exigencies 
established for that purpose.  
 
Article 364   When transporting meat products, meat byproducts and meat derivatives 
it shall observe the following general requirements: 1.  No edible product will make direct contact with the floor from the 
transport, except the cases where this has a secondary 
container/pack.   
2.  Products placed on racks in transports equipped with refrigeration units 
will have better air circulation. 
3.  Will not be transported simultaneously in the same environment, 
chilled products with frozen pro ducts, packed products with products 
without packing, products of different species, unless they are perfectly 
bottled, with the exception of fish, which is permitted only in those cases involving frozen products. 
4.  Do not transport viscera and refrigerated meats together, unless they 
are packed.  
5.  The half carcasses that by their size can contact the floor of the 
vehicle, they shall be hoisted in such way that will not happen.  
6.  The viscera such as lungs, heart and liver, tripe and ground meat and 
the fresh or cooled meat products without packing, they must be 
placed in stainless containers. If they are packed, place them on 
platforms or shelves.  
7.  Transport in vehicles that m eet the established conditions in these 
regulations, the viscera and non-processed tripe, sent to other plants 
for their later preparation, properly prepared in impermeable and stainless containers.  
8.  Transport cooked or semi-cooked tripe, in natural state, within 
containers of approved materials that meet the conditions demanded 
by these regulations.  
9.  Transport the salty viscera arranged in containers that meet the 
conditions demanded by these regulations. 
 Article 365   When transporting meat byproducts and meat derivatives of animal origin, 
it shall proceed as follows: 
1.  Fat in pieces or lard, will be transported in closed vehicles, within 
containers that meet the conditions specified in these regulations.  
2.  Liquid fat will be transported in containers will meet the requirements 
specified in these regulations.  
3.  Transport blood in containers approved by SESPAS.   96 
 4.  Meat byproducts processed or not will transport in vehicles that 
prevent the lost of liquids, solids and the access to insects. 
 
TITLE XXII  
OF THE STORING CENTERS 
 
Article 366   All establishments used to deposit and distribute meat products and meat 
byproducts must count on with the authorization of SESPAS and shall 
meet the following conditions:  
1.  The accessing roads, perimeter wall, internal roads and areas for 
deposit, operations and load, must adjust to the established in Title IV 
of these regulations.  
2.  The illumination of the establishments will be in accordance with Title 
IV of these regulations. The Inspection Service will be able to modify 
this value according to the needs of each establishment.   
3.  They must have a suitable room for the office of inspection. 4. Loading and unloading products is prohibited under climatic conditions 
considered harmful for them by the Inspection Service. 
 
TITLE XXIII 
OF THE CONDITIONS OF CONSTRUCTION AND SANITATION FOR 
PROCESSED PRODUCTS  
 
Article 367   Construction characteristics included for walls, floors, drainages, 
illumination, ventilation, hand washers, sterilizers must comply with those stipulated in these regulations.   
 
Article 368   The illumination, drainages, ventilation and entrances of hot and cold 
water, shall be located in such a way that guarantees the 
innocuousness/safety of products processed there.  
 Article 369   Establishments must count on a positive flow of personnel and raw 
material to avoid cross contamination that affects the hygiene of the 
processes. 
 Article 370   The electrical system shall be located in such form to prevent its 
condensation and electrical alterations occurring in the room.  
 Article 371   All areas shall count with sufficient hand washers and disinfectants to 
guarantee the hygiene of the hands of the workers. These must wear 
mask, hair net and apron.  
 
Article 372   Personnel that work in the stuffing area (cutter) or where the noise is 
considerable shall count with ear protectors. 
 97 
 Article 373   It is required to place close to each equipment a hand washer with 
disinfectant to maintain the hygiene between resting breaks as well as 
water connections for the cleaning the machine and have drainages with 
direct connection to the net of drainages.  
 
Article 374   Establishments can install connectors for air compressed in those areas 
that require it, to clean motors and internal coils of the machinery.   
 
Article 375   Construct ceilings of cooking areas to a greater height than those of the 
other areas and there must be an efficient system to eliminate fumes, smoke and the hot air produced there.   
 
Article 376   Floors of the cooking area must have greater slopes than the other areas 
in order to eliminate quickly the water and solids.   
 
Article 377   The cooling chambers for cooked products shall comply with the 
construction requirements for cold chambers described in Title IV of these 
regulations. Regulate the illumination to prevent discoloration of finished 
products. 
 
TITLE XXIV 
OF THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF TH E RAW MATERIAL FOR THE MEAT  
PRODUCTS ELABORATION  
CHAPTER I 
 
Article 378   Accompany the meat used as raw material when coming from another 
authorized establishment or country, with the corresponding official 
documents that guarantees its origin. The reception area will have to be adapted for that purpose and guarantee the safety of the product.  
 
Article 379   All raw materials that enter an establishment will have to pass through the 
following procedure:   1.  Visual inspection of the transport. 
2. Visual inspection of the transported product.  
3.  Inspection of the organoleptic characters of the product (color, scent, 
texture and freshness that will have to be sui generis) this must appear 
free of strange matter and with the conditions of quality that is required.  
4. The temperature of the fresh meat must be from 0
0 C or 320 F or as 
maximum from 40C or 390F and a pH that oscillates between 5.8 and 
6.2.  
5. Samples will be taken from frozen or fresh meat for its microbiological 
analysis and in the case of imported can be taken for chemical 
residues.  
 Article 380   Once inspected the meat, it will have 3 possible destinies:  98 
 1.  Accepted: Will be identified at its entrance and shall allow the storage 
according to the principle of first-in-first-out (FIFO) and shall stay to the 
temperature of conservation according to its condition.  
2.  Retained: If the meat is suspicious, a label of RETAINED S.P will be 
placed to make the related examinations and to assure the product 
final destiny.  
3.  Rejected: When the meat does not meet the specific sanitary 
conditions for process, the label of REJECTED S.P will be placed, and 
determine its final destiny, which could be incineration or denaturation 
for the process of products for animals or return to the country of origin if imported.   
 
Article 381   The retained or rejected meat, may be maintained in the same storage 
chamber whenever is provided with a specific area for this, that will delimit 
clearly and visibly. It must make sure that it does not represent a 
contamination risk to other products stored there. 
 
CHAPTER II 
DRY RAW MATERIAL 
 
Article 382   The dry raw material shall arrive free from dust, humidity and with the 
corresponding documentation that guarantees its origin, the supporting ones as technical specifications, physical-chemical, microbiological 
analyses certificates, and the documentation required by the competent 
authority according to the product.  
 
Article 383   All ingredients must arrive in sealed containers from their origin, perfectly 
identified, with the information of composition, lot, and expiring date, handling recommendations, origin, storage conditions and recommended 
dose.  
 Article 384   All dry ingredients must be in an air-conditioned area between 15 and 20 
0 
C and with a humidity control from 70 to 75% for the place where the 
synthetic casings and packing material are stored.   
 Article 385   Once inspected the dry raw material, shall apply the same destiny 
prescribed for meat in Article 379.  
 Article 386   The storage will be done in a specific area for it, which will be closed, dry 
and of easy cleaning, the containers wi ll remain closed, free of dust and 
humidity, well identified and stored by compatibility.  
 
Article 387   The completion of the mixing and dosing by weight will be in a specific 
area physically separated from the storing room, where opening the bags or packages, and those not used in its entirety, must be stored in 
containers secured and identified. 99 
  
CHAPTER III 
APPROVAL AND USE OF CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS FOR THE PROCESS 
 
Article 388   For the approval of substances to be used in the preparation of products 
shall consider:  
1. No product may contain any substance that adulterates or is not 
approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
2. When the substance is new or has a new usage level, even though is 
already approved, the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department will give its approval if the substance complies the requirements of 
compatible regulations like those of the FDA (Foods and Drugs 
Administration of the United States) and the Codex Alimentarius having them as references.   
3.  The use of controlled products considered as high risk, and that have 
predetermined levels as in sodium nitrate between 40 to 80 ppm, potassium nitrate between 49 to 99 ppm, sodium ascorbate or 
erythorbate that is 550 ppm, or another fermentable carbohydrate, or 
effective bacteria to control fermentation to be approved by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department, will be subject to enforcing 
conditions.  
4. Substances that are already approved to be added to products are: 
common salt, sugar (sucrose, sugar cane or beets, maple sugar, 
dextrose, inverted sugar, honey, corn syrup solids, corn syrup and 
glucose syrup), wood smoke, vinegar, safe flavorings and spices.  
5.  When applying materials or color substances or dyes to the pack, they 
shall not cause color penetration to the product.   
6.  Pack the product in conventional containers for its use, when added 
any color or dye with artificial flavor to the fat.   
 
Article 389   The substances specified in the fo llowing charts are approved for product 
preparation as long as they are used for the purposes indicated: 
 
Substances Purpose Products Amount 
ANTICOAGULANTS:    
Citric Acid 
Sodium Citrate Prevent clotting 
 Fresh Blood of 
livestock  0.2% with or 
without water. When water is used 
to make a solution 
of citric acid or sodium citrate not 
more than 2 parts 
of water to 1 part of citric acid or sodium 
citrate. 100 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
ANTIFOAMING 
AGENT:    
Methyl polysilicone Retard foaming Soups and 
rendered fats 10 ppm 
ANTIOXIDANTS AND 
OXYGEN 
INTERCEPTORS    
Ascorbyl stearate. BHA 
(butylate hidroxyanisole)  
BHT (butylated 
hydroxytoluene) 
 
Propyl gallate    
TBHQ (tertiary 
butylhydroquinone) Retard rancidity 
  
 Dry sausage 
  
 
Rendered animal fat 
or a combination of 
such fat and vegetable fat. 
Fresh pork chops 
and sausage, Italian 
sausage, precooked fried beef and fresh sausages made with 
beef or pork. 
 
Dry meat,    
 
margarine, 
oleo-margarine 0.003% based on 
total weight 0.006% in combination with 
other anti-oxidants 
for use in meats 
 
0.01 % of the total fat. 0.02 % in 
combination with 
other anti-oxidants 
   
 
 
0.01% based on total weight or in combination with other antioxidants  0.02 % (by wt. of the finished product) individually or in combination with other antioxidants. For TBHQ in combination with BHA and/or BHT. 
Ascorbyl palmitate  Retard rancidity
 Margarine or 
oleomargarine 0.02 % (by wt. of 
finished product) 
individually or combined with 
other antioxidants 
 
Tocopherols Retard rancidity
 Rendered animal fat 
or combination of 
such fat and vegetable fat. 0.03%. A 30% 
concentration of tocopherols in 
vegetable oils shall 
be used when 101 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
 
    
Dry sausage, 
semidry sausage, 
dried meats, 
uncooked or cooked fresh sausage made 
with beef and/or pork, 
uncooked or cooked 
Italian sausage 
products, uncooked 
or cooked meatballs, 
uncooked or cooked meat pizza toppings, 
brown and serve 
sausages, pregrilled 
beef patties, and 
restructured meats. added as an 
antioxidant to 
products 
designated a “lard” or “rendered pork 
fat”. 
 
 
Not to exceed 0.03 
% based on fat 
content. Not used in combination with 
other antioxidants. 
BLEACHING AGENTS     
Hydrogen peroxide To remove color Tripe (substance 
shall be removed from product rinsing with clear water) Sufficient for 
purpose. 
CATALYSTS 
(substances must be 
eliminated during process)    
Nickel To accelerate 
chemical 
reaction Rendered animal fats 
or a combination of 
such fats and 
vegetable fats. Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium amide Rearrangement 
of fatty acids radicals Rendered animal fats 
or a combination of such fats and vegetable fats. Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium Methoxide Rearrangement 
of fatty acids Rendered animal fats 
or a combination of Sufficient for 
purpose. 102 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
radicals such fats and 
vegetable fats. 
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS     
Saccharin To sweeten 
product Bacon 0.01 % 
BINDERS AND 
EXTENDERS    
Algin To extend and 
stabilize product Breading mix; sauces Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Carrageenan To extend and 
stabilize product 
and prevent 
purging of brine 
solution Breading mix; sauces Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Carrageenan, Locust 
bean gum, and Xantan 
gum blend. To extend and 
stabilize product 
and prevent 
purging of brine 
solution Breading mix; sauces In combination, not to 
exceed 0.5 % of 
formulation: not 
permitted in combination with other binders 
approved for use in 
cured pork products. 
Carboxymethyl cellulose 
(cellulose gum) To extend and 
stabilize product Baked pies (meat) Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Enzyme (rennet), treated with calcium reduced dried skim milk and calcium lactate. To bind and 
extend product. Sausages as 
provided in these regulations. 3.5% total finished 
product (calcium lactate required at 10% of binder.) 
  Imitation sausages; 
nonspecific loaves; 
soups, stews Sufficient for 
purpose. (Calcium 
lactate required at 
10% of binder.) 
Enzyme (rennet), treated with sodium caseinate 
and calcium lactate. To bind and 
extend product. Imitation sausages; 
nonspecific loaves; 
soups, stews. Sufficient for 
purpose. (Calcium 
lactate required at 
25% of binder). 
Gums, vegetables,  To bind and 
extend product. Egg rolls (meat only) Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Methyl cellulosae To bind and 
extend product (also carrier). Meat and vegetable 
patties 0.15% 
Sodium caseinate To bind and 
extend product. Sausages as 
provided in these 
regulations 
Imitation sausages; 
nonspecific loaves; 2 % 
 Sufficient for 
purpose. 103 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
soups, stews. 
 Chili con carne, chili 
con carne with beans 
 
Spaghetti with 
meatballs and sauce 
and similar products.  
 8% individually or 
collectively with other binders. 
 12 % individually or 
collectively with other 
binders. 
Soy protein concentrate To bind and 
extend product. Sausages 2 % 
Agar-agar To extend and 
stabilize product. Thermally processed 
canned and jellied 
meat food products. 0.25 % of finished 
product. 
Whey, Dry or dried 
 Whey, Reduced lactose Whey, Reduced minerals Whey, protein concentrate  To bind or 
thicken  Sausage 
  
 Imitation sausages, 
nonspecific loaves 
soups, stews, chili 
con carne or with 
beans, beef with barbecue sauce. 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other binders or extenders. 
 8 % individually or 
collectively with other binders and extenders. 
 
 
Whey, protein concentrate 
 To bind meat 
pieces Restructured meat 
food products, whole muscle meat cuts 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other binders and 
extenders. 
Xantan Gum To maintain: 
uniform viscosity, 
suspension of 
particulate matter, emulsion stability; freeze-thaw stability. Meat sauces, gravies 
or sauces and meats, 
canned or frozen 
and/or refrigerated meat salads, canned or frozen meat stews, canned chili or chili with beans, pizza topping mixes and batter or breading mixes.  Sufficient for 
purpose. 
 
Bread To bind and 
extend product. Bockwurst 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other 104 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
 
 Chili con carne, chili 
con carne with beans 
 
Spaghetti with 
meatballs and sauce 
and similar binders. 
 8 % individually or 
collectively with other binders. 
 12 % individually or 
collectively with other 
binders. 
Cereal To bind and 
extend product. Sausages and 
bockwurst 
 
Chili con carne and 
with beans 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other 
binders or extenders. 
8 % individually or 
collectively with other 
binders. 
Dried milk or dehydrated To bind and 
extend product. Sausages 
 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other binders 
Dried skim milk, calcium reduced. 
 To bind and 
extend product. Sausages 
 
 
Chili con carne  and 
with beans 
 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other binders. 
 8 % individually or 
collectively with other 
binders 
 
 
 
Soy flour 
 Soy protein concentrated 
Vegetable starch  
Tapioca dextrin 
Wheat gluten To bind and 
extend product 
 Sausages 
  
Chili con carne and 
with beans 
 3.5 % individually or 
collectively with other binders and extenders. 
8 % individually or 
collectively with other binders and 
extenders 
 105 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
 
Spaghetti with 
meatballs and sauce, spaghetti with meat and sauce and similar products. 12 % individually or 
collectively with other binders and extenders 
COLORING AGENTS 
(NATURAL)    
Alkanet, annatto, 
carotene, cochineal, 
chlorophyll, saffron and 
turmeric. To color casings 
or rendered fats; 
marking and 
branding product. Sausage casings, 
oleomargarine, 
shortening, marking 
or branding ink on product. Sufficient for purpose 
(may be mixed with 
approved artificial 
dyes or harmless inert material such as 
common salt and 
sugar). 
COLORING AGENTS (ARTIFICIAL).    
Approved dyes derived 
from coal tar  
 (Must have certification 
that dye can be used in 
food)  To color casings 
or rendered fats; 
marking and 
branding 
product. Sausage casings, 
oleomargarine, 
shortening, marking 
or branding ink on 
product. Sufficient for purpose 
(may be mixed with 
approved natural 
coloring matters or 
harmless inert material such as common salt and sugar). 
Titanium oxide To color casings 
or rendered fats; 
marking and 
branding 
product. Canned ham salad 
spread and creamed-
type canned 
products. 0.5 % 
CURING 
ACCELERATORS (must 
be used only in 
combination with curing agents)    
Ascorbic acid 
 
Erythorbic acid To accelerate 
color fixing or 
preserve color 
during storage. Cured pork and beef 
cuts, and cured meat 
food product.  87.5 oz to 100 gal 
pickle at 10 % pump 
level; 7/8 oz to 100 lb 
meat, meat 
byproduct, 10 % 
solution to surfaces of cured cuts prior to packing. 
Glucono delta lactona. To accelerate 
color fixing or Cured meat products, 
cured comminuted 8 oz to each 100 lb of 
meat or meat 106 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
preserve color 
during storage. meat food products.  
 Genoa salami   byproduct. 
16 oz to 100 lb of 
meat. 
Sodium acid 
pyrophosphate To accelerate 
color fixing or 
preserve color during storage. Frankfurters, 
wieners, vienna, 
bologna, garlic bologna, knockwurst 
and similar. Not to exceed alone 
or in combination 
with other curing accelerators: 8 oz in 
100 lb of meat, or 
meat byproduct; nor 
0.5% in the finished 
product. 
Sodium ascorbate 
 Sodium Erythorbate To accelerate 
color fixing or 
preserve color 
during storage. Cured pork and beef 
cuts, and cured 
comminuted meat 
food product 87.5 oz to 100 gal 
pickle at 10% pump 
level; 7/8 oz to 100 lb 
meat, or meat byproduct; 10% solution to surfaces 
of cured meat cuts 
prior to packaging. 
Citric acid or sodium 
citrate To accelerate 
color fixing or preserve color 
during storage. Cured pork and beef 
cuts, and cured comminuted meat 
food product May be used in cured 
meat products in 10% solution used to 
spray surfaces of 
cured meat cuts prior 
to packaging to replace up to 50 % of the ascorbic acid, 
erythorbic acid, 
sodium ascorbate, or 
sodium erythorbate that is used. 
CURING AGENTS    
Sodium or potassium 
nitrate Source of 
nitrite 
 Cured meat 
products other than 
bacon. Nitrates 
may not be used in baby, junior, and toddler foods. 7 lb to 100 gal 
pickle; 3.5 oz to 100 
lb meat (dry cured); 
2.75 oz to 100 lb chopped meat. 
Sodium or potassium To fix color Cured products. 2 lb to 100 gal 107 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
nitrite (must be kept 
under the care of a 
responsible employee 
of the establishment. The specific nitrite 
content of such supplies 
must be known and clearly marked accordingly). 
 
