reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 750 - Penalties

(a) Any person violating any provision of this chapter for which no other penalty has been provided, as well as any provision of the regulations promulgated by virtue thereof, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both, in the discretion of the court; but if such violation involves intent to defraud, or any distribution or attempted distribution of an article that is adulterated, except as defined in § 742(l)(8) of this title, such person shall be fined by not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or imprisoned for not more than three years, or both, at the discretion of the court. Provided, That no person shall be subject to any penalty under this section for receiving for transportation an article or poultry in violation of this chapter, if the receipt thereof is made in good faith, unless said person refuses to furnish on request of the representative of the Secretary, the name and address of the person from whom he received said article or poultry, and copies of all the documents, if there be any, concerning the delivery of said article or poultry.
(b) Any person who forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates or interferes with any person while engaged in or on account of the performance of his official duties under this chapter shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisoned for not more than three years, or both, in the discretion of the court. Whoever, in the commission of any such acts, uses a deadly or dangerous weapon, shall be guilty of a felony and fined not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or imprisoned for not more than ten (10) years, or both, at the discretion of the court.
(c) It shall be the duty of the prosecuting attorneys to proceed without delay to the prosecution of violators of this chapter. Before filing any complaint, the Secretary shall notify the person against whom it is intended to file said proceeding and shall give him the opportunity to present, orally or in writing, personally or by attorney, his allegations as to the prosecution. Nothing contained herein is intended to require the Secretary to file any complaint for minor violations, provided it is considered that the public interest is adequately served by the appropriate written warning or notice.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 751 - Regulations

(a) The Secretary may by regulations prescribe conditions under which poultry products, capable of use as human food, shall be stored or otherwise handled by any person engaged in the business of buying, selling, freezing, storing or transporting in or for intrastate commerce poultry products, to assure that said article or products will not be adulterated or misbranded.
(b) The Secretary is authorized to promulgate such other regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 753 - Entry of materials into official establishments

The Secretary may limit the entry of poultry products and other materials into any official establishment under such conditions as he may determine to be convenient to assure that the entry thereof complies with the purposes of this chapter.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 754 - General provisions

(a) The Secretary may refuse to provide or discontinue, for certain periods of time or indefinitely, as he may deem necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, the inspection service under the provisions of this chapter with respect to any establishment if he determines, after opportunity of a hearing is given to the applicant or recipient, that said applicant or recipient is unfit to engage in the businesses requiring inspection under the provisions of this chapter, because the applicant or recipient or other person responsibly connected with them has been convicted by a federal or state court of:
(1) Any felony, or more than one (1) misdemeanor based on the violation of any law for acquiring, handling or distributing unwholesome, misbranded or deceptively packed food; or for fraud, in connection with transactions of food.
(2) Any felony involving fraud, extortion, bribery, or any acts or circumstances indicating a lack of the moral integrity needed to conduct transactions affecting public health.
For the purpose of this section, a person shall be deemed to be responsibly connected with the business if he was a member, officer, director, stockholder or owner of ten percent (10%) or more of its voting stock or an employee in a managerial or executive capacity.
(b) Once the inspection service is withdrawn from any official establishment for failure to destroy poultry products condemned under the provisions of this chapter, or for failure of an establishment to comply with the requirements of this chapter as to premises, facilities and equipment or the adequate operation thereof, as provided in § 745 of this title, or in case of refusal of inspection service to any applicant because of failure to comply with the requirements of § 745 of this title, the Secretary may, at the applicant’s request, grant an administrative hearing with respect to the merits of said action; nevertheless, the withdrawal or refusal to grant the services shall continue in effect.
(c) The determination and order of the Secretary when made after an administrative hearing to withdraw or refuse inspection services under the provisions of this chapter shall be final and conclusive, unless the applicant or recipient affected by said determination and order requests judicial review thereof within thirty (30) days after date of notice of such order in the Court of First Instance, as provided herein. The judicial review shall be upon the record on which the determination and order are based.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 14.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 755 - Administrative detention

