Regulation No. 172 of the Cabinet of Ministers validating Regulation on nutritional standards for students of educational institutions, clients of social care and social rehabilitation institutions and patients of medical institutions.

This Regulation primarily addresses nutrition standards across various institutional settings, including educational, social care, and medical institutions. Its objectives are to ensure the provision of healthy, balanced, and nutritionally appropriate food to students, patients, and clients within these establishments. The regulatory framework emphasizes the importance of natural, unprocessed foods and restricts the use of genetically modified organisms, certain food additives, and processed foods containing specific ingredients. The policy aims to promote public health through standardized nutritional norms. Key measures include detailed nutritional norms for different age groups and institutional categories, specifying energy values, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake. The regulations prescribe the types and quantities of foodstuffs to be included weekly, such as lean meats, fish, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, with specific restrictions on certain food additives, processed meats, and sugar and salt content. They also outline requirements for menu composition, including meal distribution percentages and the inclusion of specific food groups, to ensure physiologically correct nutrition. Additional provisions address dietary adjustments for individuals with medical diagnoses and the possibility of vegetarian menus, contingent upon written requests and expert approval. Implementation mechanisms involve the development and public display of weekly menus that meet the specified standards, with institutional oversight to ensure compliance. The regulations specify that menus should be accessible to visitors and include nutritional information. They also establish criteria for procurement, favoring products with lower environmental impacts. Secondary themes include procedural requirements for menu planning, the role of medical professionals in dietary adjustments, and the responsibilities of institutional authorities to monitor and ensure adherence to these standards.