 Nitrites may not be 
used in baby, 
junior, or toddler 
foods. pickle at 10 % 
pump level; 1 oz to 
100 lb meat (dry 
cure); 0.25 oz to 100 lb chopped 
meat and meat 
byproduct. The use of nitrites, nitrates or combination 
shall not result in 
more than 200 ppm of nitrite, calculated 
as sodium nitrite in 
finished product, except that nitrites 
may be used in 
bacon. 
DENUDING AGENTS  
(May be used in 
combination. Must be removed from tripe by 
rinsing with potable water )    
Lime (calcium oxide, 
calcium hydroxide) To denude 
mucous 
membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium carbonate To denude 
mucous membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium gluconate To denude 
mucous membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium hydroxide  To denude 
mucous 
membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium citrate To denude 
mucous 
membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium silicates (Roth, meta y sesqui)  To denude 
mucous 
membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sodium persulfate  To denude 
mucous membranes. Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Trisodium phosphate  To denude 
mucous Tripe Sufficient for 
purpose. 108 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
membranes. 
EMULSIFYING AGENTS    
Actylated 
monoglycerides  To emulsify 
product Shortening Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Diacetyl tartaric acid 
esters of mono- and 
diglycerides. To emulsify 
product Shortening Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Glycerol-lacto stearate, 
oleate, or palmitate To emulsify 
product Shortening Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Lecithin To emulsify 
product (also 
as an  antioxidant) Oleomargarine, 
shortening, 
various meat products. 0.5 % in 
oleomargarine, use 
in other products-sufficient amount 
for emulsification. 
Mono and diglycerides (glycerol palmitate, etc) To emulsify 
product Rendered animal 
fat or a 
combination of such fat with 
vegetable fat; 
oleomargarine.  Sufficient for 
purpose in lard and 
shortening; 0.5% in oleomargarine. 
Polysorbate 80 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate). To emulsify 
product Shortening for use 
in non-standardized baked goods, baking mixes, 
icings, fillings, and 
toppings and in the frying of foods. 1% when used 
alone. If used with polysorbate 60 the combined total shall 
not exceed 1%. 
Polyglycerol esters of 
fatty acids (are 
restricted to those up to 
and including the decaglicerol esters and 
others known). To emulsify 
product
 Rendered animal fat or a 
combination with 
vegetable fat when use is not 
precluded by 
standards of identity of 
composition; 
oleomargarine. Sufficient for 
purpose for 
rendered animal 
fat or combination with vegetable fat; 
0.5% for 
oleomargarine. 
Propylene glycol mono and diesters of fats and 
fatty acids. To emulsify 
product
 Rendered animal fat or a combination 
with vegetable fat. 
 Sufficient for 
purpose. 
 
Polysorbate 60 
(polyoxyethylene (20) To emulsify Shortening for use 
in non-standardized 1% when used 
alone. If used with 109 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
sorbitan monooleate). product   baked goods, 
baking mixes, 
icings, fillings, and 
toppings and in the frying of foods. polysorbate 80 the 
combined total shall 
not exceed 1%. 
Stearyl-2-lactylic acid To emulsify 
product Shortening to be used for cake 
icings and fillings (meat only). 3 % 
Stearyl monoglyceridyl 
citrate. To emulsify 
product Shortening Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Mono and diglycerides 
of fatty acids esterified 
with any of the following 
acids: acetic acetyltartaric, citric, 
lactic, tartaric, and their 
sodium and calcium salts; the sodium sulfoacetate derivatives 
of these mono and 
diglycerides. To emulsify 
product
 Margarine and oleomargarine 0.5% 
FLAVORING AGENTS 
Protectors and 
developers     
Artificial smoke 
flavoring  
Autolyzed yeast extract. To flavor 
product Various meat 
products Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Harmless bacteria 
starters of the acidophilus type, lactic 
acid starter or culture of 
Pediococcus  cerevisiae To develop 
flavor Dry sausage, pork 
roll, thuringer, Lebanon bologna, 
cervelat, and 
salami. 0.5  % 
Benzoic acid (sodium, 
potassium and calcium salts) Retard flavor 
reversion Margarine and 
oleomargarine 0.1% individually 
and 0.2 % in combination with 
other flavoring 
agents or with sorbic acid and its salts. 
Citric acid Flavoring Chili con carne Sufficient for the 
purpose. 110 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Corn syrup solids; corn 
syrup; glucose syrup. To flavor 
product. Chili con carne, 
sausage, 
hamburger, meat 
loaf, luncheon meat, chopped or 
pressed ham. Sufficient for the 
purpose, 
Dextrose To flavor 
product.  Sausage, ham and cured products. Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Diacetyl To flavor 
product.  Oleomargarine Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Disodium guanylate  
 
Disodium inosinate 
Hydrolyzed plant 
protein 
Milk protein 
hydrolysate. 
Monosodium glutamate  To flavor 
product.  Various meat products Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Malt syrup To flavor 
product. Cured meat 
products 2. 5 % 
Sodium sulfoacetate 
derivative of mono and 
diglycerids. To flavor 
product. Various meat 
products 0.5 % 
Sodium 
tripolyphosphate  
Sodium tripolyphosphate and 
mixes of sodium 
metaphosphate insoluble and sodium 
polyphosphate, glassy. To help protect 
flavor Fresh beef, beef for 
further cooking, 
cooked beef, beef patties, meat 
loaves, meat 
toppings, and similar products 
derived from pork 
lamb, veal, mutton, and goat meat which are cooked 
or frozen after 
processing. 0.5 % 
Sorbitol To flavor, to 
facilitate the removal of 
casings from 
product, and to Cooke sausages 
labeled “frankfurter", 
"frank", "furter", 
"wiener", Not to exceed 2% 
of the weight of the formula excluding 
the formula weight 
of water or ice. 111 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
reduce 
caramelization 
and charring. "knockwurst", 
cured pork and 
pork products. 
Starter distillate To help protect 
flavor Oleomargarine Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Stearil citrate To help protect 
flavor Oleomargarine 0.15 % 
Sugars (dextrose and 
sucrose) To flavor 
product. Various meat 
products Sufficient for the 
purpose 
Calcium lactate  To protect 
flavor Cooked semi-dry 
and dry products including sausage, 
imitation sausage, 
and nonspecific meat food sticks. 0.6 % in product 
formulation. 
Harmless lactic acid producing bacteria To prevent the 
growth of 
Clostridium 
botulinum Bacon Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Potassium lactate  
 
Sodium lactate To flavor 
product Various meat and 
meat food products 
except infant formula and infant 
food. Not to exceed 2 % 
of formulation 
Sodium acetate   
Sodium diacetate To flavor 
product Various meat 
products Not to exceed 
0.25 % of 
formulation 
GASES    
Carbon dioxide solid 
(dry ice) To cool 
product Chopping of meat, 
packing of product. Sufficient for 
purpose.  
Carbon dioxide liquid 
 
Nitrogen, liquid Contact 
freezing Various meat 
products Sufficient for 
purpose.  
Nitrogen To exclude 
oxygen from 
sealed 
containers Various meat 
products Sufficient for 
purpose. 
HOG SCALD AGENTS 
(must be removed by 
subsequent cleaning operations).    
Caustic soda To remove hair Hog carcasses Sufficient for 112 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Dicotyl sodium 
sulfosuccinate 
Lime (calcium oxide, 
calcium hydroxide) 
Dimethylpolysiloxane 
Sodium carbonate 
Sodium 
dodecylbenzene 
sulfonate 
Sodium 
hexametaphosphate 
Sodium lauryl sulfate Sodium silicates (ortho, 
meta, sesqui) 
Sodium n-alkylbenzene 
sulfonate (alkyl group 
predominantly C12 and 
C13 and not less than 95% C10 and C16) purpose. 
Sodium sulfate 
Sodium 
tripolyphosphate 
Potassium hydroxide 
Propylene glycol 
Soap (prepared by  the 
reaction of calcium, 
potassium, or sodium with rosin or fatty acids 
of natural fats and oils) 
Sodium acid 
pyrophosphate 
Sodium mono and 
dimethylnaphtalene 
sulfonate (molecular To remove hair Hog carcasses Sufficient for 
purpose. 113 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
weight 245-260). 
Trisodium phosphate Sucrose 
Sodium 
dodecylbenzene sulphonate 
Triethanolamine 
RENDERING AGENTS    
Tricalcium phosphate 
Trisodium phosphate To aid 
rendering Animal fats Sufficient for 
purpose 
SYNERGISTS (Used in combination with 
antioxidants)    
Citric acid To increase 
effectiveness 
of antioxidants Any meat product 
permitted to 
contain antioxidants. Not to exceed 0.01 
% based on fat 
content. 
Malic acid 
  
 
Phosphoric acid  To increase 
effectiveness of 
antioxidants Lard and 
shortening  0.01 % based on 
total weight in 
combination with antioxidants. 
0.01 %  
Monoisopropyl citrate   
Monoglyceride citrate To increase 
effectiveness of 
antioxidants Lard, shortening, 
fresh pork sausage, 
dried meats. 0.02 % 
REFINING AGENTS 
(must be eliminated 
during process of 
manufacturing)    
Acetic acid To separate 
fatty acids and Rendered fats 
(meat only) Sufficient for 
purpose 114 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Bicarbonate of soda glycerol 
Carbon (purified 
charcoal) To aid in 
refining of 
animal fats Rendered fats 
(meat only) Sufficient for 
purpose 
Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) 
Diatomaceaus earth; 
Fullers earth. 
Sodium carbonate 
Tannic acid To refine fats Rendered fats 
(meat only) Sufficient for 
purpose 
ACIDIFIERS    
Acetic acid 
Citric acid Glucono delta-lactone 
Lactic acid 
Phosphoric acid 
Tartaric acid To adjust 
acidity Various meat 
products Sufficient for 
purpose 
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS     
Potassium lactate 
Sodium lactate To inhibit 
microbial 
growth. Various meat 
products except 
infant formulas and infant food. 4.8 % by weight of 
total formulation. 
Sodium diacetate To inhibit 
microbial growth. Various meat 
products except infant formulas and 
infant food. 0.25 % by weight 
of total formulation. 
FILM FORMING AGENTS    
A mixture consisting of 
water, sodium alginate, 
calcium chloride, 
sodium carboxymethylcellulose, 
and corn syrup solids. To reduce 
cooler 
shrinkage and 
help protect surface Freshly dressed 
meat carcasses, 
identified, 
containing this mix. Formulation may 
not exceed 1.5% of 
hot carcass weight 
when applied. Chilled weight may 
not exceed hot 
weight. 115 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
MISCELLANEOUS    
Potassium sorbate To retard mold 
growth Dry sausage 10% in water 
solution may be 
applied to casings after stuffing or 
casings may be 
dipped in solution prior to stuffing. 
Calcium disodium, EDTA (calcium 
disodium 
ethylenediaminetetra acetate) To preserve 
product and to 
protect flavor. Margarine or 
oleomargarine 75 ppm by weight 
of the finished 
oleomargarine or 
margarine. 
Propyl paraben (propyl p-hydroxy-benzoate) To retard mold 
growth. Dry sausage 3.5% in water 
solution may be applied to casings 
after stuffing or 
casings may be dipped in solution 
prior to stuffing. 
Sodium bicarbonate 
  
Sodium carbonate To neutralize 
excess acidity, 
cleaning vegetables Rendered fats, 
soups, curing 
pickle. Sufficient for 
purpose 
Calcium propionate 
 
 
Sodium propionate To retard mold 
growth. Pizza crust. 0.32% alone or in 
combination based 
on weight of the 
flour brace used. 
Adipic acid 
Citric acid (sodium and 
potassium salts). 
Hydrochloric acid 
Lactic acid (sodium and 
potassium salts). 
L-tartaric acid (sodium 
and sodium potassium To acidify Margarine or 
oleomargarine Sufficient for 
purpose 116 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
salts). 
Phosphoric acid 
Ascorbic acid, 
erythorbic acid, citric 
acid, sodium ascorbate 
and sodium citrate, single or in 
combination. To delay 
discoloration. Fresh beef cuts, 
fresh lamb cuts, 
and fresh pork cuts.Not to exceed, 
single or in 
combination, 500 
ppm or 1.8 mg/sq inch of product 
surface of ascorbic 
acid, erythorbic acid, or sodium 
ascorbate; not to 
exceed, single or in combination, 250 
ppm or 0.9 mg /sq 
inch of product surface of citric acid, or sodium 
citrate. 
Citric acid To preserve 
cured color 
during storage. Cured pork cuts. Not to exceed 30 % 
in water solution 
used to spray 
surfaces of cured cuts, prior to 
packaging. (The 
use of such solution 
shall not result in the addition of a 
significant amount of moisture to the product and shall 
be applied only 
once to product). 
d –di-alpha -tocopherol To inhibit 
nitrosamine 
formation. Pump cured 
bacon. 500 ppm; by 
injection or surface 
application. 
Potassium carbonate. 
Potassium bicarbonate. To alkalize. Margarine or 
oleomargarine Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Dipotassium phosphate 
Disodium phosphate To reduce the 
amount of 
cooked out Only in allowed 
meat food products.For meat food 
products, 5 % of 
phosphate in pickle 117 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Monopotassium 
phosphate 
Monosodium phosphate Potassium 
tripolyphosphate 
Sodium acid 
pyrophosphate 
Sodium hydroxide 
Sodium 
metaphosphate, 
insoluble. 
Sodium pyrophosphate Sodium 
tripolyphosphate. juices. at 10% pump level; 
0.5% of phosphate 
in neat food product 
(only clear solution may be injected 
into meat food 
product). 
Glycerine Humectant Shelf stable meat 
snacks. Not to exceed 2 % 
of the formulation 
weight of the product. 
Silicon dioxid e Processing 
aid/dispersant Tocopherol 
containing bacon 
curing mixes. At level not to 
exceed 4 % in the 
dry mix. 
Sodium hydroxide To alkalize Margarine or 
oleomargarine Sufficient for 
purpose. 
Sorbic acid (sodium, 
potassium, and calcium 
salts) To preserve 
product and to 
retard mold growth. Margarine and 
oleomargarine 0.1% individually, 
or if used in 
combination or with benzoic acid or its 
salts, 0.2 % (expressed as the 
acids in the wt. of 
the finished foods). 
AGENTS TO TREAT WATER FOR 
COOLING AND 
RETORTS    
Calcium Chloride Prevent stains Any product. Sufficient for 118 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Citric acid 
Calcium disodium 
ethylenediaminetetra-acetate. 
Disodium 
ethylenediaminetetra-
acetate. 
Disodium phosphate 
Ethylenediaminetetra-
acetic acid. 
Potassium 
pyrophosphate 
Propylene glycol Sodium bicarbonate 
Sodium gluconate 
Sodium 
hexametaphosphate 
Sodium metasilicate 
 on the outside 
of canned 
foods. purpose. 
Sodium dodecilbenzene 
Sodium lauryl sulfate. Sodium alkylbenzene 
sulfonate (alkyl group 
predominantly C12 and 
C13 and not less than 
95% C10 and C16). 
Sodium pyrophosphate Sodium 
tripolyphosphate Prevent stains 
on the outside 
of canned foods. Any 0.05% 
Zinc oxide 
Zinc sulfate Prevent stains 
on the outside of canned 
foods. Any 0.001 % 119 
 Substances Purpose Products Amount 
Dioctyl sodium Prevent stains 
on the outside 
of canned 
foods. Any  0.5 % 
Sodium bisulfate Prevent 
corrosion on 
the outside of canned foods. Any
  0.001% 
Sodium nitrate ( this 
should be de-
characterize with 0.05 
% powdered vegetal charcoal or 0.03 % of 
nigrosine and will be 
identified) Prevent 
corrosion on 
the outside of 
canned foods. Any
  600 ppm 
 
TITLE XXV 
OF THE CONDITIONS AND HYGIENE OF THE EQUIPMENT  
FOR PROCESSED PRODUCTS 
 
CHAPTER I 
HAM TUMBLING AND MEAT CURING 
 
Article 390   The process of tumbling meat for ham and curing shall be under 
refrigeration to guarantee product quality and reduce possible bacterial 
contamination. 
 Article 391   The product processors are r equired to have separated the areas 
dedicated for tumbling, injecting, softening and brine deposit tanks. Allow 
common areas in small or medium establishments with previous authorization of the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department. 
Article 392   When using equipment for tumbling (denominated tumblers) must have 
special care in the hygiene of the machine and temperature of the meat in 
the process to be sufficiently low to avoid contamination not exceeding 50
0 
F or 100 C. 
Article 393   When tumbling meat for the ham production without the addition of 
starches and proteins, can work to a maximum temperature of 80 C or 460 
F; using starches and proteins will work at less temperature up to 50 C or 
410 F, to avoid the gas formation and to improve the conditions of final 
yield on the hams. 
Article 394   Condition the stuffing manufacturing room to a temperature of 100 C or 500 
F to avoid the bacterial contamination and fermentation of meat pastes or 
the instability of the emulsions. 120 
 CHAPTER II 
COOKING ZONE AND COOKING FURNACES 
 
Article 395   The cooking zone must be separated from other areas and the finished 
products cannot enter back into the production areas where raw materials or in process. These finished products shall go to the packaging zone. 
Article 396   The cooking furnaces must be located in line to facilitate the flow of 
products. In the back part of the furnaces, recommends letting a space of 
at least 1.50 meters to facilitate the operations of feeding the smokers and 
maintenance.   
Article 397   In front of the doors of the cooking furnaces is permitted the installation of 
a pipeline system, which must be operated by a mechanical form for the 
extraction of the steam and the smoke coming out when opening the doors.  
Article 398   The floor of the furnaces must be of resistant material or concrete and be 
installed in front of them a canal with a resistant grid, to eliminate water 
and particles as well as spills by cleaning. 
 
CHAPTER III 
SHOWERS FOR COOLING STUFFING 
 Article 399   The showers facilities for cooling the stuffings will be close to the cooking 
furnaces respecting the process flow. Can consist of a coil with water 
sprinklers properly distributed so that it falls uniformly on all the carts; this can be continuous or at intervals. The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department shall approve the system used to guarantee product safety. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
CARTS FOR SMOKING AND COOKING PRODUCTS 
 
Article 400   The carts used for the smoking and cooking products must be stored in a 
specific area for them within the facilities and respecting the process flow. 
Provide this area with cold water, hot water and/or steam to wash them 
and shall avoid contamination between clean and dirty carts. Do not allow leaving empty carts in other areas. 
 
CHAPTER V 
AREA FOR COOKING HAMS 121 
  
Article 401   The area for cooking hams shall have an efficient system for steam and 
water disposal used to cook them and the pipe by where this eliminates 
must connect to the served water drainage avoiding to spill on floors.   
Article 402   There are several systems to cook hams allowing stainless steel for those 
cooking in water tanks. These tanks must have hermetic lids, with 
thermoregulatory valves or thermostats, steam solenoid valves, 
guaranteeing therefore the adequate control of the temperature for cooking.  
Article 403   Molds used for cooking hams must be stainless steel. 
Article 404 The bottom of the cooking tank must have a stainless steel grid so that 
inferior molds will not be less than 15 cms from the floor. 
Article 405 To help uniformity of the internal temperature of the tanks, will allow 
compressed air coils continuously or at intervals, or hot water circulating 
pumps. 
CHAPTER VI 
ROOM FOR COOLING HAMS  
 Article 406  Cooling hams must be as fast as possible after cooking, allowing showers, 
cooling by water immersion or transporting them in stainless steel cages 
through a rail to a cooling system using water circulation. 
 