Whenever any poultry food or any product exempted from the definition of poultry product, or any dead, dying, disabled or diseased poultry is found by a representative of the Secretary, upon any premise where it is held for intrastate commerce, or during or after distribution for such purpose and there is reason to believe that any of such products or poultry are adulterated or misbranded and are capable of use for human food, or that they have not been inspected, in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or of any other federal or state law, or that such product or poultry is intended to be or has been distributed in violation of any of such provisions, it may be detained by said representative for a period not to exceed twenty (20) days, pending action under the provisions of this chapter or notification of any federal authority having jurisdiction over said product or poultry, and it shall not be moved by any person from the place where it was located when so detained until released by such representative. Said representative may require the removal of all official marks from said article or poultry before it is released, unless the Secretary determines that the article or poultry is eligible to retain such marks.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 756 - Seizure and condemnation

(a) Any poultry, poultry product or any dead, dying, disabled or diseased poultry that is being transported in intrastate commerce or is held for sale in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be liable to be proceeded against and seized and condemned upon petition filed in the Court of First Instance within the jurisdiction of which the article is found, in the following cases:
(1) If it is or has been processed, sold, transported or otherwise distributed or offered or received for distribution in violation of this chapter; or
(2) if it is capable of use as human food and is adulterated or misbranded, or
(3) if in any other way it violates this chapter.
If the article or poultry is condemned it shall be disposed of, after entry of judgment as the court may direct; and, if sold, the proceeds, less costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees, storage and other proper expenses, shall be paid into the Commonwealth Treasury; but the article or poultry may not be sold contrary to the provisions of this chapter, the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act or the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; Provided, That upon issuance and acceptance of a sufficient bond, conditioned that the article or poultry shall not be sold or otherwise disposed of contrary to the applicable state and federal laws, the court may order that said article or poultry be delivered to its owner, subject to such supervision, by authorized representatives of the Secretary, as may be necessary to insure compliance with said laws.
(b) The provisions of this section do not repeal provisions of other laws granting authority to the Secretary for condemnation and seizure of food products.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 52 - Poultry Products (§§ 741 — 758) › § 757 - Jurisdiction of Court of First Instance

The Court of First Instance of Puerto Rico shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to entertain cases for violation of the provisions of this chapter and its regulations and impose penalties. It shall also take cognizance of petitions for proceedings to seize and condemn which shall have priority in the court calendars and the hearing shall not be held later than ten (10) days after notification to the owner of the article or poultry object of the action. In these cases the court shall enter judgment or order within ten (10) days after the hearing of which notice shall be likewise served on the owner or representative, or his attorney, if any intervened. A petition to review said judgment or order of the court may be filed, by certiorari, in the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, within ten (10) days after notice of judgment or order, provided bond has been posted to the satisfaction of the lower court. If no certiorari is filed within the period fixed therefor, the order of the lower court shall become final and unappealable.
History —July 7, 1971, No. 10, p. 601, § 17.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 761 - Private slaughterhouses—Authorization

Establishment of private slaughterhouses, whether in the urban or the rural zone, is hereby authorized.
History —May 12, 1931, J.R. No. 66, p. 1042, § 1, eff. 90 days after May 12, 1931.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 762 - Private slaughterhouses—Regulation of construction and operation

These slaughterhouses shall be constructed in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico may have promulgated or may promulgate in the future, and shall be provided with all the necessary implements and materials for the hygienic handling of meat and its by-products; provided, that the requirements to be thus prescribed shall be as simple as possible, and at the same time compatible with the due protection of public health.
History —May 12, 1931, J.R. No. 66, p. 1042, § 2, eff. 90 days after May 12, 1931.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 763 - Private slaughterhouses—Tax on meat slaughtered prohibited

The levying of any tax on the sale of meat slaughtered in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is hereby prohibited; Provided, however, That nothing herein contained shall prevent the municipalities of Puerto Rico from levying an excise tax for the use of municipal slaughterhouses, and of municipal stands for the sale of meat.
History —May 12, 1931, J.R. No. 66, p. 1042, § 3, eff. 90 days after May 12, 1931.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 764 - Private slaughterhouses—Inspection in rural zones

