Presidential Decree establishing guidelines and uniform criteria for the elaboration, by the Autonomous Regions and Provinces, of programmes for the official control of food and beverages.

The Decree establishes the guidelines and the basic principles to be followed by the Autonomous Regions and Provinces relevant to the modalities of the checks, the frequency of the inspections and the methods for the taking of samples in order to carry out chemical tests. Said checks shall be performed regularly during the production, packaging, distribution and trade of food and beverages, according to the respective criteria set out by the present Decree. For the purpose of controlling the production and packaging establishments, the Decree distinguishes: (a) foodstuffs in respect of which the checks are regulated by specific rules (i.e. milk and dairy products, ground meat, live bivalve molluscs, fishery products, meat-based products, fresh meat, poultry meat, game meat); (b) other foodstuffs not mentioned under (a), including food for special dietary uses, as well as additives and flavourings; (c) materials and tools destined to come into contact with food. The inspections of foodstuffs included under letter (a) shall be carried out according to the rules of Table 1 of the present Decree and to the provisions of Legislative Decree of 3 March 1993, No. 123, as far as compatible. The inspections of foodstuffs mentioned under letters (b) and (c) shall follow the criteria of article 2, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree of 3 March 1993, No. 123.