Decree No. 52 of the Ministry of Public Health validating Sanitary rules and regulations “Hygienic safety requirements for alimentary raw materials and foodstuffs”.

This Decree sets forth sanitary rules and regulations “Hygienic safety requirements for alimentary raw materials and foodstuffs” with a view of protection of human health. It shall be applicable to quality and safety of alimentary raw materials and foodstuffs. Manufacturing and trade on the national territory of alimentary raw materials and foodstuffs non-complying with hygienic requirements set forth by this Decree shall be prohibited. To assess the safety of food products, its compliance with the established hygienic standards of safety and harmlessness for humans in terms of the content of potentially hazardous chemicals, radionuclides, as well as microbiological and parasitological indicators, taking into account the requirements of these Sanitary Regulations and Rules, is determined. Foodstuffs must comply with sanitary and epidemiological requirements to the content of potentially hazardous chemical substances and biological objects (microorganisms and their toxins, parasites, protozoa) in a given mass (volume) of food products subject to examination and assessment. Indicators of radiation safety of food products should correspond to the hygienic standards establishing requirements to the allowable content of radionuclides in foodstuffs. Organoleptic properties of foodstuffs must correspond to the characteristic for each type of taste, color, smell, consistency, appearance and must not deteriorate during storage, transportation and in the process of trade. Food products must be free from foreign odours, flavours, inclusions, changes in colour, odour and consistency, which are evidence of their deterioration. Dry, concentrated or diluted foodstuffs safety indicators are determined in terms of the original product, taking into account the dry substance content of the raw materials and the final product. Assessment of levels of residual quantities of pharmaceutical veterinary drugs is carried out in accordance with the Hygiene Standard "Safety and Harmlessness of food raw materials and food products for humans".