In the case of slaughterhouses now or hereafter established in the rural zone, the Secretary of Health, in the lack of inspectors of health to make the customary inspection, may delegate a practicing rural teacher or any other official of the Government whose duties require his presence in the neighborhood, or a commission of three residents of the same barrio, to make the ante mortem inspection of cattle to be slaughtered in said slaughterhouse and the post mortem inspection of the meat of said cattle. The Secretary of Health shall furnish instructions to these persons in order that they may best comply with their duties; Provided, That in no case shall meat be kept unless adequate means are provided for its preservation.
History —May 12, 1931, J.R. No. 66, p. 1042, § 4, eff. 90 days after May 12, 1931.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 765 - Municipal regulation of sale of fresh meats

The municipalities of Puerto Rico are hereby authorized to regulate the sale of fresh meats in accordance with the existing needs of each municipality, in any of the following forms:
(a) By means of public auctions.
(b) By administration.
(c) By authorizing free slaughter.
History —Dec. 3, 1917, No. 52, p. 364, § 1, eff. 90 days after Dec. 3, 1917.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 767 - Municipal regulation of sale of fresh meats—Sale by administration

Such municipalities as may desire to establish the sale of fresh meats by administration shall do so by duly enacted ordinance temporarily providing for the slaughter of cattle and the sale of meat by the municipality in the form and manner provided by § 104 of the Municipal Law. Any ordinance for this purpose enacted may provide that no person or persons, other than the representatives of the Municipal Government, when officially representing the municipality, shall sell fresh meats within the municipality during such time as said ordinance may be in force, and may provide penalties not to exceed a fine of fifty dollars ($50) or imprisonment for thirty (30) days for each violation of these restrictions.
History —Dec. 3, 1917, No. 52, p. 364, § 3, eff. 90 days after Dec. 3, 1917.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 53 - Meat (§§ 761 — 768) › § 768 - Municipal regulation of sale of fresh meats—Free slaughter

Such municipalities as may desire to establish free slaughter shall regulate the same by duly enacted ordinance.
History —Dec. 3, 1917, No. 52, p. 364, § 4, eff. 90 days after Dec. 3, 1917.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771 - Short title

This chapter may be cited with the short title of “Wholesome Meat Act of Puerto Rico”.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771b - Examination and inspection of animals

With the purpose of avoiding the use in intrastate commerce of adulterated meat and meat food products, as hereinafter provided, the Secretary shall order the examination and inspection, by means of inspectors appointed by him for such purposes, of every animal before entering a slaughtering, packing, canning, fat and by-products processing establishment, or any similar establishment in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where the slaughtering of animals and the preparation of its meats and meat food products is being carried out only for intrastate commerce; and all animals that by virtue of such inspection appear to have symptoms of disease shall be isolated and slaughtered separately from all the other healthy animals. Once slaughtered, said animals, their meat and organs capable of use as human food shall be the object of a careful examination and inspection, to be performed as provided by regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771c - Post mortem examination and inspection

For the purposes previously indicated, the Secretary shall direct that, through the inspectors he shall appoint for such purposes, post mortem examination and inspection of the slaughtered animals be carried out as hereinafter provided or of its meat to be prepared in a slaughtering, canning, salting, packing, fat and by-products processing establishment or in a similar establishment in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as intrastate commerce articles capable of use as human food. The unadulterated meats capable of use as human food shall be marked, sealed and identified with a tag or label such as “P.R. Inspected and Approved”. Said inspectors shall label, mark and seal or identify with a label such as “P.R. Inspected and Seized”, all adulterated meats and all meats so inspected and seized shall be destroyed in the presence of an inspector, so that they may not be used as food. Said inspectors, when they so deem necessary, may also reinspect said meats to determine if after the first inspection they have been adulterated, and if so, they shall be seized and destroyed in the manner above mentioned.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771d - Applicability