Article 407  Due to cooling the internal temperature of hams must reach below 35
0 C 
or 950 F, and then take them to a cold chamber to lower it quickly between 
2 to 50 C or 36 to 410 F. Release hams from their molds 24 hours after 
cooking. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
HAM UNMOLDING AREA 
 
Article 408  Condition this area at 100 C or 500 F to guarantee no bacterial growth in 
the finished product. 
Article 409  The unmolding can be done with manual pressure or air pressure against 
the bottom of the mold. 
Article 410  Wash each mold before using it; this procedure shall perform in a specific 
area where the product shall not be contaminated, and the clean molds 
shall maintain separated from the dirty. Washing can be done with hot 
water, detergents and an alkaline degreaser. 122 
  
CHAPTER VIII 
PACKING AND COOLING CHAMBERS 
 
Article 411  It is allowed to use a bag or polyethylene film for vacuum packing. In case 
needed, before the vacuum packing procedure can be authorized washing 
the ham surface with a solution of ascorbic acid with salt or other 
substances as color stabilizers. 
Article 412  Hang free products in the cooling chambers in transporting carts or 
perforated plastic baskets. They shall stand there not less than 12 hours. 
Article 413  The temperature products shall reach in the refrigerating chamber is 1 to 3 
0 C or 34 to 410 F avoiding freezing and keeping humidity between 70 and 
75%. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
ROOMS FOR SALAMI MATURATION AND DRYING  
 
Article 414  In the salami maturation and drying rooms, the temperature, humidity and 
airflow must be under control as critical factors for maturation and drying 
of raw stuffing products. 
Article 415 The use of transporting aerial carts or with wheels, manufactured with 
galvanized, aluminum or stainless steel material is allowed. The use of 
firm wooden shelves or any other absorbent material is prohibited. 
 
CHAPTER X 
WASHING FINISHED SALAMIS 
 
Article 416  The local designed for finished salamis must be separated from the 
maturation and drying rooms to avoid the humid environment in the drying 
areas. 
Article 417  Washing the salamis allows removing unwanted fungi (greens, black and 
yellow), first brushing dry each salami individually, then wet them with a 
hard flush of water and rub the surface with a brush or rough sponge. Later take the salamis again to the dryer to eliminate the superficial 
humidity. 123 
 Article 418  When the establishments slice the pieces of salami, it is recommended to 
remove the casing a day before and put salami in the cold chambers to 
eliminate the superficial flora (fungi of the genus Aspergillus) that is 
detrimental for the sliced product. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
PACKING ROOM FOR FINISHED PRODUCT  
Article 419 The floors of the packing room for finished product must be kept dry 
during labor, the doors shall be closed and the temperature of the area 
shall be conditioned between 10 to 15 0 C or 50 to 590 F. 
 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
CHAMBERS FOR FINISHED PRODUCTS PACKED  
Article 420  In the finished product packed chambers a strict control on them shall 
maintain with clear identification of its production and storing dates 
(standardized) in boxes, cardboards , and plastic trays easy to handle and 
account, as well as to implement the methodology of first in first out (PEPS).   
Article 421   All finished product shall be stacked in shelves (stands) or in plastic or 
metallic platforms of anticorrosive material.   
Article 422   Within this chamber, shall be enabled an area for product retention, which 
will be locked up and shall be exclusively used by the Inspection Service. 
The area must have enough space to keep the retained 10% of the daily production of the establishment, having this as the place where the 
Inspection Service will identify the lots for the official sampling. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
TRIPES AND ZONES OF SOAKING 
 
Article 423  In the case of natural casings (tripes), they shall come from authorized 
establishments and under official inspection of SESPAS, guaranteeing its 
hygienic condition. 
Article 424 Natural casings must come in brine or salted in closed containers and kept 
in refrigeration not more than 10
0 C or 500 F during their storage. 124 
 Article 425  The casing soaking area will be separated from the one for process and 
will soak only those to be used the production day.  
 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
ROOM FOR MILLING SPICES 
 
Article 426 The spices that enter the milling room come from the main supply 
warehouse of dry ingredients and additives of the establishment, 
whose conditions were described on Title V of these regulations. Direct entrance is not allowed from the exterior to the room of spices without 
having previously been stored in the main warehouse. 
Article 427 The room for milling spices shall be an independent and dry area, 
which has mills, and an appropriate extraction system for dust and odors.   
Article 428  The grinded spices shall be stored in sealed bags or containers and 
properly identified. 
Article 429  All products shall be stacked on pallets, shelves or tables avoiding 
placing the containers directly on the floor. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
ROOM FOR WEIGHING AND PREMIXTURES OF SPICES AND ADDITIVES 
 
Article 430 Move the milled spices to the weighing room in sealed bags and be 
properly identified. 
Article 431 Shall count on with the necessary equipment to carry out the weighing 
and the premixtures of the spices and additives used in the formulas of 
the products to elaborate. 
Article 432  The milled spices and the additives already weighted and premixed 
shall be packed in new polyethylene bags where shall be visibly 
identified their usage or destiny and the manufacturing date. 
Article 433  Must count on with a hygienic system for storage and transport these 
bags of spices and additives premixed for their entry to the processing area. 125 
 Article 434  All products shall be stacked on pallets, shelves or tables avoiding 
placing the containers directly on the floor. 
Article 435 The weighing room shall be located in an annexed area, directly or 
internal to the processing place and conditioned at a temperature 
between 10 to 150 C or 50 to 590 F. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
MACHINERY FOR STUFFING ELABORATION 
 
Article 436  The machinery used for the stuffing elaboration shall be approved for 
that purpose by the Food and Beverage Risk Control Department and 
that their manufacturers certify their use in food processing 
establishments. 
Article 437  The equipment allowed for elaboration/ processing stuffing is the 
following, but not limited to: 
1. Frozen meat cutters: guillotines, band saw, block cutters or 
flakers. 
2. Meat mincer: grinder or chopper for fresh or frozen meat. 3. Emulsifying mill: bowl cutter, dual speed knife, vacuum, and micro 
cutter closed with lid. The lid can be stainless steel or acrylic. 
4. Grinder emulsifier or mix master: with knife system or discs 
(blades) with knives. 
5.  Mixers: tumbling, continuous, vacuum, chopper. 6.  Meat and fat dice cutters: continuous and manual. 7. Stuffers: manuals, driven by compressed air or water pressure, 
semiautomatic and continuous automatic. 
8. Staplers or clip machine: simple manual, double, continuous, and 
automatic. 
9. Portioning with torsion: semiautomatic or automatic with natural or 
synthetic casings. 
10. Linkers or continuous tying: standardize the product to same size. 
Some allow ties or hangers. 126 
 11. Cookers and smokers: manuals, automatic, continuous vertical or 
horizontal. The heat source can be wood, gas and smoke with 
saw dust, and cooled with water. 
12. Tanks for cooking in water: with compressed air or circulated 
steam pump. Heat source can be generated by gas or vapor. 
13. Cooking chamber for hams: indirect steam process handling the 
product by carts or baskets manually on rolls or rails. 
14.  Cooking tunnel: based on steam. 15. Autoclave/retort: sterilizers for casing products supporting 120
0 C 
or 2480 F, thermal process that achieves a commercial sterility 
ensuring conservation at room temperature. 
16. Sausage peeler: eliminates the cellulosic casing manually or 
automatic. The automatic are auctioned by steam or air compressed. 
17. Sausage cutter: cut regulators for sausages unpeeled.  
18. Saws for cutting pork and beef: circular saws for cutting fresh or 
frozen with or without bone. 
19. Skinning machine: separates the fat from the pork skin. They are 
manual and semiautomatic in band/conveyor. 
20. Membrane separators: similar to the skinning machine but 
eliminates the membranes of c onnective tissue and fat attached 
to the muscles. 
21. Brine injection and tenderizers: they are manual and automatic 
with special filters with single or double head of needles. 
22 Ham massagers: tanks where the meat for ham rests, which can 
be whole or in pieces, and previously injected and tenderized for 
a uniform process. They are open horizontal, tumblers or drums. 
23. Brine mixer: stainless steel cylindrical tanks that stirs, disperse or 
solubilize chilled brine. 
24.  Brine recovery filters: stainless steel tank with internal cylinder, 
which separates the fat and foam from the brine.  
 
25.  Whole ham molds. 
 
26. Pre-vacuum chambers: the air is extracted gradually from the 
stuffing.   127 
 27. Vacuum chambers and sealing, vacuum chamber and thermal 
seal: vertical vacuum chamber that extracts air and staple.  
 
28.  Press for cooked ham molds: Use air pressure. 
 
Article 438  All the equipment mentioned in the previous article shall be stainless 
steel or a material approved and certified for that purpose by the competent authority. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
CLEANING EQUIPMENT 
 
Article 439 For cleaning the tumblers will recommend: 
1. Use of high pressure equipment with cold and hot water, detergents 
and degreasers that emulsion fats and all shall be approved by SESPAS for such aim.  
2. Rotate them in two directions assuring the complete washing.  3. Be sure to wash the removable parts and maintain a program of 
cleaning that it is not done daily. 
4.  Avoid incrustations in the welds since they retain polluting agents.  
5. The water of the last rinsing has to be not less than 75
0 C or 1670 F. 
6. That the disinfectants used are not corrosive, avoiding sodium 
hypochlorite.  
7. That the mineral oil used is approved by the competent authority for 
use in food process. 
Article 440 To clean the tenderizers, brine tanks and injectors shall recommend to: 
 1. Disassemble them for a careful cleaning. 
 2. Avoid leaving incrustations and obstructions inside the needles. 
 3. After emptying the brine, let water flow through the hoses and 
 needles, soak with warm water and use detergents and 
 degreasers approved for this purpose. 
Article 441 Cleaning carts, trays and others: 
1. Shall be done at a central location easily accessible from all 
production areas, but respecting the process flow. 128 
 2. Shall have hot and cold water, or mechanical equipment for 
washing. 
3. Shall count on with closed containers for solid wastes. 
4. The dirty equipment area shall be well defined from the clean 
equipment area. 
5. The clean area shall have a disinfection system for the 
 equipment. 
 
TITLE XXVI 
OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF MEAT PROCESSED PRODUCTS 
 
Article 442 Processed meat products classify in: 
1. Stuffings : when independently of the operations used in the 
manufacturing process, they have been introduced to pressure in a 
bottom of a sac of organic or inorganic origin (natural or synthetic 
casings) approved for such purpose, even though at the sale or consumption they lack the casing. 
2. Non stuffings:  when it does not meet the definition of the 
preceding paragraph. 
3.  Salted:  When organs, pieces of meat or tissue have undergone a 
process of preservation by salt, added in bulk and according to the technology of the product to process. The addition of sodium 
chloride can be wet or dry and the completion of the elaboration 
ends with smoking. 
Article 443 Cooked stuffing: Products with a non-defined form of processing that 
undergoes a process of cooking in dry or in water. 
The cooked stuffings are detailed below: 
1.  Blood sausage: cooked stuffing processed based on blood, 
obtained from animals authorized for consumption, defibrinated and 
filtered, adding or not bacon, prick pork skin, salt and spices and 
other substances found in the monograph approved. 
2. Beef liver sausage: cooked stuffing processed based on blood, 
obtained from animals authorized for consumption and pork meat triturate, pork and bovine liver and bacon, adding or not salt, 
saltpeter, grounded white pepper, oregano, clove, coriander, onion 
and cornstarch. 129 
 3. Blood sausage with tongue: cooked stuffing processed with bovine 
or pork blood, obtained from animals authorized for consumption, 
pork skin and molded tongue, adding or not salt, grounded black 
pepper, grounded clove, grounded oregano, grounded thyme, coriander, marjoram and onion. 
4.  Bologna: cooked stuffing processed based on pork and bovine 
meat, adding bacon, sugar, saltpeter, amylase products, powdered 
milk and spices. The mixture can be stuffed in plastic bags approved for this purpose, dry cooked viscera, bladders and 
esophagus cooked. When other than bladders, shall place in molds 
according to the form wanted. 
5. Salami: stuffing cooked, smoked or cured processed based on 
pork, bovine and poultry meat, or pork and bovine meat, with bovine fat and bacon, adding or not salt, saltpeter, grounded garlic, 
nutmeg, clove, coriander and cornstarch. 
6. Frankfurter and Vienna sausages: cooked stuffing processed based 
on pork meat or pork and bovine meat adding bacon, salt, and spices. At the end of the process, scald and smoke until obtaining a 
clear brown color. 
7. Botifarra: cooked stuffing processed based on pork or bovine meat, 
adding bacon, salt and spices, which have a proper cooking temperature. 
Article 444 For the validity of fresh sausages shall consider the following 
conditions of storage and packaging: 
1. Keep fresh sausages at temperatures between -2º C or 28º F and 
5º C or 41º F and the expiration date in agreement with the technical criteria of the processer cannot exceed seven (7) days. 
2. When sausages packed in vacuum or in controlled atmosphere and 
maintained at the temperature above mentioned, shall provide an 
expiration date according to the technical criteria of the processor, 
not exceeding fifteen (15) days. 
3. When stuffings have been frozen immediately after their process at 
a temperature not exceeding -18° C or 0º F, it shall be provided an expiration date according to the technical criteria of the producer, 
not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days. 
Article 445 Place in the labels of these products their conservation temperature 
and all information stipulated in the actual Labeling Norms NORDOM 53. 130 
 Article 446 The Food and Beverage Risk Control Department can authorize the 
inclusion of the classification of other products that do not deviate 
entirely from the requirements established in this Title. To this effect 
shall present a document describing the product, processing form and components used. 
Article 447 Requirements for raw materials and ingredients used in the 
preparation of stuffings are: 
1.  Mixtures or meat pastes not used in their preparation day may be 
used the following day, provided they are conserved in cold chambers at a temperature of 4ºC or 39º F or 5ºC or 41º F in the 
interior of their mass. 
2. Can use mixtures and pastes of meats coming from wrap ruptures 
of meat products in process to prepare other products processed 
that same day. In case of not using them that same day may do so the next day, provided they be subject to cooking and stored in cold 
chambers. 
3. Natural viscera can be treated by immersion in fresh pineapple 
juice or extract of papain, of brom elin, ficin or pancreatic juice to 
allow the enzymes act on the viscera achieving to be soften, shall 
in all cases, after this treatment, undergo to a profuse wash to 
remove any of the substances used. 
4. Sausages prepared in oil must undergo previously to a temperature 
not less than 72ºC or 162ºF for a minimum period of thirty (30) minutes. 
Article 448  Requirements for the materials used in the stuffing elaboration, are:  
1.  In stuffings, the bath of purified and deodorized paraffin, wax, 
varnish or other product approved by the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department is allowed. 
2.  The tin or lead papers and the colored ones with anilines 
considered harmful that do not yield their color easily, can be used 
as wrappers whenever is placed between them an intermediate 
paper of impermeable material.  
3.  In the stuffing casings, the aluminum or tin foil can be replaced by 
films or pure cellulose, cellophane, plastic materials, their resins and their compounds and other materials approved by the Food 
and Beverage Risk Control Department.  
4.  The use of animal wrappings is prohibited such as intestine, 
esophagus and other infested with parasite nodes. 131 
 Article 449   Declarations of components and prohibitions in the stuffing elaboration: 
1.  When using dyes in the preparation of meat products, shall be 
disclosed on the label the words "artificially colored" and followed 
the dye used. 
2. Meat products shall not be processed using inferior quality raw 
materials or with different proportion from that declared in the monograph whereupon was approved the product. 
3. Do not add water or ice over the authorized in these regulations. 4.  No tissues or organs will be added to inferior quality, or 
aponeurosis, intestines, spleen, mammary glands, uterus or internal secretion glands, with exception of the liver. 
5. When using cheek meat or other, with abundant aponeurotic tissue 
or tendons, shall be stripped of excess tissue. 
Article 450 Considered as stuffings not suitable for consumption: 
1. When the surface is humid, sticky or seeps. 
2. When to the palpation flaccid zones are verified or abnormal 
consistency. 
3. When there were indications of putrid fermentation. 
4. When the mixture or mass present abnormal colors. 
5. When verifies rancidity in fats. 6.  When the wrapping of the stuffing was found perforated by 
parasites. 
7. When verifies existence of pathogenic germs. 
Article 451   The stuffing establishments shall not process fats if they are not 
qualified for such purpose. 
Article 452     Additions of nutritional amylaceous substances are allowed in 
processed products. What it is established in these regulations will not go in contradiction with those found in Dominican Technical Norms 
(NORDOM) for this aim, it is recommended to use the following proportions: 
1. Fresh stuffings up to a 5% of the gross weight of the finished 
product. 
2. Dry stuffings up to a 3%. 132 
 3. Cooked stuffings are admitted up to 10%.  
Article 453   Stuffings shall not contain derivatives of sulfurous acid. 
Article 454   Possession or use of wood sawdust is prohibited in establishments 
except for that destined to be burned in the smokers. Also is prohibited 
the possession or use of rice hulls or similar products. 
Article 455   Stuffings can be fresh, dry or cooked. 
1  Fresh Stuffing . Those produced with meat and raw meat 
byproducts, with the addition of salt, spices and allowed 
additives that have not been under thermal or smoking 
processes. Fresh sausages are categorized as the following: 
a)  Fresh Sausage. Fresh stuffing made with meat of pork, bovine 
or a mixture thereof, with the addition of bacon and the 
aggregate or not of additives allowed to be used. 
b)  Pork Sausage (Longaniza barbecue). Fresh stuffing made on 
the base of meat of pork, bacon, hot chili, oregano, wine, anise or fennel and other additives allowed to be used, being able to 
add bovine meat. 
c)  Fresh Sausage. Fresh stuffing made based on pork and bovine, 
with the addition of bacon, salt, saltpeter and spices. 
Article 456 Dry Stuffings.  Those raw products that have been subjected to 
dehydration process naturally or artificially and partly to encourage 
them for a prolonged period. 
The following are considered as dry stuffings: 1. Spanish Sausage. The stuffing made based on pork meat or bovine 
and pork, with the addition or not of bacon, salt, saltpeter and 
spices, in particular sweet pepper, the product can be smoked. 
2. Longaniza (sausage). Dry stuffing prepared based on pork meat 
and bovine with or without addition of bacon, salt, saltpeter and 
spices. 
3. Spanish Longaniza. Dry stuffing made based on meat of pork, 
bovine meat and bacon with the addition or not of salt, saltpeter, sugar, clove, sweet pepper, nutmeg, oregano, garlic and red wine. 
4. Neapolitan Style Longaniza. Dry stuffing made on the base of meat 
of pork, bovine meat and bacon, with the addition or not of salt, 
saltpeter, nutmeg, hot chili, garlic, fennel in grain and red wine. 133 
 5. Salami. Dry stuffing made on the base of pork meat, or meat of 
pork and bovine, with bacon added, salt, saltpeter, sugar, spices 
and white wine. 
Article 457  Non-stuffing meat products shall fulfill the following norms: 
1. Rolled piglet.  Non-stuffing meat product, made with deboned 
piglet, cured, marinated, rolled, tied with matambre (Stuffed Flank Steak) and put under cooking. 
2.  Rolled thin beef flank steak . Non-stuffing meat product, made 
with the plane non skeletal muscle from bovine, cured, marinated, 
rolled, tied and put to cook. 
3.   Ground Beef with Ham. Non-stuffing meat product prepared with 
ham, bacon, bovine meat with the addition or not of salt, white pepper, hot chili, ground mint, chopped dry peas, white wine and 
wheat flour. The mass prepared in minces taken to the molds 
previously covered internally with omentum and cooked under an appropriate temperature and time. 
4. Ham Ground Beef . Meat product processed in similar form to the 
Ground Beef with Ham, but made exclusively with ham. 
5.  Pork cheese .  Non-stuffing meat product processed with meat of 
head of pork, cheek and bovine tongue with the addition or not of 
salt, saltpeter, pepper, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, peas, ground hot chili, garlic, pinions, white wine and wheat flour. The mixture 
wrapped in bovine omentum placed in molds and subject to 
cooking at appropriate temperature and time. 
Article 458   Meat products considered as salted stuffings are those prepared using 
each one of the designated anatomical parts detailed next: 
1. Salted pork head, salted pork rib, tail or salted pork tail, salted pork 
skin, salted pork muzzle, salted pork ear, salted pork leg. 
2. Cecina dried meat . It is prepared with pork lean salted meat and 
dried to the air, the sun, the smoke or another approved means. 
3. Charque, charqui or salted meat. Lean meat of those species 
allowed for consumption, dried to the air, the sun, with artificial heat or to the smoke, with addition of salt. Meat not salted is excluded 
from salted meats. 
4. Uncooked ham . Salted meat prepared with the pork leg, with or 
without bone that must undergo a maturation process. 
5. Cooked ham . Salted meat prepared with pork leg, with or without 
bone and undergone to cooking. 134 
 6. Uncooked Pork shoulder . Salted meat prepared with the 
front/thoracic pork limb with his own muscles and part of the ones 
that join it to the trunk up to the carpal joint, subject to a similar 
process to the raw ham. 
7. Cooked Pork shoulder . Salted meat prepared with the described 
anatomical piece in the previous numeral subject to a process 
similar to the one for cooked ham. 
8. Salted Bacon belly . Salted meat prepared with muscular tissue 
pieces of the abdominal region of the pork. 
9. Salted bacon . Salted meat prepared with tissue pieces of the 
lumbar and jowl regions of the pork, put under the action of the salt in dry. 
10. Capocollo.  Boneless pork shoulder butt, dry-cured with salt or 
brine. 
11. Coppa . Boneless pork shoulder butt, dry-cured with salt or brine. 
Article 459   These definitions on stuffings, object of these regulations will be 
without prejudice to that described in the Dominican Technical 
Standards, criteria that will prevail over these regulations. 
 
