PHILIPSBURG–The Food Safety Division of the Inspectorate VSA will soon call for use of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) from January 1, to assure that food, water, ice and drinks that are prepared and sold in St. Maarten are fit and wholesome for human consumption.
The Food Safety Division said in a press release on Wednesday that food for consumption which is not prepared, stored or served under hygienic conditions can cause severe gastrointestinal complaints and infections. “The food industry is responsible for producing, preparing, serving and selling safe food, water, ice and drinks,” the release said.
The objectives of HACCP’s Control plans are to safeguard the manufacturing, preparing, storage and selling of consumables, and are part of the Food Safety supervision process. HACCP is a method where systematically every step in the food process is monitored in order to guarantee a safe final product, the release said. The requirement for having a HACCP control plan can be derived from the “Commodities Ordinance” (Warenlandsverordening).
The Food Safety division of the Inspectorate VSA said it is responsible for enforcing compliance with the Commodities Ordinance by conducting inspections and monitoring food products, water, ice and breweries under this legislation.
“All restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, catering companies, water production companies, ice producers and breweries are required to have a HACCP control plan in place,” the release said. “The Inspectorate VSA will include the required presence and use of HACCP control plans in its inspections as of January 1, 2020. Those who are not in compliance with the law will be given 6 months to comply.”
As of July 1, 2020, the Inspectorate will be controlling on a zero=tolerance basis.
For any question you may have, please feel free to visit the Inspectorate at: W.G. Buncamper Road #33, Vineyard Office Park above the tax office from Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 4:30pm, or send an e-mail to inspectoratevsa.sxm@gmail.com.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/93410-food-and-drink-establishments-require-haccp-control-plan
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