The previous provisions shall apply to all animals or to the meat and the meat food products capable of use as human food, which may be taken to any slaughtering, canning, salting, packing, fat and by-products processing establishments or similar establishments at which inspection under §§ 771—771p of this title is maintained, and said examination or inspection shall be made before allowing entry of said meats to a section of the establishments where same will be conditioned and prepared as meat food products and the previous provisions shall also apply to all those products which, after having been delivered from any of said slaughtering, canning, salting, packing, fat and by-products processing establishments or similar establishments at which such inspection is maintained. The Secretary may limit the entry of animals, meat, and meat food products and other materials, to any establishment at which inspection under §§ 771—771p of this title is maintained, under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that on permitting the entry of such articles to said establishments they shall be subject to inspection in accordance with the purposes of this chapter.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771e - Examination and inspection of products

For the purposes previously indicated, the Secretary shall examine and inspect through the inspectors which he shall appoint for such purposes all meat food products prepared in a slaughtering, canning, salting, packing, fat and by-products processing establishments or in a similar establishment where such articles are prepared solely for intrastate commerce; and for the purposes of any examination and inspection said inspectors shall have access to any part of said establishment at any time, during daytime or night-time, whether or not the establishments be in operation; and said inspectors shall mark, seal, and identify with a tag or label such as “P.R. Inspected and Approved” all products found to be unadulterated; said inspectors shall mark, label, seal or identify with a label such as “P.R. Inspected and Seized” all products found adulterated; and all meat food products so seized shall be destroyed as hereinbefore provided, so that it may not be used as food.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771g - Inspection of establishments

The Secretary shall direct that sanitary technicians or other competent inspectors perform those inspections which he may deem necessary of every slaughtering, canning, salting, packing, fat and meat by-products processing establishments or similar establishments where animals are slaughtered and where meat and meat food products are prepared solely for intrastate commerce, with the purpose of being informed of the sanitary conditions thereof and prescribe the sanitary regulations under which said establishments shall be maintained; and when the sanitary conditions of any establishment are such as may cause the adulteration of the meat and of the meat food products, the Secretary shall refuse to permit that said meat or the meat food products be marked, sealed, labeled or identified with a label such as “P.R. Inspected and Approved”.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 8.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771h - Inspections during daytime or nighttime

The Secretary shall order the inspection of every animal to be slaughtered or its meats and meat food products to be prepared in the previously described establishments with intrastate commerce purposes, at any time, during daytime or nighttime.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771i - Products unfit for human consumption; labeling; confiscation or seizure; destruction

When the Secretary finds in any establishment engaged in intrastate commerce meat or meat food products and has reasonable motives to believe that same are unfit for human consumption or are falsely labeled, as provided in this chapter, he shall affix on said meats or meat food products an appropriate label or mark giving warning that it is or is supposed to be unfit for human consumption or is falsely labeled and that it has been confiscated and seized being left under the custody of the owner of the establishment; and at the same time warning all persons on said label that such articles shall not be moved from their site nor disposed of through sale or otherwise until the Secretary or the competent court grants the corresponding permit. He shall issue a certificate and a copy of same signed by the inspector stating the amount of the merchandise and should it be necessary he shall take the corresponding samples. When it is proved that said confiscated or seized articles are unfit for human consumption or are falsely labeled, he may proceed to destroy same or direct that their labeling, if possible, be corrected, on agreement of the owner of the product. If the agreement is not obtained, he shall request from the judge, through the assistant attorney, an order for its destruction or correction of labeling.
If the court finds a product which has been confiscated or seized under the provisions of this chapter is unfit for human consumption or is falsely labeled, after rendering judgment, it shall be destroyed on account of the owner under vigilance of an inspector and the costs and fees, the storage expenses and other necessary expenses shall be imposed on the owner or his agent. If the condition could be corrected through the proper labeling or processing of the product, the court may order that same be delivered to the interested persons by means of a bond equal to the sum of the merchandise, under the vigilance and supervision of the inspector. The owner of the product shall defray the expenses of the vigilance and of the processing.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771j - Intrastate commerce