TITLE XXVII 
OF STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION  
OF PROCESSED PRODUCTS 
 
Article 460   The General Directorate of Norms and Quality Systems (DIGENOR) is 
the national government organization authorized to establish definitions and standards of identity or composition through norms. 
They cover the main constituents of the products over their specific 
name or other labeling terminology that used. This action is necessary to prevent the sale of the product under false or misleading labeling 
and that it is necessary to protect the public. 
Article 461   All the standards of identity and composition of processed products 
contained in these regulations are made without prejudice to that 
described in the Dominican Technical Norms (NORDOM) criteria that will prevail over these regulations.  135 
 Article 462   These regulations consign the standards of identity or composition of 
processed products that require an internationally recognized 
composition or the necessary for its export. 
Article 463   All the standards of identity and composition of the processed products 
not described under the norms of DIGENOR or in these regulations can be based on the ones established by the Codex Alimentarius.  
 
Article 464   The packs must show the correct name of the product, a statement of 
ingredients and any other information in the labeling according to the 
special provisions.  
 
Article 465   Products that require the addition of nitrite or nitrate or that allow their 
use in them, can be prepared without these ingredients, as long as in 
its label is used the non-curing term preceded with the same size and style of the letters used for the standardized name. 
 
Article 466   Mechanically separated deboned meat. Final products (comminuted), 
resulting from the process of almost complete removal of the bones of 
the skeletal muscle in mechanical form. At least 89% of the bone 
particles present shall not exceed 0.5 mm in size and not more than 0.85 in length. 
 
Article 467   The general composition of the boneless meat mechanically separated 
must ensure that calcium should not exceed 0.75% of total solids of bones, and these as well must not exceed 3%. The protein must not be 
less than 14% and fat not more than 30%. If the product does not 
comply with these requirements, it shall use to produce animal fat. The P.E.R. must be 25% (protein-efficiency ratio). 
 
Article 468   In mixtures of processed meats, the content of essential amino acids 
must be 33% of the total amino acids. The essential amino acids 
referred here are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, 
phenylalanine, threonine, valine, tyrosine, arginine, hystidine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, serine and 
hydroxyproline. 
 
 
CHAPTER I 
COOKED MEATS 
 
Article 469   Meats for barbecue marked "Beef Barbecue” or “Barbecue pork" 
shall be prepared by the direct action of the resulting dry heat from 
the hard wood burning fire or the mineral coal, for a sufficient period 
to assume the usual characteristics including the brown crust of the surface. During the process, the product shall be coated with 136 
 sauce. The final product shall not exceed 70% of the weight of the 
fresh uncooked product, excluding salt and seasonings. 
Article 470   The head meat, cheek meat, and heart once removed glandular 
and connective tissues can be use individually or together, not to 
exceed 5% of the total meat. When used they shall appear on the label. 
 
CHAPTER II 
CURED MEATS, SMOKED AND UNSMOKED 
 
Article 471  Pressed Beef or Corned Beef, can be prepared from beef briskets, 
ribs, rounds, rumps, or similar cuts, using one or a combination of curing ingredients. The final product shall not exceed 70% of the fresh 
product excluding salt and flavorings. If the product is not canned, the 
pieces shall not weigh less than a pound. If cooked, the product must not exceed the original weight of the fresh product. Cheek, head and 
heart meat may be used, and the application of brine for curing meat 
cuts intended for “bulk” and the final product shall not exceed 10% of the weight of fresh. 
Article 472  Pressed meat. Can be parts of round and other cuts, that shall not 
weigh less than a pound and such application of the curing solution 
shall not result in an increase of more than 10% the weight of the product in relation to fresh product; if it is cooked shall not exceed the weight of the fresh uncured product. 
Article 473   Cured beef tongue. The application of the curing solution shall not 
increase in the weight of the cured beef tongue by more than 10% of the weight of the fresh uncured product. 
Article 474   Cured pork products, including ham, shoulders, picnics, butts and 
loins, shall comply with the minimum protein fat free (PFF) percentage. 
 
Type of Cured Pork 
Product Minimum Meat PFF 
Percentage Product Name  
Qualifying Statements 
Cooked ham, loin 20.5 
18.5 
 
17.0 
 
< 17.0 Common and usual 
Common and usual with natural juices 
Common and usual, water 
added Common and usual, water 
product –X% of weight is 
added ingredients. 
Cooked shoulder, butt, 20.0 Common and usual 137 
 Type of Cured Pork 
Product Minimum Meat PFF 
Percentage Product Name  
Qualifying Statements 
picnic  
18.0 
 
16.5 
 
<16.5  
Common and usual with 
natural juices Common and usual, water 
added 
Common and usual, water product –X% of weight is added ingredients. 
Uncooked cured ham, loin 18.0 
 
<18.0 
 Uncooked, Common and 
usual 
Uncooked, Common and 
usual, and water product –X% of weight is added 
ingredients 
Uncooked cured shoulder, butt, picnic  17.5 
 
<17.5 Uncooked, Common and 
usual.  
Uncooked, Common and usual, and water product –
X% of weight is added 
ingredients 
 
Article 475   The minimum PFF is the minimum protein content of the unprocessed 
fresh pork, expressed as a percent of the nonfat portion of the finished product.  
 
Article 476   Products such as ham patties, chopped ham, pressed ham, spiced 
ham and related products shall comply with the minimum meat protein 
fat free (PFF) percentage requirements: 
 
Type of Cured Pork 
Product Minimum Meat PFF 
Percentage Product Name  
Qualifying Statements 
Ham Patties 
Chopped Ham 
Pressed Ham Spiced Ham 19.5 Common and usual. 
 
Ham Patties 
Chopped Ham 
Pressed Ham 
Spiced Ham 17.5 Common and usual, with 
natural juices. 
 
Ham Patties 
Chopped Ham 
Pressed Ham Spiced Ham 16.0 Common and usual, water 
added.
 
Ham Patties <16.0 Common and usual, and 138 
 Chopped Ham 
Pressed Ham 
Spiced Ham water product–X% of 
weight is added ingredients 
 
Article 477   Cured pork products prepared under this Title, except Ham patties may 
contain finely chopped ham shank meat to the extent of 25% over that 
normally present in boneless ham. In addition to other requirements of 
this Title, chopped ham can contain more than 2% of a sweetener like corn syrup. Ham patties may not contain more than 35% fat.  
 
Article 478   The products: “Country Ham”, “Country Style Ham”, “Dry Cured Ham”, 
“Country Pork Shoulder”, “Country Style Pork Shoulder”, or “Dry Cured Pork Shoulder” are the uncooked, cured, dried, smoked or not smoked, 
meat food products made respectively from a single piece of meat 
conforming to the definition of "Ham". They may not be injected or placed in brine to cure them. These products must be treated to 
destroy the possible presence of Trichinae in accordance with the 
approved methods. 
 
Article 479   The entire exterior of the ham or pork shoulder shall be coated by the 
dry application of salt or in combination with other permitted ingredients. 
 
Article 480  Additional salt or salt mixed with other permitted ingredients may be 
reapplied to the product as necessary to insure complete penetration in 
the product. 
 Article 481   When applying nitrite or nitrate or their combination, the salt shall be in 
sufficient quantity to insure that the finished product has an internal salt 
content of at least 4%. 
 
Article 482  When nitrites or nitrates, or both are not used, the application of salt 
shall be in sufficient quantity to assure that the finished product has a brine concentration of not less than 10% or a water activity of not more 
than 0.92.  
 Article 483   For hams or pork shoulders labeled as "country" or "country style”, the 
combination period for curing and salt equalization shall not be less 
than 45 days for hams. For pork shoulders shall not be less than 25 days. The total time for curing salt equalization and drying shall not be 
less than 70 days for hams and shall not be less than 50 days for pork 
shoulders. During the drying and smoking period, the internal temperature of the product must not exceed 35
0 C or 95°F. This does 
not apply when it is under natural climatic conditions. 
 139 
 Article 484   When hams or pork shoulders labeled "dry cured", the combined 
period for curing and salt equalization shall not be less than: minimum 
45 days for hams and not less than 25 days for pork shoulders. The 
total time for curing, salt equalization, and drying shall not be less than 55 days for hams and shall not be less than 40 days for pork 
shoulders. The weight of the finished products shall not be less than 
18% of the fresh uncured weight of the product. 
 
Article 485   When preparing bacon (pork bellies), the weight of the cured pork 
bellies ready for slicing and label as "bacon" shall not exceed the weight of the fresh uncured pork bellies. 
 
CHAPTER III 
FRESH SAUSAGE 
 
Article 486   This product can be prepared from one or more kinds of meat or meat 
and meat byproducts, containing various amounts of water, usually 
seasoned with spices and frequently cured. May contain binders and 
extenders e.g.: Cereals, vegetable starch, soy flour, soy protein concentrate, soy protein, isolated soy protein, dehydrated milk, calcium 
lactate, etc. 
 Article 487  The final product shall not contain more than 3.5% of these additives 
individually or collectively. Two percent of isolated soy protein 
considers equivalent to 3.5% of one or more of these additives. The sausages may not contain phosphates, except those previously 
approved by the competent authority.  
 Article 488   To facilitate chopping or mixing, or dissolving the ingredients, can use 
water or ice in the preparation of non-cooked sausages. The amount 
cannot exceed 3% of the total ingredients in the formula. 
 Article 489   Cooked Sausage such as Polish sausage, cotto salami, 
Braunschweiger, liver sausage and similar, shall not exceed 10% of 
water added to the finished product. Sausage may contain mechanically separated boneless meat. 
 
Article 490 Fresh pork sausage. Can be prepared with pork, fresh or frozen, or 
both. It shall not include pork byproducts. May contain mechanically 
separated deboned meat and seasonings as stipulated in these 
regulations. The finished product shall not contain more than 50% fat. To facilitate chopping or mixing, can use water or ice in amounts not 
exceeding 3% of the total ingredients.  
 Article 491   Fresh beef sausage. Sausage prepared with fresh or frozen beef or 
both. It can also use the mechanically separated deboned meat and 140 
 seasonings, but it is not allowed beef byproducts. The finished product 
shall not contain more than 30% fat. It can use water and ice in 
amounts not exceeding 3% of the total ingredients.  
 Article 492   Sausages for breakfast (Breakfast sausage). Sausage prepared with 
fresh and / or frozen meat, and / or meat byproducts, and may contain 
mechanically separated deboned meat and seasoned with condimental substances. The final product shall not contain more than 50% fat. To 
facilitate chopping and mixing, can use water or ice in amount not to 
exceed 3% of the total ingredients used. Can use approved binders and extenders up to 3.5% of the finished sausage. 
 
Article 493   Whole hog sausage. Sausage prepared with fresh and/or frozen swine 
meat in the proportions that are a normal to a single animal, may 
include mechanically separated deboned meat and seasoned with 
condimental substances. The finished product shall not contain more than 50% fat. To facilitate chopping and mixing, can use water or ice in 
an amount not exceeding 3% of the ingredients.  
 Article 494   Italian Sausage Products. Sausages cured or uncured, containing at 
least 85% meat. They can combine with fat not more than 35% of the 
finished product. They shall contain salt, pepper, anise or fennel or both combined. Shall be prepared with fresh or frozen pork and pork 
fat may be added. It is allowed the use mechanically separated 
boneless meat. Italian sausage with veal or Italian sausage with both meats shall be prepared with fresh or frozen pork. Pork constitutes the 
major percentage of the total content. 
 Article 495   Italian sausage from Kosher beef. Shall be prepared with fresh or 
frozen beef and can be used beef fat. The Italian veal sausage or 
kosher Italian veal sausage shall be prepared with fresh or frozen veal 
and veal fat. These Italian products may contain sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite in amounts not exceeding those allowed in these 
regulations and will label with the legend "Cured Italian Sausage" and 
the word "cured" will be the same size and style of the other words in the product name. 
 
Article 496   Optional ingredients allowed in Italian sausage (sausages): 
   
1)  Spices (including paprika and flavorings).  
2)  Water or ice, not more than 3%.  3)  Red or green peppers or both.  
4)  Dehydrated of fresh onions, garlic and parsley.  
5)  Sugar, dextrose, corn syrup, corn syrup solids and glucose syrup.  6) Monosodium glutamate and antioxidants as provided in these 
regulations. 141 
  
Article 497  Italian sausage products are cooked or smoked and/or before cooked 
or smoked, shall not have more than 3% of water and must use the 
word "cooked" or "smoking" on the label and the letters in the same shape and size of those used in the product name. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
UNCOOKED SMOKED SAUSAGE 
 
Article 498   Smoked pork sausages. Pork sausage that is smoked with hardwood 
or other approved nonresinous materials. It may season with 
condimental substances as permitted in these regulations. The finished 
product shall not contain more than 50% fat. To facilitate chopping or mixing, may use water or ice in amounts not exceeding 3% of the total 
ingredients used. 
 
CHAPTER V 
COOKED SAUSAGE 
 Article 499   The cooked sausages are: Frankfurter, frank, furter, hot dog 
(sausage), wiener, vienna, bologna (mortadella), garlic bologna, 
knockwurst and similar cooked products.  
 
Article 500   The cooked sausages are comminuted, semisolid, prepared with fresh 
meat, one or more kinds of meat cuts, and can be used fresh or cooked meat chicken, also can be used one or more seasonings and 
curing agents permitted by these regulations. They may or may not be 
smoked. Fat shall not exceed 30% on the finished product, and may use water or ice, or both to facilitate chopping and mixing but the 
sausage shall not contain more than 40% of a combination of fat and 
added water. Phosphates approved by these regulations may be used. The fresh or cooked poultry meat shall not exceed 15% of the total ingredients excluding water and boneless meat of any specie 
mechanically separated and shall be designated in the ingredient 
statement on the label. 
 
Article 501   Frankfurter, frank, furter, hot dog, wiener, vienna, bologna (mortadella) 
etc., that are labeled with the phrase "with byproducts" or with "variety of meats" in the product name are comminuted semi-solid sausages 
consisting in not less than 15% of raw byproducts. May use raw or 
cooked poultry products, can be seasoned, cured or smoked, and may be added pork or beef fat or a combination of both not exceeding 30% 
of the finished product. The water shall not exceed 10% and 
phosphates shall be used adequately according to these regulations. Poultry products shall not contain kidneys or sexual glands and the 
amount of poultry skin must not exceed the natural proportion of skin 142 
 present on each carcass. The content of the chicken meat must be 
declared in the label of the product. The mechanically separated 
deboned meat can be used.  
 Article 502   Designate individually meat byproducts used in these sausages in the 
ingredient statement on the label. 
 Article 503   Cooked sausages as defined in this Chapter shall be labeled by their 
generic name, e.g., frankfurter, frank, furter, hot dog, wiener, vienna 
bologna, garlic bologna, or knockwurst. When such products are prepared with meat from a single species of cattle, swine, sheep or 
goat, they shall be labeled with the term that refers to the particular 
species with the generic, and when such products are prepared from deboned meat mechanically separated.  
 
Article 504   The appropriate label for products with other ingredients such as 
"frankfurter with dried skim milk low in calcium or Bologna with 
byproducts (or with variety meats), with the addition of soybean meal," 
one or more of the binders can be used in the cooked sausage. May be added dried milk, enzyme (rennet) treated calcium reduced dried 
skim milk, calcium lactate, nonfat dried milk, dried whey powdered, 
lactose reduced whey, minerals reduced whey, whey protein concentrate, cereal, vegetable starch, flour vegetable starch, soy flour, 
soy protein concentrate and isolated soy protein, provided that such 
ingredients do not exceed 3.5% of one or more of the binders. 
 
Article 505   The cooked meats shall not be labeled with terms such as "all meat" or 
"all of (species)” or in other form to indicate that they do not contain meat ingredients or that are prepared only with meat. 
 
Article 506   Poultry meat means deboned chicken or turkey or both, without skin or 
fat added, poultry meat products means chicken or turkey or chicken or turkey meat, or poultry byproducts as defined by these regulations. 
Meat byproduct (or varied meats) means stewed tripe and pork snout, 
beef tripe, beef, veil, lamb or goat, heart, tongue, fat, snouts and esophagus, and beef or pork fat tissues partly defatted. 
 
Article 507   The Cheesefurters and similar products (cheese products). They are 
products in casings, which resemble frankfurters, except that they 
contain sufficient cheese to give well-defined characteristics to the final 
product. They can contain cereal, vegetable starch, vegetable flour starched, soy protein concentrated flour and isolated soy protein, soy, 
skim milk, etc. The final product shall not contain more than 3.5% of 
these additives. (See list of permitted additives). The soy protein shall not exceed 2%. When the product is added with any of these 
ingredients, shall appear prominently in the label, next to the name of 143 
 the product will be the name of the added ingredient, such as "cereal 
added”, “potato flour added," etc. The products shall not contain more 
than 10% of water; fat should not exceed 30%. 
 Article 508   Braunschweiger and liver sausage or liverwurst. It is a cooked sausage 
made with fresh, cured and/or frozen pork, beef, and / or veil and at 
least 30% pork, beef and / or veil livers, computed on the weight of fresh livers; it may also contain pork and / or beef fat, mechanically 
separated boneless beef, binders and extenders permitted in these 
regulations. The product may have smoke taste characteristics, originating of smoked meats, smoke flavoring or smoking of the 
product. If the product is prepared with ingredients from a single 
species it shall be mentioned on the label, e.g.: beef braunschweiger or pork liver. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
LUNCHEON MEAT, LOAVES AND JELLIED PRODUCTS 
 
Article 509   Meat for lunch (luncheon meat). This product is cured, cooked, made 
of comminuted meat and can use mechanically separated boneless 
meat. To facilitate chopping or mixing can add water or ice in an 
amount not to exceed 3% of the total ingredients. 
Article 510   Meat Loaf. Prepared the same as the meat for lunch but giving the 
form of a roll of bread. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
MEAT SPECIALTIES 
 
Article 511   Scrapple. Shall contain not less than 40% meat or meat byproducts 
computed based on the fresh weight excluding the bones, allowing the 
use of mechanically separated deboned meat. The flour used may be 
derived from grains and / or soybeans. 
 
TITLE XXVIII 
OF THE TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS OF THE PROCESS  
OF CANNED MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 512 For the purposes that the canning process entails, the technical 
definitions constitute the official interpretation of the following terms:  
 
WATER ACTIVITY.  Ratio between water vapor pressures of the product to the vapor 
pressure of pure water at the same temperature. 
 
