Castañeda MLT, Luna MMV, Domínguez AY, Leyva CV, García CC, Calderín AA, Hinojosa ÁMC

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 338-354
PDF size: 254.99 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Technical Committees for Standardizaton (TCS) are in charge of standardizing productive activities of goods and services comprising the national economy. Performance of TCS thus can be instrumental for improving the quality of the production of goods and deliverance of services. One-hundred and thirteen TCS operate in Cuba, and 26 of them are in charge with the elaboration, production and consumption of foods, drinks and liquors. The Institute for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (INHEM) of Havana (Cuba) presides over 5 of these TCS (regarded heretofore as TCS-INHEM). Objective: To present the performance of the TCS-INHEM in the drafting of sanitary norms regarding production and consumption of foods. Methods: The documentary and normative activity of the TCS-INHEM during the 2013 – 2016 four year term was revised. Norms drafted by the TCSINHEM were contrasted with guidelines and standards existing internationally. Results: During the 2013 – 2016 four-year term 34 norms were drafted as follows: Microbiology: 50.0%; Food hygiene: 23.5%; Nutrition and foods for special regimes: 17.6%; Additives and contaminants: 5.9%; and Foods obtained by means of biotechnological resources: 2.9%; respectively. No conflicts were found between the drafted norms and the guidelines and recommendations existing internationally, as included in the Codex Alimentarius. Conclusions: Norms drafted by the TCS-INHEM have direct implications for the health of subjects and populations. Most of them are to be compulsorily abided and have constituted an effective tool for sanitary control and state inspection, and the resolution and management of outbreaks and sanitary conflicts. Until a “Law for Food Innocuity” is drafted, discussed and passed, norms drafted by the TCS-INHEM have contributed to the creation of a sanitary legislation, and thus represent an obligatory reference for any further legislative activity. Normative activity of the TCS-INHEM has also been important for the insertion of the national economy into the international market.