No person shall, with respect to any animal, its meat or meat food products:
(a) Slaughter any such animals or prepare its meats or the meat food products derived from these animals, at any establishment preparing any such articles solely for intrastate commerce, except in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
(b) Sell or have for sale, transport, offer for sale or transportation or receive for transportation, in intrastate commerce:
(1) Any such articles which:
(A) Are capable of use as human food.
(B) Are adulterated or misbranded at the time of such sale, held for sale, transportation, offer for sale or transportation, or receipt for transportation.
(2) Are articles which require inspection under the provisions of this chapter unless they have been so inspected and approved.
(c) Do, with respect to any such articles which are capable of use as human food, any act while they are being transported in intrastate commerce or held for sale after such transportation, which is intended to cause or has the effect of causing such articles to be adulterated or misbranded.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771k - Official seal or mark, prohibitions

(a) No brand manufacturer, printer, or other person, shall cast, print, lithograph, or otherwise make any device containing any official seal or mark or simulation thereof, or any tag or label bearing any such official mark or simulation, or any form of official certificate or simulation thereof, except as authorized by the Secretary.
(b) No person shall:
(1) Forge any official device, seal or mark, or certificate.
(2) Without authorization from the Secretary use any official device, seal or mark, or certificate, or simulation thereof, or alter, detach, deface, or destroy any official device, seal or mark, or certificate.
(3) Contrary to the regulations prescribed by the Secretary, fail to use or to detach, deface, or destroy any official device, seal or mark, or certificate.
(4) Knowingly possess, without promptly notifying the Secretary or his representative, any official device or any counterfeit, simulated, forged or improperly altered official certificate or any device or label, or a slaughtered animal, or its meat or meat food product thereof, bearing any counterfeit, simulated, forged, or improperly altered, official mark or seal.
(5) Knowingly make any false statement on any shipper’s certificate or other nonofficial or official certificate provided for in the regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(6) Knowingly represent that any article has been inspected and approved, or exempted under this chapter when, in fact, it has not been so inspected and approved, or exempted.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 12.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771l - Sale of unmarked or unlabeled products prohibited

No person shall sell, hold for sale, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or receive for transportation in intrastate commerce meat or meat food products thereof unless they are plainly and conspicuously marked or labeled or otherwise identified as required by regulations prescribed by the Secretary to show the kinds of animals from which said meat or products were derived. When required by the Secretary, with respect to establishments at which inspection is maintained under this chapter, such animals, their meat and meat food products shall be prepared in establishments separate from those in which animals were slaughtered, or their meat and meat food products are prepared, from all the other animals.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771m - Periodic inspections

The Secretary shall periodically appoint inspectors to carry out examinations and inspections of every animal, meat or meat food products, subject to inspection under this chapter, as well as of the sanitary conditions of every establishment where said meat and food products are prepared. Said inspectors shall refuse to seal, mark, identify with tags or labels all meat or meat food products, until they have really been inspected and found not adulterated; and they shall discharge those other duties as provided by this chapter and the regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall periodically promulgate the necessary regulations for the efficient execution of the provisions of this chapter, and all examinations and inspections to be made shall be done in the manner prescribed by said regulations and in a manner not to be incompatible with the provisions of this chapter.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 14.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771n - Penalty for influencing inspector

Any person who directly or indirectly gives, pays, or offers to any inspector, assistant inspector, chief inspector, or to any other officer, employee or agent of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, authorized to carry out any of the duties prescribed by this chapter or by the regulations of the Secretary, a sum of money or anything of value with the intention of exercising influence with said inspector, assistant inspector, chief inspector or any other officer, employee or agent of the Commonwealth, to dissuade him from fulfilling any duty herein provided, shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be punished in accordance with the Penal Code of Puerto Rico, and if convicted will entail dismissal from office.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771o - Exceptions