PROCESSING AUTHORITY . The person or organization with technical knowledge on 
thermal processing requirements related with canned foods and appointed by the 
establishment to perform certain functions as indicated in this title.  144 
  
AUTOCLAVE OR RETORT . Pressure vessel designed for thermal processing of 
product packaged in hermetically sealed containers. 
CODE LOT. All productions of a particular product, with a specific size, which 
containers are marked with a specific code.  
VENTING . Removal of air from a retort before beginning the "time of processing." 
HEADSPACE . The portion of the container not occupied by the product.  
 
1) Gross headspace: is the vertical distance between the level of the product (generally 
the liquid surface) in an upright rigid container and the top edge of the container (e.g. 
Flange of an unsealed can, or the top edge of an unsealed jar.  
2) Net headspace: the vertical distance between the level of the product (generally the 
liquid surface) in an upright rigid container and the inside surface of a lid.  
SHELVES STABILITY . Condition achieved by the application of heat alone or in 
combination with other treatments, to render the product free of microorganisms capable of growing at a temperature above 50°F or 10°C at non-refrigerated conditions 
at which the product is intended to be held by distribution and storage. The product 
stability at shelf level is synonymous with commercial sterility. 
CRITICAL FACTOR . Any characteristic, condition or aspect of a product, container or 
procedure, that affects the adequacy of the process schedule. The processing 
authorities determine the critical factors. 
THERMAL PROCESSING . Heat treatment necessary to ac hieve commercial sterility as 
determined by the authority responsible of the process. It quantifies as: 
1) Time and temperature 
2) Minimum product temperature 
PROCESSING SCHEDULE . The thermal process and any specific critical factor for a 
canned product required to achieve shelf stability. 
ACIDIFIED LOW ACID PRODUCT . It is the canned product that has been formulated 
so as to achieve in the finished product a pH of 4.6 or less within 24 hours after the completion of the thermal process and keeps it until the expiring date and more. 
LOW ACIDITY PRODUCT . A canned product in which any component has a pH above 
4.6. 
CANNED PRODUCT . Meat food product with a water activity above 0.85, which 
receives a thermal process before or after packed in a hermetically sealed container. 145 
 The term "product" used in this Chapter shall mean "Canned Product" unless otherwise 
specified.  
 
INCUBATION TEST . Test in which the thermally processed product keeps at an 
specific temperature for a specific period, in order to determine if outgrowth of 
microorganisms occurs. 
 ABNORMAL CONTAINER . Container with signs of swelling, bad sealing or any 
evidence, which can spoil the contents of the unopened container. 
HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINERS . Airtight containers designed and destined 
to protect the contents against the entry of microorganisms during and after thermal processing. 
1) Rigid container: Container that when filled and sealed its shape and contour is not 
affected by the product or deformed by external mechanical pressure of up to 10 
pounds per sq inch (0.7 kg/cm2) (e.i., normal firm finger pressure).  
 2) Semirigid container: Container that when filled and sealed its shape and contour is 
not significantly affected by the enclosed product under normal atmospheric 
temperature and pressure, but can be deformed by external mechanical pressure less than 10 lbs per sq inch (0.7 kg/cm
2) (e.i., normal firm finger pressure). 
 
3) Flexible container: Container that when filled and sealed, its shape and contour suffer significantly changes affected by the enclosed product. 
 
BLEEDERS.  They are small orifices in the sterilizer or retort through which steam and 
other gases, are emitted from the retort throughout the entire thermal process.  
 
SEAL . Those parts of a semi-rigid container and lid or of a flexible container, which are 
fused together in order to hermetically close the container.  
 
CLOSURE TECHNICIAN . An individual designated by the establishment, trained to 
examine the integrity of the “sealing” of the container as provided in this title. 
 
INITIAL TEMPERATURE.  The temperature determined at the initiation of a thermal 
process cycle, of the contents of the coldest container to be processed. 
PROCESS TEMPERATURE.  The average minimum temperature of the heating to be 
maintained as specified in the indictment.  
PROCESSING TIME.  The minimum temperature of the heating medium maintained as 
specified in the process schedule.  
COME-UP TIME . The elapsed time, including venting time (if applicable) between the 
introduction of the heating medium into a closed retort (closed autoclave) and the start of the process timing. 146 
  
TITLE XXIX  
OF THE CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES FOR CANNED MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 513   Inspection and cleaning of empty containers: 
1.  Empty containers, closures and flexible pouch roll stock, that shall 
evaluate the establishment to ensure their cleanliness and free of 
structural defects and damage that may affect the product or container integrity. 
 
2. The exam shall base upon an established sampling.  
3.  Empty containers, closures and flexible pouch roll stock shall be 
handled to prevent contamination or damage that could affect the hermetic condition of the sealed container. 
 
4. Before cleaning, rigid containers shall be cleaned to prevent 
incorporation of foreign matter into the finished product. Closures, 
semi rigid containers, preformed flexible pouches and flexible 
pouch roll stock contained in original wrappings do not need to be cleaned before use.  
Article 514   Closure examinations for rigid containers (cans). 
1.  Visual examination. A closure technician shall visually examine the 
double seams formed by each closing machine head. When seam 
defects such as cutovers, sharpness, knocked down flanges, false 
seams, droops, must take corrective actions. Adjust or repair the closing machine, additionally, examine the entire container to 
prevent product leakage or other defects. Examine frequently, at 
least every 30 minutes; should be done at the beginning of the operation and after any adjustment or machine repair. Record any 
irregularity in the process. 
2.  Teardown examinations. The exam inations shall be performed as 
often the case, should not spend more than four hours interval for each machine in operation. Examine at least one container from 
each closing head the end of the packaging line. The technician 
shall record any abnormality. The establishment shall have container specification guidelines for double seam integrity on file 
and available for review by authorized Program employees. 
3.  At the beginning of each shift or when the machine is set to 
proceed to the examination.  147 
 Article 515   The following procedures can be used to measure the dimensions of 
the double seams:  
1.  With micrometer: for cylindrical containers shall consider four 
points: 
a. Double seam length (W) 
b. Thickness (S)  
c. Body hook length (BH)  
d. Cover hook length (CH)  
 The maximum and minimum values shall be recorded.  
2.  Seam scope or seam projector. 
a. Required measurements of the seam include thickness, body 
hook, and overlap. Measure the thinner parts with a micrometer. 
Cylindrical containers, at least two locations, excluding the side 
seam juncture, shall be used to obtain the required measurements. 
b.  Seam tightness. Regardless the former, the seam examined 
shall be stripped to assess the degree of wrinkling.  
c.  Side seam juncture rating. The cover hook shall be stripped o 
examine the cover hook droop at the juncture for containers 
having side seams.  
d. Examination of noncylindrical containers. Rectangular, square, 
D shaped or any other, will be examined as described in b) I), II) 
and III) except that the requ ired dimensional measurements 
shall be made on the double seam according with the establishment’s container specification guidelines.  
3.  Closure examinations for glass containers. 
a.  Visual examinations. A closure technician shall visually observe 
no defects in the closures (loose or lost caps, fractured or 
cracked containers and low vacuum jars); take corrective 
actions if any of these defects. Conduct the examinations at least every 30 minutes over the production line. They shall be 
done at the beginning of each operation and after a closing 
machine adjustment.  
b. Closure examinations and tests. Depending on the type of 
container and closure, qualified personnel shall perform tests 
before or after processing at intervals of not more than four 148 
 hours. Examine at least one container from each closing 
machine during each regular examination period. Take 
immediately and record any corrective action. The technical 
guidelines for closure shall be available to the program employees. 
4. Closure examinations for semirigid and flexible containers: 
a. The examination of each sealing machine shall be done as 
frequent as necessary observing well the type of sealing. The 
examinations shall obey a statistical sampling to ensure the seal integrity. 
b. Physical tests: perform after the processing and at least every 
two hours of continuous production. The establishment’s 
acceptance guidelines for each test procedure shall be on file 
and available for the inspectors. Double seams for these containers shall be examined and the results recorded as 
provided in b) of this article.  
5.  Container coding: they shall be marked with a permanent, legible, 
identifying code mark. The mark shall identify the product, day and year of packing, as minimum. 
6. Handling of containers after closure.  
a.  Shall be handled so as to prevent damage that may affect the 
hermetic condition of the containers.  
b. The maximum time lapse between closing and thermal 
processing shall be two hours. The Director of the DIGESA can 
indicate shorter periods to ensure the integrity of the product. Periods longer than two hours shall need the permission of the 
Director.  
 
TITLE XXX 
OF THE CANNING PROCESS 
 
Article 516 Thermal processing. Prior to the processing of any canned product for 
distribution in commerce, an establishment shall have the respective 
methodology as specified in these regulations for each meat product to 
be processed and packed. Source of process methodology:  
1. This shall be developed by a processing authority. 
2. The processing authority of the establishment shall evaluate 
any change in the formulation or in the thermal treatments 149 
 that may adversely affect the product heat penetration profile 
or sterilization value requirements. If it is determined that 
such changes adversely affects over the processing 
program, the respective authority shall adequate the process program. 
3. All records, including any a ssociated incubation tests, shall 
be available to the Inspector. 
Article 517 Records processing and other information such as operating 
procedures for increasing the temperature of the autoclaves will be provided to the Inspector. 
1. Prior to the processing of canned product for distribution in 
commerce, the establishment shall provide the inspector 
with all processing protocols. If critical factors are identified 
in the process program, the establishment shall provide the inspector with a copy of the procedures for measuring, 
controlling, and recording other factors related with the 
frequency of such measurements. 
2. The processing authority shall make written communication 
to the establishment recommending all process schedules 
and these recommendations shall be filed and be at 
disposition to the Inspection Service for revision or copies thereof. 
3. If identified critical factors in the process schedule the 
establishment shall provide the inspector with a copy of the 
procedures for measuring, controlling, and recording these 
factors, with the aim to keep them within the usual limits of the process. 
4. The process schedules and associated critical factors, and 
the measuring procedures (including the frequency), 
controlling and recording, shall not be changed without prior review and written communication to the Director of 
DIGESA, and include written documents that approve the 
changes. 
Article 518  The critical points and the application of the process methodology are: 
1. General  
a) Maximum fill-in weight or drained weight; 
b) Arrangement of pieces in the container; c)  Container orientation during thermal processing; 
d) Product formulation; 
e) Particle size; 150 
 f) Maximum thickness for flexible, and to some extent 
semirigid containers during thermal processing; 
g)  Maximum pH; 
h) Percent salt; i) Ingoing (or formulated) nitrite level (ppm); 
j) Maximum water activity; and 
k) Product consistency or viscosity  
2) Continuous rotary and batch agitating retorts. 
 
a) Minimum headspace; and 
b) Reel speed. 
 
3. Hydrostatic retorts. 
a) Chain or conveyor speed. 
 4. Steam/air retorts. 
a) Steam/air ratio; and 
b) Heating medium flow rate. 
 
Article 519 The operations in the area of thermal processing: 
  
1. Process schedule/protocols for daily production including 
minimum initial temperatures and operating procedures for 
thermal processing equipment, shall be posted in visible places near to the equipment, such information shall be available to the 
operator and the inspector. 
 2. Process indicators and retort traffic control. To prevent a product 
from bypassing the retort a system shall be design for that aim. All 
the baskets or vehicles contai ning unprocessed products or at 
least one visible container in each vehicle shall be marked clearly and visibly with a temperature indicator that will indicate whether 
such unit has been thermally processed. Remove the indicators 
before such vehicles are refilled with unprocessed product. 
 
3. Initial temperature. To assure that the minimum initial temperature 
of the contents of cold containers where the unprocessed products maintains when the cycle begins is not lower than the 
specified in the process schedule, shall record the temperature of 
the content of the coldest cans. When the product requires process in sealed containers shall verify the water to use in order 
that its temperature will not be less than the minimum 
temperature of the product. 
 151 
 4. Timing devices. Markers used in the records of the main thermal 
process events such as come-up time, retort venting, etc., shall 
be well calibrated for such functions. Wristwatches are not 
considered acceptable timing devices. Analog and digital clocks are considered acceptable. If the clock does not display seconds, 
a minute shall be considered a safety factor over the specified 
time for the process. Temperature/time recording devices shall correspond within 15 minutes to the time of the day recorded on 
written records required. 
 5. Measurement of pH. An electronic potentiometer shall be used to 
measure the maximum pH when is considered a critical point in 
the work method. The Inspection Service can review and approve other acceptable methods. 
 
TITLE XXXI 
OF THE EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES FOR THERMAL  
PROCESSING SYSTEMS 
 
CHAPTER I 
EQUIPMENT 
 
Article 520 The instruments and common controls to different systems for thermal 
processing are: 
 
1. Temperature indicator. Each retort shall be equipped with at least one 
indicating internal temperature device that measures the actual temperature within the retort and this can be used as a reference for 
indicating the process temperature and not to confuse with 
temperature/time records.  
a) Mercury-in-glass thermometers. A mercury-in-glass 
thermometer shall have divisions of 1
o F or 0.5° C, and the 
graduated scale shall not contain more than 17°F/inches or 
4.0°C /cm. The thermometer shall be calibrated once installed 
and at least once a year against a known accurate standard to ensure its accuracy. The establishment shall record and 
maintained on file the following data: date, standard 
thermometer used, method, and the person that performed the calibration and shall maintain on file available for the Program 
employees. A mercury-in-glass thermometer that has a divided 
mercury column or that cannot be adjusted to the standard shall be repaired and calibrated to guarantee a good 
functioning before further use or replaced. 
 152 
 b)  If using other devices instead of the mercury-in-glass 
thermometer (after approval by the Inspection Service) the 
operator can use another temperature indicator such as 
resistance detectors to measure temperature that shall be tested or calibrated once a year. 
 
2. Temperature/time recording devices. Each thermal processing system 
shall be equipped with at least one temperature/time recording device 
and can be combined with the steam controller and constitute a 
recording/controlling instrument that provides a permanent record of the temperature within the thermal process system. When the 
temperature indicator is acquired, the recording accuracy shall be 
equal to or better than 1°F or 0.5°C over the process temperature stipulated. The recording chart should be adjusted according with the 
required temperature but shall never be higher than the known 
accurate indicating temperature device. In order to prevent unauthorized changes in temperature adjustments, a lock or a note 
can be posted, warning that only authorized persons are permitted to 
make adjustments. Air-operated temperature controllers shall have adequate filters to ensure a supply of clean and dry air. The recorder 
timing mechanism shall be accurate.  
 3. Chart type devices. Each device shall use a graphic chart. The working 
scale shall not exceed 12° C per centimeter or 55° F per inch within a 
range of 11°C or 20°F of the process temperature. Chart graduations shall not exceed 1°C or 2°F within a range of 5°C or 10°F. The record 
intervals shall not exceed one minute. 
 4. Steam controllers. Each retort or autoclave shall be equipped with an 
automatic steam controller to maintain the retort temperature. This may 
be a recording/controlling instrument when combined with a temperature/time recording device. 
 
5. Air valves. All air lines connected to a retort shall be equipped with a 
globe valve or other equivalent valve or piping arrangement that will prevent leakage of air into the retort during the process. 
 
6. Water valve. All retort water lines intended to be closed during the 
process shall be equipped with a globe valve or other equivalent type 
to prevent water leakage into the retort during the process. 
 
CHAPTER II 
PRESSURE PROCESSING WITH STEAM 
 
Article 521  Pressure processing with steam in batch still retorts.  
 153 
 1. Bulb sheaths or probes of indicating temperature devices shall be 
installed within the retort shell, or in external wells, which shall be 
connected to the retort through at least ¾ inch (1.9 cm) diameter 
opening, equipped with a 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) bleeder opening so located as to provide a constant flow of steam past the length of the 
bulb thermometer or probe.  
 2. The bleeder shall emit steam continuously during the entire process 
period of the autoclave and requires the use of a manometer as 
steam pressure control. 
 
3.  Horizontal retorts shall be equipped with steam spreaders extended 
through the full length of the retort. 
 
4. Steam inlet. Steam shall be provided through an inlet large enough 
to maintain the pressure in line for a proper operation of the retort, and shall enter at a point to facilitate air removal during venting. 
 
5. Crate supports. Vertical still retorts with bottom steam entry shall 
employ appropriate retort crate supports that allow the free steam 
circulation. 
 6. Baffle plates shall not be used in the bottom of the retorts. 
 
7. Steam spreader. Shall ensure they are not blocked and be 
functioning, these do not have to be greater than the entrance of 
the steam line. In horizontal retorts, the perforated steam spreaders 
shall extend all along of the bottom and throughout the retort. Any other system must be authorized. 
 
8. Bleeders and condensate removal. Bleeders except those for 
external wells of temperature devices shall be wide open during the entire process including the come-up time for temperature. For 
horizontal still retorts, bleeders shall be located within 
approximately 30 centimeters (one foot) of the outermost locations of containers at each end along the top of the retort. An additional 
bleeder shall be located no more than 2.4 m from the top. 
 9. The condensate removal system shall be equipped with an alarm 
system that shall be revised at the beginning of each process for its 
proper functioning. 
 
10. An additional bleeder shall be located not more than 8 feet (2.4 m.) 
from the top. 
 154 
 11. Other bleeders may be installed, specifying in the procedures used 
that they comply with the removal of air and steam circulation. 
Vertical retorts shall have at least one bleeder opening located 
opposite the steam inlet. 
 
12. All bleeders including those for the removal of air condensate shall 
be in such position that the operator can observe they are functioning properly. 
 
13. Observations shall be done at 15 minutes intervals and the results 
recorded. 
 
14. Still equipment:  
a. The bottom of each tray, gondola, crates, etc., shall have 
perforations at least one inch (2.5 cm.) in diameter and 2 inches (5 cm.) from the center of the perforation to the center 
of the perforation of the next line. 
 b. The equipment for holding or stacking containers in retorts. 
Crates, trays, gondolas, carts, and other vehicles destined 
for holding or stacking product containers in the retorts shall be so constructed to ensure a proper steam circulation 
during the venting, come-up and processing. 
 c. The establishment shall have daily records showing that the 
air has been removed from the pipe before starting every 
thermal process. This information shall be available to the official inspector for review. 
 
15. Bleeders and vent mufflers.   
a. The establishment shall have truthful information from the 
mufflers manufacturer or from the heat distribution 
procedures that they do not impede the removal of air. Any other documentation from the manufacturer shall file, and 
presented in the work methodology. 
 b. Vents shall be located in that portion of the retort opposite 
the steam inlet and shall be design, installed and operated in 
such a way that air will be removed from the retort before starting every thermal process. A gate, cap valve or other full 
flow valve, which shall be full open, shall control vents and 
permit rapid removal of air from retorts during the venting period. 
 155 
 c. The safety valve shall be wider than the steam inlet pipe and 
satisfy the safety conditions and norms for non-fire pressure 
containers. 
 d. Vents shall not connect to a closed drain system without an 
atmospheric break in the line. Where a multiple 
interconnection of retorts with several pipes connected to a manifold (multiple collector) the air vent shall be controlled 
by a gate or a cap valve or other full-flow valve and the 
manifold shall be of a size such that the cross sectional area is greater than the total cross-sectional area of all 
interconnecting tubes or vents. 
 e. A manifold header connecting vents or manifolds from 
several still retorts shall lead to the atmosphere. 
 f. Some typical installations and operating procedures describe 
later. Other retort installations, vent piping arrangements, 
operating procedures or auxili ary equipment, such as 
dividing plates, may be used provided written documents 
that air is removed from the retort before starting the 
process. Such documentation shall have in their formats heat distribution data or other documentation from the 
equipment manufacturer or processing authority, and the 
establishment shall file the information and make available to the Inspection Service. 
 
g. For crateless retort installations, the establishment shall 
have heat distribution data or other documentation from the 
equipment manufacturer or from the processing authority 
that demonstrates that the venting procedure used accomplishes the removal of air and condensate and the establishment shall file the information and make available to 
the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 522  Some typical installations that comply with the requirements of this 
article are the following: 
 
1. Venting horizontal retorts. 
 
2. Agitating retorts.  
3. Continuous rotary retorts. 
 4. Hydrostatic retorts. 
 156 
 CHAPTER III 
PROCESS CONDITIONS IN RETORTS 
 
Article 523 Bulbs or probes of indicating temperature devices shall be located in 
such position to be close/beneath to the water surface through the 
process. In horizontal retorts, insert bulb or probes directly into the 
retort shell. In vertical and horizontal retorts, the indicating temperature device bulb or probe shall extend directly into the water a minimum of 
2 inches (5 cm) without a separate well or sleeve. In vertical retorts 
equipped with a recorder/controller, the controller probe shall be located at the bottom of the retort below the lowest crate rest in such a 
position that the steam does not strike it directly. In horizontal retorts 
so equipped, the controller probe shall be located between the water surface and the horizontal plane passing through the center of the 
retort so that there is no opportunity for direct impingement on the 
controller probe. Air operated temperature controllers shall have filter systems to ensure a supply of clean, dry air. 
 
