Act of January 28, 2021, containing rules regarding the protection of food safety and the establishment of the National Institute for Food Safety Suriname.

This Act establishes the National Institute for Food Safety of Suriname as the competent authority for regulating food safety, in order to: ensure protection of consumers against dangers associated with all foodstuffs available for sale, and provide a comprehensive legal framework for food safety in the country. The Act defines the following relevant terms: Codex Alimentarius; foodstuff; food business; animal feed; retail trade; final consumer; adverse health effect resulting from hazard; risk assessment and risk management; food fraud; inspector; danger; production, trade, import and export of food and related products. According to the provisions of this Act, the decision-making process of the National Institute for Food Safety of Suriname is based on the principle of risk analysis for food safety and nutrition issues, according to the guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Act concerns the following matters: financial resources and funds of the authority; duties and powers of the Authority; levies and inspection fees; roles of inspectors; management of the authority; duties of the director and of the authority's bodies; administrative sanctions in case of misconduct in the interest of public health and quality assurance in the food and animal feed sector; penalties in case of violations of the provisions of this Act.
Concerning the tasks of the authority the Act specifies the following: supervising all aspects of the management of food safety and food quality, including the prevention and limitation of food fraud; monitoring all practices relating to agriculture, livestock farming, and fisheries, including animal and plant health, when there are direct consequences for food safety and public health; training persons involved in control and supervision of food safety; monitoring plant protection products and biocides and establishing maximum residue limits; monitoring of fertilisers and other substances used for crops intended for human consumption; monitoring of veterinary substances used in feed for animals intended for human consumption; control of quality and safety of water intended for processing, consolidation and activities related to packaging; promotion of food safety and quality management programmes applied to food and feed; supervision on feed safety and its possible implications for food safety. Concerning the powers of the Authority, the Act includes: preparing Regulations in the field of food safety and food quality, through scientific research and laboratory analysis of foodstuffs; developing technical regulations and guidelines regarding foodstuffs in support of existing regulations; promoting compliance, verification and enforcement of food legislation.