(a) The provisions of this chapter requiring inspection of the slaughter of animals and the preparation of the meat and meat food products at establishments conducting such operations shall not apply to:
(1) The slaughtering by any person of animals of his own raising, and the preparation by him and transportation in intrastate commerce of the meat and meat food products of such animals exclusively for the use by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests; nor to
(2) the custom slaughtering of animals by any person delivered by the owner thereof for such slaughter, and the preparation by such slaughter and transportation in intrastate commerce of the meat and meat food products exclusively for use, in the household of such owner, by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees; provided, that such slaughterer does not engage in the business of buying or selling animals, meat or meat food products.
(b) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to those operations which traditionally and usually are performed in retail stores and restaurants, when carried out in said stores and restaurants or establishments of a similar type, in the amounts normally sold directly to the consumer, or that are normally used in rendering services to customers.
(c) The slaughtering of animals and the preparation of the meat and meat food products shall be made in accordance with those sanitary conditions that by regulations the Secretary may prescribe. Any violation to these provisions are hereby prohibited.
(d) The provisions of this chapter on adulteration and labeling, except in regard to the inspection legend shall apply to the articles exempted from inspection under the provisions of this section.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter I - Inspection, Adulteration and False Labeling Requirements (§§ 771 — 771p) › § 771p - Regulations

The Secretary may by regulations prescribe conditions under which meat and meat food products, capable of use as human food, shall be stored or otherwise handled by any person engaged in the business of buying, selling, refrigerating, freezing, storing, or transporting, in or for intrastate commerce, such articles, whenever the Secretary deems such action necessary to assure that such articles will not be adulterated or misbranded when delivered to the consumer. Violations of any such regulation is prohibited.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 17.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter II - Meat Processing and Related Industries (§§ 772 — 772c) › § 772 - Products not intended for use as human food

Inspection shall not be provided under §§ 771—771p of this title at any establishment for the slaughter of animals or the preparation of their meat, which are not intended for use as human food, but such articles shall, prior to their offer for sale or transportation in intrastate commerce, unless naturally inedible by humans, be denatured or otherwise identified as prescribed by regulations of the Secretary to deter their use for human food. No person shall buy, sell, transport, or offer for sale or transportation, or receive for transportation, or have in any other form in intrastate commerce, meat or meat food products which are not intended for use as human food unless they are denatured or otherwise identified as required by the regulations, or are naturally inedible by humans.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 201.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter II - Meat Processing and Related Industries (§§ 772 — 772c) › § 772a - Records

(a) The following classes of persons shall keep such records as will fully and correctly disclose all transactions involved in their businesses; and all persons subject to such requirements shall, at all reasonable times, upon notice by a duly authorized representative of the Secretary, afford such representative access to their places of business and opportunity to examine the facilities, inventory, and records thereof, to copy all such records, and to take reasonable samples of their inventory upon payment of the fair market value therefor.
(1) Any person engaged, in intrastate commerce, in the business of slaughtering animals, or preparing, refrigerating, freezing, packaging or labeling of meats for use as human food or animal food.
(2) Any person engaged, in intrastate commerce, in the business of buying or selling, as meat brokers, wholesalers or otherwise, or transporting or storing meat in said commerce.
(3) Any person engaged, in intrastate commerce, in the business of processing fats and by-products or in the business of buying, selling, or transporting dead, dying, disabled or injured, or diseased animals or their meat if any such animals died otherwise than by slaughter in an authorized slaughterhouse.
(b) Any record required to be maintained by this section shall be maintained for such period of time as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 202.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter II - Meat Processing and Related Industries (§§ 772 — 772c) › § 772b - Registration of data

No person shall engage in intrastate commerce, as a meat broker, fat and by-products processor, or animal food manufacturer, or engage in business as a wholesaler of meat, whether intended for human food or other purposes in said intrastate commerce, or engage in business as a public warehouseman storing meat or food products or engage in the business of buying, selling, or transporting any dead, dying, disabled or injured or diseased animals, or their meat, if such animals have died otherwise than by slaughter in an authorized slaughterhouse, unless, when required by regulations of the Secretary, he has registered with the Secretary his name, and the address of each site or place of business at which, and all trade names under which, he conducts such business.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 203.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter II - Meat Processing and Related Industries (§§ 772 — 772c) › § 772c - Dead, dying, disabled or diseased animals