Article 524 Pressure recording device. Each retort shall be equipped with a 
pressure-recording device, which may combine with a pressure 
controller.  
 Article 525  Heat distribution. Heat distribution data or other documentation from 
the equipment manufacturer or a processing authority demonstrating 
uniform heat distribution within the retort, shall be kept on file at the establishment and made available to the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 526  Crate supports. A crate support must be at the bottom of the vertical 
retorts. Shall not be used baffle plates in the bottom of the retort. 
 
Article 527  Stacking equipment. For filled flexible containers and when using 
semirigid containers, stacking equipment shall be designed to ensure that the thickness of the filled containers does not exceed that 
specified in the process schedule and that the containers do not 
become displaced and overlap or rest on another during the thermal process.  
 
Article 528  Drain valve. Use a nonclogging, watertight drain valve. Install screens 
over all drain openings. 
 
Article 529  Water level. There shall be a means of determining the water level in 
the retort during operation, i.e., by using a gauge, electronic sensor or 
sight glass indicator. For retorts requiring complete immersion of 
containers, water shall cover the top layer of containers during the entire come up time and the thermal processing periods and should 
cover the top layer of containers during cooling. For retorts using 157 
 cascading water or water sprays, shall maintain the water level within 
the range specified by the manufacturer or processing authority during 
the entire come-up, thermal processing, and cooling periods. Provide 
the means to ensure water circulation during these three steps. The retort operator shall check and re cord the water level with enough 
frequency to ensure it meets the specified processing parameters. 
 Article 530 Air supply and controls. In both still retorts, an automatic pressure 
control unit and a non-return valve in the air supply line to prevent 
water from entering the system shall control vertical and horizontal, introducing compressed air or steam. The air or steam pressure shall 
be continuously during the come-up,  thermal processing, and cooling 
periods. If using air to promote circulation, introduce the steam line to a point between the retort and the steam control valve at the bottom of 
the retort. The adequacy of the air circulation for maintaining uniform 
heat distribution within the retort shall be documented, kept in file, and available to the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 531 Water circulation. When using water circulation system for heat 
distribution, water shall drain from the bottom of the retort through a 
suction manifold, and discharged through a spreader that extends its 
length or circumference of the retort lid and the holes in the spreader shall distribute uniformly. Protect the suction outlets with screens to 
keep debris from entering the recirculation system. The pump shall be 
equipped with a pilot light or a similar device to warn the operator when it is not running, and with a bleeder to remove air when starting 
operations. An alternative alarm system can be used (flow meter) to 
ensure proper water circulation. The adequacy of water circulation for maintaining uniform heat distribution within the retort shall be 
documented by heat distribution data or other documentation from the 
processing authority and such data shall be maintained on file by the establishment and be available to the Inspection Service for review. Any alternative method must comply with the previously exposed.  
 
Article 532  Cooling water entry. In retorts for processing product packed in glass 
jars, the incoming cooling water should not directly strike the jars, in 
order to minimize glass breakage by thermal shock. 
 Article 533  Insert bulb sheaths or probes for indicating temperature devices and 
temperature/time recording devices or controller probes, directly into 
the retort shell in such manner that steam will not strike them directly. 
 
Article 534 Provide a  means for the circulation of the steam/air mixture to prevent 
formation of low-temperature pockets. Document the efficiency of the circulation system by heat distribution data or other documentation 
from a processing authority, and maintain such data on file by the 158 
 establishment and made available to Inspection service for review.  
The circulation system shall have an alarm system that alerts to warn 
the operator when it is not functioning, additional, shall revise in order 
to guarantee its adequate functioning. Due to a broad variety of designs, must request references to the equipment manufacturer for 
installation, operation and control details. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
ATMOSPHERIC COOKERS 
 Article 535  Each of these equipments (e.i., hot water bath) shall be equipped with at 
least one temperature/time recording device in accordance with the 
basic requirements described in these regulations. 
 
Article 536  The atmospheric cookers shall be equipped and operated in such 
manner to ensure uniform heat distribution throughout the processing system during the thermal process. Heat distribution data or other 
documentation from the manufacturer or a processing authority 
demonstrating uniform heat distribution within the cooker shall be kept filed by the establishment and available to the Inspection Service. 
 
Article 537 Any other system used in the thermal processing or canned, shall be 
subject to evaluation by DIGESA based on the one by one case by the 
Director. 
 Article 538  Equipment maintenance: 
1. The establishment to guarantee proper functioning and calibration 
shall check all equipment and instruments. 
 
2. At least once a year an individual not involved with the 
establishment in order to guarantee its proper functioning shall examine each thermal processing system. 
 
3. Air and water valves that must be closed during thermal processing 
shall be checked by the establishment. Repair or replace defective valves as required. 
 
4.  To prevent failures in the vent or bleeding efficiency, check, 
maintain or replace by the establishment vents and bleeder 
mufflers.  
 5. When using water spreaders for venting, a maintenance program 
shall be developed and implemented to assure that the holes 
maintain at their original seize. 
 159 
 6. Keep maintenance records on all points that can affect the 
adequate thermal process. Records shall include the date and type 
of maintenance performed and the person who conducts it. 
 
CHAPTER V 
CONTAINER COOLING AND COOLING WATER 
 
Article 539. Use potable water for cooling. The water of the cooling canal shall be 
chlorinated or treated with a chemical approved having a bactericidal 
effect equivalent to chlorination. Clean and fill with potable water the cooling channels to prevent microorganisms, organic matter, and other 
materials. 
 Article 540  Handle container cooling waters that are recycled or reused in systems 
designed, operated, and maintained for that purpose, so there is no 
buildup of microorganisms, organic matter or other materials. 
 
Article 541.  System equipment such as pipelines, holding tanks and cooling 
towers, shall be constructed and installed in such way that can be cleaned and inspected. In addition, the establishment shall maintain 
and make available to Program employees for review, information on 
the following: 
 
1. System design and construction. 
 2. System operation, including the rates of renewal with fresh 
potable water and the water treating, so that there is a 
measurable residual at the point where the water exits the container cooling vessel. 
 
3. System maintenance shall include procedures for the cleaning 
and sanitizing procedures of the entire system. 
 
4. Water quality standards such as microbiological, physical and 
chemical, monitoring procedures, including the frequency and sites of sampling and the corrective actions taken when water 
does not reunite these standards of quality. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
POST PROCESS HANDLING OF CONTAINERS (CANS) 
 
Article 542  Handle containers in a manner that will prevent damages especially in 
the hermetic sealing area. 
 Article 543 Conveyors for transporting containers shall be from non-porous 
materials and built in such a manner that shall not retard, hit or 160 
 damage containers. Minimize abrasions particularly in the seal area. 
Containers should not remain stationary on moving conveyors. 
 
Article 544  Keep clean all post-processed container handling equipment so there 
is no buildup of microorganisms on surfaces in contact with the 
containers. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
PROCESSING AND PRODUCTION RECORDS FOR CANNED 
  Article 545  The establishment shall record the following information related to 
process and production: 
 
1. Date of production 
2. Product name and style 
3. Container code 4. Container size and type 
5. Process schedule including the minimum initial temperature 
 
Article 546  Record critical factors. In addition, when applicable shall record the 
following information: 
 
1. Steam process 
 
2. For each retort batch shall record:  
a. Retort number or other designation 
b. Approximate number of containers, or c. Number of retort crates per retort load 
d. Product initial temperature 
e. Start time steam entered on f. Start processing time  
Article 547 Read the thermometer and the temperature recorder at the same time, 
at least once during process timing and record observed temperatures. For each retort and lot shall record: 
 
1. The retort number or other designation 2. Approximate number of containers 
3. Number of crates per batch of retort load 
4. Product initial temperature 5. Time steam on 
6. Start process timing 
 
Article 548  Record all critical factors of the process schedule such as: initial 
temperature, cooking speed and final internal product temperature. 161 
  
Article 549 Identify process records by production date, container code, 
processing vessel number or other designation and other data that 
correlates. Make annotations at the ti me the specific event occurs and 
the recording individual shall sign each record form and date it. The 
establishment shall review the programmed against the achieved to 
ensure that product received adequate treatment within one working day.  
 
Article 550  An automatic system can be authorized individually or in combination 
with the manual form of monitoring and record previous request to the 
Food and Beverage Risk Control Department.   
 Article 551  Records can be kept of every examinations done to container closures, 
specifying the can code, date and hour of closures examinations, 
closure dimensions and any corrective action done. Records shall be signed by specialized technician not more than one day after the 
production date to ensure the operation control. 
 Article 552 Records shall be maintained identifying the initial distribution of the 
finished product to facilitate if necessary the segregation of adulterate 
products.  
 
Article 553  The HACCP plan and the quality control systems shall be approved 
and be available for the Inspection Service and all records shall be kept for two years in the establishment. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
DEVIATIONS IN THE CANNING PROCESS 
 
Article 554 Whenever the process is less t han the process schedule or when a 
critical factor does not comply with the requirements specified for this factor, it is considered that there is a deviation in the processing. When 
this occurs, manage the deviations under an establishment’s control 
program for such purpose. 
 
Article 555  If identifying a deviation in the process, the establishment shall: 
 
1. Reprocess immediately the product, following the process 
schedule. 
 
2. Hold the product and be advised by a processing authority to 
determine the safety and stability of the product. Upon completion 
of the product evaluation, the establishment shall provide the inspection Service the following: 
 162 
 a. A complete description of the deviation along with the 
basic documentation needed. 
b. A copy of the evaluation report. 
c. A description of actions taken with the product.  
3. Product handled under the conditions of this article shall not be 
shipped until the Inspection Service has reviewed and approved all information submitted. 
 
4. If an alternate process schedule is not recorded and approved by 
the Inspection Service, the product shall be set aside for further 
evaluation. 
 
Article 556  When a deviation occurs in a continuous rotary retort, the product shall 
be handled in accordance with paragraph 1, 3 and 4 of the previous 
article or in accordance with the following procedures: 
 
1. Emergency stops. When retort jams or breakdowns and the 
process has not completed, all the affected containers shall be removed, reprocessed or destroyed. 
 
2. When the timer of the retort reel stopped and the retort is used for 
an emergency process, shall note the temperature/time on the 
recording card and entered on other production records. 
  3. When the retort temperature drops below the specified in the 
process schedule the transportation reel shall be stopped and the 
following actions shall be taken: 
 
4. When drops 5.5
o C or 10o F or less: 
  
a. Shall be given an emergency process before connecting the 
new reel to enter new containers. 
 
b. Containers entered to the retort shall be applied an 
emergency agitating process before entry of new containers. 
 
c. Or prevent containers entry and the reel restarted to empty 
the retort. 
 
5. When temperature drops 5.5o C or 10o F or more shall proceed in 
the same form. 
 
Article 557  The establishment shall maintain a complete file with all the 
information regarding appropriate processing, corrective actions, 
production record, process assessment and results.    163 
  
TITLE XXXII 
OF THE INCUBATION CONDITIONS 
 Article 558  Incubation of canned product to be stored. The establishment shall 
provide incubation facilities that include temperature/time recording 
device, calibrators, air circulation system inside the incubator to prevent temperature variations, and means to prevent unauthorized 
entry. The Inspection Service is responsible for the security of the 
incubator. 
 
Article 559  The incubation temperature shall maintain at 35 + 2.8
oC or 95+ 5oF.   
Article 560  If the temperature falls below 32o C or 90o F or exceeds 38o C or 100o 
F but does not reach 39.50 C or 1030 F the incubator shall be adjusted 
to the required temperature and the product shall maintained in 
incubation for the time it was held out of the established range.  
Article 561 Terminate the test if temperature is above 39.50 C or 1030 F for more 
than two hours. Adjust the range and incubate new samples. 
Article 562 Products requiring incubation: 
1. Low acid products 2. Acidified low acid products 
 
Article 563  Incubation samples: From each load of product processed in a batch 
type thermal processing system (still or agitation), shall select at least 
one container for incubation. For continuous rotary retorts hydrostatic 
retorts or other continuous type thermal processing systems, shall 
select per system one container per 1,000 for incubation. 
 
Article 564  Incubation time. Shall not be less than 10 days (240 hours) under the 
specified conditions in this Title. 
Article 565  The establishment shall designate qualified personnel to daily check 
containers under incubation and notify the inspector when observing abnormal containers. They shall cool before a final decision. Maintain 
records for every incubation test, with the minimum data that will 
identify the lot. 
Article 566 All records shall be available to the Inspection Service and maintain 
the data for two years in the establishment. 
Article 567  When finding abnormal containers. T he finding of these causes official 
retention of the lot involved. 
Article 568 Ship no product until the incubation test has finished. Ship only normal 
appearing containers. 164 
 Article 569 Retain containers with abnormal appearance. They can be released if 
the inspector determines that the product is safe and stable. 
Article 570 All personnel shall be under direct  supervision of a person who has 
completed studies in canning operations. 
Article 571 Establishments shall prepare and maintain an agile and effective 
procedure for the recall of all canned product under the conditions of these regulations, if any. The procedure shall be available for review 
by the Inspection Service. 
 
TITLE XXXIII 
OF THE COMPOSITION OF CANNED MEAT PRODUCTS 
 
Article 572 Chili con Carne . Shall contain not less than 40% of meat computed 
on the weight of the fresh meat. Head meat, cheek meat, and heart 
meat may be used to the extent of 25% of the meat ingredients, under 
specific declaration on the label. The mixture may not contain more than 8%, either individual or collectively, cereal, vegetable starch, 
vegetable starch flour, soy flour, soy protein concentrate, isolated soy 
protein, dried milk, nonfat dry milk, whey nonfat dry, dry whey powder, whey reduced lactose, whey reduced minerals, whey protein 
concentrate milk, dried skim milk low in calcium. 
Article 573 Chile con carne with beans. Shall contain not less than 25% of meat 
computed on the weight of the fresh meat. Mechanically Separated 
deboned meat may be used and head, cheek, or heart meat may be 
used to the extent of 25% of the meat ingredients and the presence of these meats shall be reflected in the statement of declaration of the 
label. 
Article 574 Hash.  Shall contain not less than 35% of meat computed on the weight 
of the cooked and trimmed meat. The weight of the cooked meat used in this calculation shall not exce ed 70% of the weight of the uncooked 
fresh meat. Mechanically Separ ated deboned meat may be used. 
Article 575 Corned Beef Hash.  Semisolid food product in the form of a compact 
mass that is prepared with beef, potatoes, curing agents and 
seasonings. 
1. Either fresh beef, cured beef, or canned corned beef or a mixture 
of two or more of these ingredients may be used, and the finished 
product shall contain not less than 35% of beef computed on the 
weight of the cooked and trimmed bef. The weight of the cooked meat used in this calculation shall not exceed 70% of the weight 
of the uncooked fresh meat. 
2. “Potatoes” refers to fresh potatoes, dehydrated potatoes, cooked 
dehydrated potatoes, or a mixture of two or more of these ingredients.  165 
 3. The curing agents that may be used are salt, sodium nitrate, 
sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, or potassium nitrite, or a 
combination of two or more of these ingredients. When sodium 
nitrate, or sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, or potassium nitrite is used, it shall be in amounts not exceeding those specified in 
these regulations. 
4. The seasonings that may be used singly or in combination are 
salt, sugar (sucrose or dextrose), spice, and flavoring, including 
essential oils, oleoresins, and other extractives. 
5. It can contain one or more of the following optional ingredients: 
a. Beef cheek meat and beef head meat from which the 
overlaying glandular and connective tissues have been 
removed, and beef heart meat, exclusive of the heart cap. These meats may be used individually or collectively to the 
extent of 5% of the meat ingredients. 
b. Onions, including fresh onions, dehydrated onions, or onion 
powder. 
c. Garlic, including fresh garlic, dehydrated or powder. 
d. Water e. Beef broth or beef stock 
f. Monosodium glutamate 
g. Hydrolyzed plant protein h. Beef fat 
i. Mechanically Separated deboned meat from authorized 
establishments may be used. 
6. The finished product shall not contain more than 15% fat, or not 
more than 72% moisture. 
7. When any ingredient specified in this article, the label shall bear 
the following applicable statement: “Beef cheek meat constitutes 
5% of the meat ingredient” or “Beef heart meat constitutes 5% of 
the meat ingredient”. When two or more meat ingredients are used, the words “constitutes 5% of meat ingredient” need to appear only once. 
8. Shall appear in the label visibly and remarkable, without being 
brought any other written, printed or painted matter the words “corned beef hash” to identify the contents. 
 
Article 576 Meat stews . Meat stews such as “Beef stew” shall contain not less 
than 25% of meat of the specie named on the label and computed on 
the weight of the fresh meat. Mechanically Separated may be used if 
provided from authorized establishments for it. 
Article 577  Tamales . They shall be prepared with at least 25% meat of the specie 
named on the label and computed on the weight of the uncooked fresh 
meat in relation to all ingredients of the tamales. When packed in sauce or gravy, the name of the product shall include a prominent 
reference, for example: “Tamales with Sauce”, etc. Products labeled 166 
 this way shall contain not less than 20% computed meat of the weight 
of the uncooked fresh meat in relation of the total ingredients making 
up the tamales and sauce or gravy. Can use mechanically separated 
deboned meat if provided by establishments authorized for it. 
Article 578  Spaghetti meatballs and sauce, Sp aghetti with meat and sauce, 
and similar products.  These shall contain not less than 12% of meat 
computed on the weight of the fresh meat. May use mechanically 
Separated deboned meat if provided from authorized establishments. The presence of the sauce or grav y shall be on the label prominently 
as part of the name of the product. Meatballs may be prepared with not 
more than 12% individual or collectively of farinaceous materials, soy flour, soy protein concentrate, isolated soy protein, nonfat dry milk, 
dried skim milk low in calcium and similar substances. 
Article 579 Spaghetti sauce with meat : Spaghetti sauce with meat shall contain 
not less than 6% of meat computed on the weight of the uncooked 
fresh meat. Can use mechanically separated deboned meat if provided from authorized establishments. 
Article 580 Beans with frankfurters in  sauce, sauerkraut with wieners and 
juice, and similar products. They shall contain not less than 20% 
frankfurters or wieners computed on the weight of the smoked and cooked sausage prior to its inclusion with beans and sauerkraut.  
Article 581 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans 
with bacon in sauce, and similar products.  They shall contain not 
less than 12% of ham or bacon computed on the weight of the smoked ham or bacon prior to its inclusion with the beans and sauce. 
Article 582 Chow mein vegetables with meat, and chop suey vegetables with 
meat. They shall contain not less than 12% meat computed on the 
weight of the uncooked fresh meat prior to its inclusion with other 
ingredients. Can use mechanically separated deboned meat if provided from authorized establishments. 
Article 583 Meat pies. Shall contain meat of the species specified on the label, in 
an amount not less than 25% of all ingredients including crust and shall 
be computed on the basis of the fresh uncooked meat. 
Article 584 Meat extract or soup mixtures.  Shall contain no more than 25% 
humidity. 
Article 585 Deviled ham and similar products or Meat salads. Product made 
with fine shredded cured meat that contains seasonings. Can use 
mechanically separated deboned meat if provided from authorized 
establishments. Deviled ham may contain added fat, if the total fat content shall not exceed 30% of the finished product and the moisture 
content of deviled ham shall not exceed that of the fresh unprocessed 167 
 meat. It shall not contain cereal, vegetal flour, nonfat dry milk, or 
similar substances. The amount of water added to the canned food 
should be limited to that necessary to replace the moisture lost during 
the process. 
Article 586 Ham spread and similar products.  They shall contain not less than 
50% of the meat ingredient mentioned above computed on the weight 
of the fresh. Can use other meat and fat to give the desired spreading 
consistency, if do not detracts the nature of the spreads named. Can use mechanically separated deboned meat from approved 
establishments. 
Article 587  Food products characterized and labeled as liver products such as 
liver loaf, liver cheese, liver spread, liver mush, liver paste, and liver pudding shall contain not less than 30% of pork, beef, sheep, or goat livers. 
 
TITLE XXXIV 
OF THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR PACKAGE OF PROCESSED PRODUCTS 
 
CHAPTER I 
LABELS OR TAGS CONDITIONS 
 
Article 588 The placement of labels or tags on containers of all products shall 
appear on the main display panel as:  
1. In the case of rectangular package, a complete side, the area, this 
is at least height by the width of that side. 
2.  In the case of a cylindrical or almost cylindrical container: an area 
that is 40% of the height of the container of the product by the 
circumference of the container or a box, that its width is one third of the circumference and height, or if immediately to the right or left of 
the main display box there was a box with a width not greater than 
20% of the circumference. 
3. In the case of a container with any other form, 40% of the total 
surface of the container. 
 
Article 589  To determine the area of the main display box, shall exclude the lids, 
funds, flanks of the lids and bottoms of the cans, or bottlenecks. 
 Article 590  Label all products in a way that precisely describes their identity and 
composition. The product name shall specify the identity of the product 
(e.g., emulsified, finely chopped, etc.), and the name of the species. If the product is cooked, it shall be labeled as it. 
 168 
 Article 591 Declare in the label of any product when using Mechanically Separated 
boneless meat with the phrase: "(Species) deboned mechanically 
separated." The appropriate terminology on the label indicates if the 
heat treatment has been used in the preparation of the product. 
 
Article 592 Labels on natural casings of stuffed products shall identify the casing 
specie of origin, the identity of the casing or tripe, if required, shall be placed on the principal display panel or declaration of ingredients. The 
establishments that produce, process or use natural casings shall keep 
notes where documented the source of these casings. In the case of stuffing products in synthetic casings may ignore this fact in the 
product label. 
 
CHAPTER II 
DECLARATION OF INGREDIENTS 
 
Article 593  The label shall show a declaration of the ingredients of the product if it 
is made of two or more ingredients and these shall be listed by their 
common or usual names in descending order of their proportions. 
 
Article 594  All the ingredients present in individual amounts of 2% or less by 
weight may be listed in the declaration of ingredients in descending order of predominance. 
 
Article 595   These ingredients can be adjusted in the formulation of the product 
without a change in the statement of ingredients on the label, provided 
that the adjusted amount does not exceed the amount shown on the 
statement of quantification. Any adjustment to the formulation must be provided to the Inspection Service. 
  
Article 596   The terms spice, natural flavor, natural flavoring, taste or flavor can be 
used in the following manner: 
 
1. The term "spice" means any aromatic vegetable substance in 
whole, ground or cut, with the exceptions of onions, garlic and celery, whose primary function in food is seasoning rather than 
nutritional and from which any portion of any volatile oil or other 
flavoring principle has been removed. 
2. The term "natural flavor”, “natural flavoring," "flavor" or "flavoring" 
means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extract, distillate or 
any product containing the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, 
herb, bark, yolk, root, leaf or any edible portion of a plant, meat, 
seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermenting products whose primary role in the food is as flavoring rather than 
nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extracts 169 
 obtained from plants. The term natural flavor, natural flavoring, 
taste and flavor can also be used to designate spices, onion 
powder, garlic powder and celery powder. 
3.  Any ingredient not mentioned in numbers (1) and (2) of this 
article, and whose function is to pr ovide flavor, in whole or in part, 
must be noted on the label by their common or usual name. 
 
Article 597   When adding artificial flavorings and colorings it shall appear on the 
label in prominent letters and contiguous to the product name a 
statement such as "artificial smoke flavor added" or "smoke flavor added," as applicable and declaration of ingredients will identify any 
artificial flavor or color. 
 
Article 598   When adding antioxidants, chemical preservatives and other additives, 
it shall appear on the label in prominent letters and contiguous to the 
product name, a statement showing the name of the antioxidant and the purpose for which it is added. For example, "BHA added to help 
protect the taste", do the same with chemical additives, naming the 
additive and the purpose of its use. Any other approved substance that can be used in the product must be included in the statement. 
 
CHAPTER III 
AMOUNT OF CONTENT 
 
Article 599  The label shall carry accurate information of the net amount of content 
in terms of weight or measure. It must not be false or misleading. 
 
Article 600  The net weight marked on the containers of the products shall be the 
net weight of products without the weight of materials of wet or dry 
packaging materials and wrapping materials. 
 Article 601  The declaration of the contents net quantity shall appear on the 
principal display panel of all containers to be sold intact to detail, 
printed in black letters that shall stand out and easy to read in 
distinctive contrast to other matters on the package. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
CONDITIONS OF WEIGHING EQUIPMENT  
 
Article 602   All equipment used in the establishments to weigh ingredients and 
products to be sold or otherwise distributed in commerce shall be installed, maintained and operated to ensure accurate weights. 
 
Article 603  The establishment shall conduct reliable tests of its weighing system 
on a regular basis and may include a certification of a commercial firm 
recognized or authorized to do so. 170 
  
Article 604  The establishment shall keep all records relating to adjustments and 
deviations found. 
 
CHAPTER V 
CODES OF PACKING 
 Article 606       Mark permanently and clearly with a code or other defined system all 
canned products. This shall have the content identity information and 
the canning date. Products bottled in glass jars do not require to be marked with the date of filling, if such information appears on the 
packing. 
 Article 607  All trademarks used as a code or other systems used shall be sent to 
the Inspection Service containing their meaning. 
 Article 608  All national processed products destined for export require the 
approval of the label for printing which may be in the language required 
by the country of destiny. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
RELABELING 
 
Article 609  When an establishment requires relabeling a product, due to mutilated 
or damaged tags, or for any other reason need be relabeling, shall make a written request to the Food and Beverage Risk Control 
Department with the reasons for its request and the number of labels 
required. Labels for such products shall not be removed from the approved establishment until it receives permission from the 
Department. An Official Inspector will supervise the relabeling. 
 
TITLE XXXV 
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 
 
Article 610  All processed products shall have the nutrition information on the label, 
except for those that contain only meat as an ingredient, which may be 
placed on a voluntary form. 
 Article 611.  Place nutritional information on an exclusive chart for it on the label 
and shall be visible and legible. It can be permitted to place in small 
labels, a special one for this information on the product container. 
 
Article 612  All the nutrients and components shall be declared in this section, such 
as protein, fat, calories, saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, and trans cholesterol, total carbohydrates, fiber, 
sugar, and vitamins and minerals included. This list is not limited to 171 
 these; the information can be considered to what the establishment 
wants to express. 
 
Article 613   All information on nutrients shall be determined based on the product 
packed or product consumed, expressed in weight proportion or 
quantity per service. 
 Article 614  Express all nutrient values, meas ured by weight and / or percentages 
based on nutritional value of the units recognized internationally. 
 Article 615  The nutritional information declared will base on analysis of products in 
recognized laboratories nationally or internationally, and previously 
approved by SESPAS. These shall be available to the Inspection Service for at least two years or until the product has a new 
formulation. 
 Article 616  All products of national or foreign process shall have on its label the 
nutrition information in Spanish. 
 Article 617   Express all details of the nutritional information clearly and in detail in 
the monograph of the application for product approval provided to 
SESPAS. 
 
TITLE XXXVI 
OF THE TREATMENT OF PORK MEAT WITH TRICHINAE 
AND PRODUCTS CONTAINING PORK MEAT 
 
Article 618  All products containing pork muscle tissue shall make a treatment for 
the elimination of trichinae except those that suffer a cooking process 
enough to ensure their destruction, carried out by the consumer or in 
their elaboration. 
 Article 619 All products that contain pork muscle tissue, must pass through an 
effective process of heating, cooling or curing to destroy any possible 
trichinae alive. Such as: dried or smoked sausage, ground meat mixture seasoned, mortadella, cured sausages, cooked meat roll, 
grilled ham, baked ham, boiled ham, smoked cured pork tips or 
boneless, coppa, capocollo, and similar cuts with pork meat in natural or synthetic casings, breaded, bacon, meat mixtures containing pork. 
SESPAS shall approve all process me thods to ensure the destruction 
of any presence of the parasite in the raw pork meat. 
 
CHAPTER I 
HEATING 
 172 
 Article 620  All parts of the pork muscle tissue shall be heated according to one of 
the time and temperature combinations established in the following 
table: 
 
Minimum Internal 
Temperature 
In 0 Celsius Minimum Internal 
Temperature 
In 0 Fahrenheit Minimum time  
of  
exposition 
49 120 21 hours 
50 122 9.5 hours 
51.1 124 4.5 hours 
52.2 126 2 hours 
53.4 128 1 hour 
54.5 130 30 minutes 
55.6 132 15 minutes 
56.7 134 6 minutes 
57.8 136 3 minutes 
58.9 138 2 minutes 
60 140 1 minute 
61.1 142 1 minute 
62.2 144 instantaneous 
 Article 621   The time and temperature shall be monitored and recorded by a 
calibrated instrument. 
 Article 622  During the treatment, the time to raise product temperature from 15.6
0 
C or 600 F to 490 C or 1200 F shall not exceed two hours unless the 
product is cured or fermented. 
 
Article 623  Treatments above 58.90 C or 1380 F with their respective times need 
not be monitored if the thickness of the product does not exceed two inches and the refrigeration of the product does not begin within 5 
minutes before having reached the temperature. 
 Article 624   All procedures that ensure proper heating of all parts of the product 
shall be applied; it is important that each piece of the product treated 
with hot water is maintained entirely submerged throughout the heating period, considering all the pieces that have been placed in the coolest 
parts of the heating compartment. 
 
CHAPTER II 
REFRIGERATION 
 Article 625  Pork meat used for the preparation of the products must be kept 
refrigerated all time to not above 4.4
0C or 400F frozen and all products 
produced with it are subject to a specific temperature depending on the 173 
 thickness of the meat or the size of the product or container for 
treatment. 
 
Article 626 Required period of freezing at temperature indicated. 
 
Temperature in   
0 Celsius Temperature in  
0 Fahrenheit Group 1 
(days) Group 2 
(days) 
-15 5 20 30 
-23.3 -10 10 20 
-28.9 -20 6 12 
 
 
Article 627   Group 1 includes product in separate pieces not exceeding 6 inches in 
thickness or arranged on separated racks with the layers not 
exceeding 6 inches in depth, or stored in crates or boxes not 
exceeding 6 inches in depth, or stored as solidly frozen blocks not exceeding 6 inches in thickness. 
 
Article 628   Group 2 includes product in pieces, layers or within containers in which 
the thickness exceeds 6 inches but not 27 inches, as well as products 
in containers including tierces, barrels, kegs and cartons that have a 
thickness not exceeding 27 inches. 
 
Article 629   The products submitted to treatment temperatures or their containers 
shall be spaced in the freezer to enable the free circulation of air between the pieces of meat, layers, blocks, boxes, barrels and drums 
so that the temperature of the meat throughout will be promptly 
reduced to not higher than the temperature for treatment above mentioned. 
 
Article 630   There are alternate periods of freezing, dry and vacuum; these 
temperatures shall be reached in the center of the pieces of meat: 
 
Maximum Internal 
Temperature in 
0Celsius Maximum Internal 
Temperature in 0Fahrenheit Minimum Time 
( hours) 
-17.8 0 106 
-20.6 -5 82 
-23.3 -10 63 
-26.1 -15 48 
-28.9 -20 35 
-31.7 -25 22 
-34.5 -30 8 
-37.2 -35 1/2 
  174 
 Article 631   During the treatment period the product shall be kept in custody by the 
Inspection Service, and separated from other products in a safe form 
with seals, marks or lock to comply with the temperature and time 
required. 
 
Article 632   The equipment to measure the temperature of the refrigerating 
chambers shall be accurate and be placed at or above the highest level at which the products are stored and away from the coils or 
refrigerating equipment. 
 Article 633   Pork meat or its products may be used or commercialized after having 
fulfilled their treatment. 
 
CHAPTER III 
CURING 
 Article 634  The sausage can be stuffed in synthetic casings or cloth bags, in any 
case to treat the destruction of trichina; these casings shall not be 
coated in paraffin or any similar substance, nor shall any sausage be washed during any prescribed period of drying. In the preparation of 
sausage, any of the following methods may be used: 
 
Method 1 . The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not 
exceeding three fourths of an inch in diameter. Mix 
thoroughly with a curing mixture containing not less than 3.33 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of unstuffed sausage. 
After stuffed, sausages shall not exceed 3.5 inches in 
diameter and shall maintain in a drying room for a period not less than 20 days, at a temperature not less than 7.2
0 
C or 450 F. Except for sausages known as pepperoni, if 
the casings do not exceed 1 3/8 inches in diameter measured at the time of stuffing, the drying period may be 15 days. In no case, however, the sausages shall be 
released from the drying room in less than 25 days from 
the time the curing materials are added, except pepperoni. Sausages exceeding 3.5 inches in diameter, but not 4 
inches shall remain in the drying room at least 35 days at 
a temperature not less than 7.2
0 C or 450 F, and in no 
case the sausage shall be released from the drying room 
in less than 40 days from the date of curing. 
 Method 2.   The meat for sausage shall be prepared and stuffed in the 
same way that in method 1. Sausages with a diameter not 
exceeding 3.5 inches stuffed, shall be smoked at least 40 hours at a temperature not less than 26.6
0 C or 800 F. 
Finally held in a drying room not less than 10 days at a 175 
 temperature not less than 7.20 C or 450 F. Sausages shall 
not be removed less than 18 days from the time the curing 
materials are added to the meat. Those exceeding 3.5 
inches, but not 4 in diameter will be smoked in the same way as above indicated; drying at least 25 days, but in no 
case shall be released from drying room in less than 33 
days from the time the curing materials are added to the meat. 
 
Method 3.   The sausage meat shall be prepared in the same way that 
in method 1, after being mixed with salt and other curing 
materials and before stuffing the mixture shall be kept at a 
temperature not less than 1
0 C or 340 F at least 36 hours. 
After being stuffed, sausages shall be held at a 
temperature not less than 10 C or 340 F for a sufficient 
period to make a total of not less than 144 hours from the time of curing. Shall held for a specific time in brine for at 
least 50
0 strength (salometer reading) at a temperature 
not lower than 6.60 C or 440 F. Sausages not exceeding 
3.5 inches in diameter shall be smoked at least 12 hours. 
The temperature at the smokehouse during this period 
shall never be lower than 32.20 C or 900 F. For 4 
consecutive hours during this period the smokehouse 
shall be maintained at a temperature not lower than 53.30 
C or 1280 F. Sausages exceeding 3.5 inches in diameter, 
but not exceeding 4 will be smoked for not less than 15 
hours, and shall never be lower than 32.20 C or 900 F. For 
7 consecutive hours the smokehouse shall be maintained at a temperature not lower than 53.3
0 C or 1280 F, having 
this temperature being attained gradually during a period 
not less than 4 hours. 
 Method 4. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not 
exceeding one fourth of an inch in diameter. This meat 
shall be mixed with a dry-curing mixture with not less than 2.5 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of sausage not stuffed. 
This mixture before stuffing will remain as a compact 
mass not more than 6 inches in depth at a temperature not lower than 2.2
0 C or 360 F for at least 10 days. At the 
termination of the holding period shall be stuffed in 
casings not exceeding 3.5 inches in diameter. After stuffed, hold in a drying room at a temperature not lower 
than 7.2
0 C or 450 F for a 35-day period measured from 
the time of curing. If deemed appropriate by the establishment, the product may be heated in a water bath 
not exceeding 3 hours, at a temperature over 29.4
0 C or 176 
 850 F, or subject to smoke at a temperature not less than 
26.60 C or 800 F. All the former shall be additional to the 
period of 35 days specified in the method. 
 Method 5.   The meat for sausage shall be prepared, cured and 
stuffed the same way that in method 1. After stuffed, shall 
be held not less than 65 days at a temperature not lower than 7.2
0 C o 450 F. Sausages prepared with this method 
may be coated at any stage of the preparation before or 
during the holding period with paraffin or other substance approved. 
 
Method 6.  The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not 
exceeding three-fourths of an inch in diameter; this meat 
will be mixed with a dry-cured mixture with not less than 
3.33 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of unstuffed sausage, excluding the weight of dry ingredients. After mixture, 
sausage shall be held for two steps: holding and drying. 
Holding period shall be maintained for a minimum of 48 hours with a temperature of not less than 1.7
0 C or 350 F, 
may be fulfilled before or after the drying period. During 
the drying period the sausage shall be held in a drying room at a temperature not lower than -12.2
0 C or 100 F for 
the period of time established in the following table: 
 
Diameter of product at time of packing 
(in inches) Up to: Days of drying  
in drying room 
1 14 
1.5 15 
2 16 
2.5 18 
3 20 
3.5 23 
4 25 
4.5 30 
5 35 
5.5 43 
6 50 
 
 
Reducing the time while hanging; sausage may be smoked or fermented. If the temperature increases to 21.1
0 C or 700 F or higher, 
while the sausage hangs, subsequent drying times may reduce according to the following chart: 
 
 177 
 Minimum 
time 
(hours) 21.10C 
or 700 F 23.90C 
or 750 F 26.60C 
or 800 F 29.40 C 
or 850 F 32.20 C 
or 900 F 
24 4* 5 8 10 15 
48 9 12 18 25 35 
72 14 19 28 39 55 
96 19 26 38 53 75 
120 24 33 48 67 95 
 
 
Minimum 
time 
(hours) 350C 
or 950 F 37.90C 
or 1000 F 40.60C 
or 1050 F 43.30 C 
or 1100 F 48.90 C 
or 1200 F 
24 23 37 57 90 100 
48 49 88 100 100 100 
72 74 100 100 100 100 
96 98 100 100 100 100 
120 100 100 100 100 100 
 
 
* Results from the above table are expressed in percentage of time 
reduction.  
The trichina is destroyed during fermentation or smoking at the 
temperature and time indicated. Reason why no drying period is required in the room for products thus treated. 
 