No person engaged in the business of buying, selling, or transporting in intrastate commerce, dead, dying, disabled or diseased animals, or their meat, if they have died otherwise than by slaughter in an authorized slaughterhouse, shall carry out said transaction, unless such transaction is made in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe to assure that such animals, or their unwholesome meat, parts or products thereof, will be prevented from being used for human food purposes.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 204.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter III - Federal and Commonwealth Cooperation (§ 773) › § 773 - Cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States

(a) The Department of Health is hereby designated and authorized as the agency of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico responsible for cooperating with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, under the provisions of § 301 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, in developing and administering of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico meat inspection program under this chapter, to assure that its requirements shall at least be equal to those imposed under Titles I and IV of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as well as for the carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
(b) To carry out such cooperation, the Secretary is hereby authorized to accept from the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States the aid and advisory assistance, technical and laboratory assistance, training (including curricular and instructional materials and equipment), financial and other aid for planning, developing and administering such commonwealth program. The Secretary is further authorized to use the funds of the Commonwealth, available by law or under authorization of law, to incur in expenses in connection with the structuration and administration of this statute, to pay, up to fifty percent (50%) of the estimated total cost of this cooperative program and of those others that, for obtaining the purposes herein stated, may require appropriations of commonwealth funds.
(c) The Secretary is further authorized to recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States the names of officers or employees of the Commonwealth to be appointed for the advisory committees provided in § 301 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
The Secretary shall act as representative of the Governor for the consultations to take place with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States under subsection (c) of § 301 of the said Federal Act, unless the Governor chooses another representative.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 301.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter IV - Auxiliary Provisions (§§ 774 — 774h) › § 774 - Refusal or suspension of the inspection service

The Secretary may, for such period, or indefinitely, as he deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, refuse to provide, or withdraw, inspection service under §§ 771—771p of this title with respect to any establishment if he determines, after opportunity for a hearing is accorded to the applicant for, or recipient of, such service, that such applicant or recipient is unfit to engage in any business requiring inspection under §§ 771—771p of this title because the applicant or recipient, or anyone responsibly connected with the applicant or recipient, has been convicted in any federal or state court, of:
(1) Any felony.
(2) More than one violation of any law, based upon the acquiring, handling, or distributing of unwholesome, mislabeled or deceptively packaged food or upon fraud in connection with transactions in food. This section shall not affect in any way other provisions of this chapter for withdrawal of inspection services under §§ 771—771p of this title from establishments failing to maintain sanitary conditions or to destroy condemned meat or meat food products.
For the purpose of this section a person shall be deemed to be responsibly connected with the business if he was a partner, officer, director, holder, or owner of ten (10) per centum or more of its voting stock or employee in a managerial or executive capacity. The determination and order of the Secretary with respect thereto under this section shall be final and conclusive unless the affected applicant for, or recipient of, inspection service files application for judicial review within thirty (30) days after the effective date of such order in the appropriate court as provided in § 774c of this title. Judicial review of any such order shall be upon the record upon which the determination and order are based.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 401.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART III - Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (§§ 711 — 1031d) › Chapter 54 - Wholesome Meat (§§ 771 — 774h) › Subchapter IV - Auxiliary Provisions (§§ 774 — 774h) › § 774a - Detention of meats and food products

Whenever meat, meat food products, or any product exempted from the definition of a food product, or any dead, dying, disabled or injured, or diseased animal is found by any authorized representative of the Secretary upon any site or premises where it is held for purposes of, or during or after distribution in, intrastate commerce and there is reason to believe that any such article or animal is adulterated or misbranded and is capable of use as human food, or that it has not been inspected, in violation of the provisions of §§ 771—771p of this title or of the Federal Meat Inspection Act or of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or that such article or animal has been or is intended to be distributed in violation of any such provisions, it may be detained by such representative for a period not to exceed twenty (20) days, pending action under § 774b of this title or notification of any federal authority having jurisdiction over such article or animal, and shall not be moved by any person from the place or site at which it is located when so detained, until released by such representative. All official marks or seals may be required by such representative to be removed from such article or animal before it is released unless it appears to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the article or animal is eligible to retain such marks.
History —June 28, 1969, No. 120, p. 334, § 402.