Article 635 .  A reduced salt content of less than 3.33 pounds per 100 pounds of mix 
for sausage including the dry ingredients may be permitted if the drying 
time is increased according to the following table: 
 
Minimum pounds  
of salt added Increase in drying  time 
(%) 
3.2 4 
3.1 7 
3 10 
2.9 13 
2.8 16 
2.7 19 
2.6 22 
2.5 25 
2.4 28 
2.3 31 
2.2 34 
2.1 37 178 
 Minimum pounds  
of salt added Increase in drying  time 
(%) 
2 40 
 
Article 636   Capocollo (capacola). Boneless pork butts shall be cured in a dry-
curing mixture containing not less than 4.5 pounds of salt per 100 
pounds of meat, for a period not less than 25 days and a temperature 
not less than 2.20 C or 360 F. During or after curing, meat shall not be 
subject to any treatment with the purpose of removing the salt, except 
superficial washing. After being stuffed, the product shall smoke for a 
period not less than 30 hours at a temperature not lower than 26.60 C 
or 800 F, and shall finally be held in a drying room not less than 20 
days at a temperature not lower than 7.20 C or 450 F. 
 Article 637   Coppa. Boneless pork butts shall cure in a dry-curing mixture 
containing not less than 4.5 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of meat, for 
a period not less than 18 days, at a temperature not less than 2.2
0 C or 
360 F. During or after curing, meat shall not be subject to any treatment 
with the purpose of removing the salt, except superficial washing. After 
being stuffed, the product shall hold in a drying room not less than 35 days at a temperature not lower than 7.2
0 C or 450 F. 
 
Article 638  Hams and pork shoulder picnics. One of the methods below shall be 
used: 
 
Method 1 .  Hams and shoulder picnics shall cure in a dry-cured 
mixture not less than 40 days at a temperature no lower than 2.2
0 C or 360 F. These cuts shall be laid down in salt, 
using not less than 4 pounds per 100 pounds of meat, the salt being applied in a thorough manner to the product 
and can be washed with brine. At least once the product 
shall apply additional salt to be completely covered. After removal from curing, the products may be soaked in water at a temperature not higher than 21.1
0 C or 700 F for not 
more than 15 hours, the water at this point may be 
changed once, but shall not be subjected to any treatment with the purpose of removing the salt, except that 
superficial washing may be allowed. The products shall 
finally be dried or smoked not less than 10 days and at a temperature not lower than 35
0 C or 950 F. 
 
Method 2 .  The products shall cure by a dry-curing process at a 
temperature not less than 2.20 C or 360 F for a period not 
less than 3 days per pound of raw product. The curing 
time is calculated based on the weight of the heavier product. Before placed in curing they shall be covered in 179 
 brine of less than 100 degrees of concentration injecting 4 
ounces of the solution in the leg and an equal amount 
along the lateral side of the bone (femur). The products 
shall be placed in the salt at a concentration and applications equal to method 1 only that soak shall be no 
longer than 4 hours. The products will be dried and 
smoked at least 48 hours at a temperature not less than 26.6
0 C or 800 F and finally held in a drying area not less 
than 20 days at a temperature not lower than 7.20 C or 450 
F. 
 
Method 3 .  Products weighing 20 pounds shall be cured by dry-salt 
process at a temperature not lower than 1.70 C or 350 F for 
45 days covered with salt. For every pound weigh over 20 
pounds shall add two days. The time required for the 
equalization shall be replaced by the time the product is covered with salt. Equalization time is the process salt 
diffusion in the meat once the excess salt is removed. The 
product shall be overhauled at least once during the curing and shall be covered with fresh salt again. Wash 
with brine not less than 100
0 of concentration or strength. 
Excess salt must be removed by washing or air pressure, not allowing any other treatment. After cured, must be 
dried and smoked, or both, as provided in the table below: 
 
Minimum temperature in 
the drying room in 
0Celsius Minimum temperature in 
the drying room in 
0Fahrenheit Minimum days after 
curing 
54.4 130 1.5 
51.7 125 2 
48.9 120 3 
46.1 115 4 
43.3 110 5 
40.6 105 6 
37.8 100 7 
35 95 9 
32.2 90 11 
29.4 85 18 
26.7 80 25 
23.9 75 35 
 
Article 639   Loins and loin ends. In lieu of heating or refrigeration to destroy 
possible trichina, curing may be done for a period not less than 25 days at a temperature not lower than 2.2
0 C o 360 F,  by the use of one 
of the following methods: 
 180 
 Method 1 .  Application of a dry-salt curing mixture, containing not less 
than 5 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of meat. 
 
Method 2 . Application of a brine solution with not less than 800 
concentration on the basis of not less than 60 pounds of 
pickle per 100 pounds of meat. 
 Method 3. Application of a solution of brine added to the dry-salt cure 
approved, provided the brine solution is not less than 80
0 
in concentration. After removal from cure, the loins may be soaked in water for no more than one hour, at a 
temperature not higher than 21.1
0 C or 700 F or washed 
under spraying, but during or after the curing process shall not be submitted to any other treatment to remove the 
salt. After curing loins are smoked for at least 12 hours, 
the temperature of the smokehouse at no time shall be lower than 37.8
0 C or 1000 F, and for 4 consecutive hours 
of this period the smokehouse shall be maintained at a 
temperature not lower than 51.70 C or 1250 F. The final 
product shall be held in the drying room for a period not 
less than 12 days at a temperature not lower than 7.20 C 
or 450 F. 
 
Paragraph 1 . SESPAS may consider any procedure or additional 
process that establishments may submit and may be approved once they are reviewed and determined to provide treatment security and 
that can be monitored and properly documented. This new procedure 
for approval must count on with an experimental protocol described in detail. The establishment must have the necessary measuring 
equipment for all areas. 
 
Article 640   The Inspection Service may approve or not the equipment used by the 
establishing to measure temperature, salt concentration, time or others 
in any of the methods used and may reject them or request their 
replacement, with the result of suspending or reject the treatment being conducted according to the allowed. 
 
Article 641   For the procedure on the analysis of trichinae using the digestion 
technique for a pool of samples, it shall consider the following: 
 
1.  Identify each sample correctly, as the backing samples, and 
separate them from others. 
 
2.  Shall use SESPAS official laborat ory for analysis of samples, or a 
laboratory officially accredited for this purpose.  
 181 
 3.  The samples shall be not less than 5 grams of diaphragm muscle 
or tongue of each carcass and not less than 10 grams of other 
muscles. The pool should not exceed 100 grams. Personnel of the 
establishment under official supervision can take these samples.  
 
4.  All carcasses or products sampled, or those lots within the pool 
shall not be released until the result of the analysis is negative to trichina. 
 
TITLE XXXVII 
OF OTHER PROCESSED PRODUCTS 
 
Article 642   Pizzas with meat or stuffing.  It is a product of meat on a base of 
bread with tomato sauce and cheese. Shall contain cooked meat 
prepared with not less than 15% of raw meat or 12% of cooked stuffing 
or 10% of dry stuffing. It is allowed the use of mechanically separated deboned meat. 
 
Article 643  Margarine and oleomargarine . This can be found in a plastic form or 
liquid emulsion, containing not less than 80% fat, of vegetable or 
animal from beef, lamb or pork. It may contain: 
 
1.  Water, milk, dairy products such as liquid, condensed or dry form of 
whey, reduced lactose whey, reduced minerals whey, whey protein 
concentrate, non-lactose-containing whey components, casein, or caseinate; or other suitable edible protein including albumin, or soy 
protein isolated, or mixture of them. These shall be pasteurized and 
may be subjected to the action of harmless bacterial starters to form a solidified or liquid emulsion with the fat or oil ingredients.  
 
2.  Vitamin A, in such quantity that the finished margarine contains not 
less than 15,000 IU (international units) per pound, or 33,000 IU per kilogram of product.  
 
3.  Vitamin D, in such quantity that the finished margarine will contain 
not less than 1500 IU per pound or 3,300 IU per kilogram of 
product.  
 4.  Salt as sodium chloride or potassium chloride for dietary margarine 
or oleomargarine.  
 5. Nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners, emulsifiers, antioxidants, 
coloring agents, flavors, acidulants, alkalizes permitted in quantities 
sufficient for this purpose 
 182 
 Article 644   Mixed fat shortening . Mixture of pork fat and vegetable oils. 
Depending on the predominance of fat and oils used, the product can 
be labeled "Shortening made from…" and may contain other 
ingredients that are listed in descending order of their predominance. 
 
Article 645 Lard, leaf lard . Lard is the fat rendered from clean and sound edible 
tissues from swine; they may be fresh, frozen, cooked, or prepared by other processes approved in specific cases that shall not result in the 
adulteration of the lard. The tissues shall be reasonable free from 
blood, and shall not include stomachs, livers, spleens, kidneys, and brains, or settlings and skimmings. Leaf lard is lard prepared from 
fresh abdominal fat. Lard may be hardened using lard stearin or 
hydrogenated lard or both and may contained refined or deodorized lard. The characteristics of the products shall be: 
 
1. White color when solid  
2. Free from foreign odors and flavors 
 3. Moisture 0.2% maximum 
 
4. Maximum of 0.05% insoluble impurities  
The process of obtaining lard shall be by clarification through cooking 
with approved equipment but ensuring it reaches a temperature of 76.7
0 C or 1700 F for a period not less than 30 minutes. 
 
Article 646 Rendered animal fat or mixed.  It shall contain no added water, 
except that puff pastry shortening that may contain no more than 10% 
of water.  
 Article 647.  Fluid extract of meats . Shall contain no more than 50% of moisture. 
 
TITLE XXXVIII 
PACKING MATERIAL 
 
Article 648.   Packing material used for food products shall not contain any 
substance in its composition or other poisonous substance that appears and causes a disturbance or  an issue to consumer health.  
 
Article 649.   Packing material shall be accompanied by a certification or safety 
declaration in writing from supplier that matches the name or 
commercial signature that distributes it when entering an approved 
establishment. The guarantee is limited to each shipment and for each product particularly.  
 183 
 Article 650 .  The certification or safety declaration of packaging materials that are 
received in an approved establishment shall contain the information 
required by the competent authority for it usage in food. 
 Article 651 .  The information required from the packaging material supplier shall be, 
but not limited to: 
 
1. Name of the manufacturer 
2. Product trade name and product code 
3. Chemical composition of packaging materials  4. The recommended use of the product  
5.  Specific conditions of storage 
 Article 652   The establishment will grant a reasonable time not exceeding 30 days 
after receiving the shipment of packing material, so that the supplier 
delivers all the information required. The Inspection Service shall ensure the retention of the lots of products received until the 
information has been received and indicate that the lots are suitable to 
be use. 
 
Article 653   If the establishment uses packing material without guarantee from the 
supplier or without the necessary information for its use, the Inspection Service may retain or reject the lot of packing material that 
corresponds or product where packed, since it represents a threat to 
consumer health.  
 
Article 654   Shall ensure that the packing material comes free from dust, moisture, 
and is essential to arrive in its original packing, free of ruptures.  
 
Article 655   The storage of packing materials shall be done in a specific area for it 
and separated from any other area, which shall be closed, dry and easy to clean, and be clearly identified. They shall be stacked according to the specifications of the manufacturer. 
 
TITLE XXXIX 
OF THE ADMISSIBILITY OF THE SYSTEM 
OF INSPECTION AND IMPORTS 
 
Article 656  The entry or admission of meat products and meat byproducts into the 
country will be through SESPAS and the Secretary of State of 
Agriculture, which are the authorities responsible for establishing the procedures and for which they have their respective attributions. 
 
Article 657  Countries wishing to export their meat products to the Dominican 
Republic, shall apply by written communication to both Secretaries of 
State. Secretary of State for Agriculture shall control the health status, 184 
 evaluation of the veterinary services in animal health, their animal 
health programs and disease control. SESPAS shall control the 
Inspection Services, all the controls to establish within the slaughter 
establishments and the meat products process, their laboratories and analysis of chemical and microbiol ogical residues. For first time 
applications shall require to conduct out a verification of the operation 
system in origin and this shall be done by personnel of both Secretaries of State. To extend an authorization or renewal of 
slaughter establishments or meat products process when deemed 
appropriate shall be through SESPAS only. The countries will be informed if they require more information.  
 
Article 658.  Countries wishing to export to the Dominican Republic meat products 
and byproducts shall have an equivalent system according to the terms 
of these regulations. 
 Article 659.  All the required documents shall be written in Spanish. 
  
Article 660.  No product or byproduct shall be allowed to enter into the country if the 
approval of their country of origin and establishments has not been 
completed in accordance with this Title.   
 Article 661.  SESPAS will emit an answer as equivalent or not, in a reasonable time 
when completed the study of documentation and verification of origin, 
referring to the appropriate authorities of the requesting country and previous approval of the application by the Secretary of State of 
Agriculture. SESPAS shall emit a certificate with the list of 
establishments and products approved for import.   
 
 Article 662.  When a country changes their health status or has any modification in 
their systems that affect the equivalence, the competent authorities will have the authorization at any time to stop temporarily imports of products from that country until it is proven that there is no health risk 
and that the new measures are still equivalent.  
 Article 663.  All product considered in these regulations shall be inspected when 
entering the customs office of t he country by SESPAS Inspection 
Service in order to allow their entry and trading in the country. 
 
1.  The inspector shall conduct a visual inspection of products, 
inspecting appearance and general condition.  
 
2.  There shall be an observation on seals and tags located in 
containers and product packaging, ensuring that match those in the certificate of entry of the product and that comply with the required 
by laws and regulations of the country for that purpose. 185 
   
3.  The inspector is empowered to sample the product at no cost, for 
their laboratory analysis, when considers necessary to determine 
their sanitary status. 
  
4.  No product that requires inspection under these regulations shall be 
authorized to mobilize or leave the port and the customs office where it entered into the country without permission and approval 
of the personnel of SESPAS.  
 5. The consignee or his agent shall provide all facilities and 
assistance for the handling and marking of products that may 
require during the inspection, and shall pay the costs involving the procedures applied for their products during this inspection. 
 
Article 664   The inspection personnel of SESPAS is empowered to reject entry of 
any meat product that is considered non-suitable for human 
consumption or which constitutes a health risk to the country. In this 
case, the Inspector of SESPAS shall place to the packaging of the products a stamp with a legend that says "R.D.Rejected”. Shall inform 
by written communication to the Representative of the Custom Office 
that the shipment must be returned to their country of origin within a period not exceeding 45 days, or may request their destruction or 
denaturation immediately according to the sanitary risk that represents. 
Considering the following: 
 
1.  Shall allow voluntary destruction of the product by the owner or 
consignee if decides for commercial purposes, and may allow its transformation into animal feed; this procedure shall be carried out 
under the control of SESPAS, as their transfer to the authorized 
establishment that shall process it. 
  2.  Expenses involving the product devolution to the country of origin, 
sampling and process of destruction or denaturation shall be borne 
by the owner or consignee.  
 
3.  Shall not divide or subdivide rejected lots to suit the owner or 
consignee.  
 
4.  The products cannot be ship back through another port other than 
from the same used to enter the country without the consent of SESPAS.  
 
5.  If the owner or consignee fails to take the actions required for 
rejected products, SESPAS shall take the actions needed for the 186 
 destruction of the product and by legal means that empowers shall 
require the responsible pay of the cost incurred in this action.  
 
6.  Product previously rejected shall not enter again into the country 
under any circumstances. 
 
TITLE XL 
OF THE INFRACTIONS AND SANCTIONS 
 
Article 665  Violations to the precepts of these regulations and other dispositions 
arising thereof, shall be sanctioned by the Secretary of State of Public 
Health and Social Assistance (SESPAS) through the Directorate 
General of Environmental Health, without prejudice to the corresponding to the courts, where constitutive of crime.  
 
Article 666  SESPAS can take the following penalties according to the severity of 
the fault: 
 
1.  Regulatory Action. When detaining a product, rejecting equipment 
or facilities, stop or slow the process velocity or reject the process 
of a particular product. A rejected card or retained card may 
indicate this action.  
 
2.  Partial withdrawal of the inspection. When suspending inspection 
activities, the use of official seals and marks to a particular process in a certain area of the establishment that may be 
temporary or permanent according to the type of fault that has 
been committed.  
 
3.  Closing of the establishment. When the Inspection Service 
determines that the establishment shall not be processing because the product is not considered suitable for human consumption, this closure can be temporary or permanent 
according to the type of fault that has been committed. 
 
Article 667  When the Inspection Service considers applying number 3 from 
previous article shall notify immediately the Food and Beverage Risk 
Control Department and obtain authorization to implement this sanction and deliver it in writing to the responsible of the 
establishment. When the inspector has to apply number 2 from the 
previous article shall notify and consign in his record book. 
 
Article 668   Considered as minor faults that deserve regulatory action are those 
that do not interfere with the process or handling of the products inspected and approved for human consumption, such as: 
 187 
 1.  Equipment and utensils with some visible cleaning and 
disinfection deficiencies. 
 
2.  Lack of information provided to the Inspection Service.  
 
3. Minor sanitary faults in the establishment. 
 4.  A slight fault in the non-humanitarian treatment of animals for 
slaughter.  
 
5.  Others that by their nature do not threaten the food. 
 
Article 669   Considered as less serious faults are those that deserve the partial 
withdrawal of the inspection, as in the following cases: 
 
1.  The persistence of a minor fault in the following fifteen (15) days 
of notification.  
 
2.  The interference on the work of the Inspection Service by the 
company or their employees.  
 
3.  When a critical point is not under control, or the controls are not 
adequate.  
 
4.  When the raw material source is not known.   
5.  The loss of efficiency of several equipments that mean direct 
danger to the food.  
 
6.  The establishment is not conducting the sampling for E. coli.  
 7.  The establishment has failed in the results for Salmonella.   
8.  When the establishment does not send a product that the 
Inspection Service has marked as condemned to the digester for its destruction. 
 
9.  The establishment is not applying or modifying correctly the 
HACCP and SSOP.  
 
10.  Others that by its nature affect directly the product.  
Article 670   Considered as serious faults ar e those where proceeds closure of the 
establishment or definitive suspension by the Inspection Service when: 
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 1.  A minor fault with three consecutive notifications not corrected by 
the company.  
 
2.  Repetition of a fault considered less serious.   
3.  Fails applying the HACCP system procedures as required by 
these regulations.  
 
4.  Fails applying the SSOP procedures.  
 5.  If the REJECTED or DETAINED card placed by the Inspector 
Officer in any local, product, equipment, or other device is 
removed without authorization.  
 
6.  The company or its employees that interfere with the Inspection 
Service and sends to the consumer products out of the patterns demanded or fraudulent.  
 
7.  There is presence of pathogenic organisms in the products 
produced at levels that may affect consumers’ health.  
 
8.  Serious faults in human treatment produced in the slaughter of 
animals.  
 
9.  Loss of control of the maintenance measures for the environment.   
10.  Violation of the sanitary norms established, putting economic 
arguments.  
 
11.  There is open interference with the Inspection Service by 
intimidation, assault, attack or attempted assault or attack on the officials.   
12.  Meat products that have not been authorized for the human 
consumption are sold or transported for national consumption or the export. 
 
13.  Improperly use or forge a mark, seal, label or letterhead, or any 
other means used to identify meat products.  
 
14.  Other causes take place that by their specific nature seriously 
affect the quality and food safety. 
  
Article 671  The application of sanctions will be as follows: 
 189 
 1.  When the applied sanction is by infraction of minor offense or a 
regulatory action is applied shall make an oral and written 
warning.  
 2.  When the applied sanction is by infraction of less serious offense, 
the Inspection Service will give written evidence on the attempt of 
suspension of the Inspection to the establishment. In a term no greater to forty-eight (48) hours must notify to the competent 
authority that the fault has been corrected and the application of a 
preventive procedure for their non-recurrence. Otherwise, proceed to the temporary suspension of Inspection Services.  
 
3.  When the committed faults are serious, it shall be applied the 
closing of the establishment without notice, until the management 
signs a commitment of cooperation with SESPAS to comply with 
the precepts contained in these regulations and that the faults are clearly corrected, until then no work shall be allowed in the 
establishment or exit of their products.  
 
Article 672   These Regulations modify as necessary any other regulation or 
provision that is contrary with respect to health inspection of meat and 
meat products for domestic consumption and for export.