Commencement

These Regulations shall come into force on the 12th day of December, 2001. MADE by the Minister responsible for Agriculture and Fisheries this 12th day of December, 2001. (DANIEL SILVA) Minister Responsible for Agriculture, Fisheries and Cooperatives 380 FIRST SCHEDULE FORM A (Regulation 4 (d)) LABORATORY REQUEST FORM BELIZE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AUTHORITY VETERINARY MEAT INSPECTION SERVICES FORM FOR REMITTANCE OF MEAT SAMPLES FOR ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE AND BIOLOGICAL RESIDUES Place ................................... Date ........................................ Establishment No. ................... Type of Tissue ........................ Quantity ................................... Type of Packing ..................... ANALYSIS REQUESTED: Organophosphates Herbicides Carbamates Heavy Metals Diethylstilbestrol Fungicides Antibiotics and Drugs Species Other *Indicate specific drug or chemicals, when necessary, e.g., Chloramphenicol Inspector taking sample: ............................................................ No. of animals slaughtered: ....................................................... No. of animals sampled: ............................................................ Lot No: ........................................................................................ Farm of Origin: ............................................................................ ..................................................................................................... Date of slaughter: .............. Date submitted ............ Time ........... Laboratory to which samples sent: .............................................. Decision made: ............................................................................ ................................ .................................. Sender Received by ................................ .................................. Signature Date & time received .................................. Signature 382 FIRST SCHEDULE FORM A [Regulation 4(d)] LABORATORY REQUEST FORM BELIZE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOOD SAFETY SERVICE BIOLOGICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD OF ANIMAL ORIGIN LABORATORY REQUEST FORM FOR THE REMITTANCE OF SAMPLES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDES AND BIOLOGICAL RESIDUES A. Place: ........................................ B. Date: .......................................... C. Establishment/Enterprise No. D. Type of Sample: ........................ ................................................... 1. Tissue (specify) ................... 2. Water E. Condition of Sample 3. Urine 4. Milk 5. Honey 6. Feed 7. Environs (specify) ............... F. Purpose of Submission 1. □Diagnostic 2. □Suspect 3. □Monitoring 4. □Surveillance 5. □Hacep 6. □Other (specify) G. ANALYSIS REQUESTED: 1. Organochlorines 2. Organophosphates 3. Herbicides 4. Carbamates 5. Heavy Metals 6. Fungicides 7. Antibiotics* 8. Veterinary Drug* 9. Species 10. Toxins (1. Aflatoxin, 2 Ciguatoxin, 3. Other (specify) 11. Other (Specify) * Indicate specific veterinary drug or antibiotic H. Type of Analysis Requested: 1. Screening 2. Confirmatory I. Instrumentation: 1. Charm II Analyzer 2. HPLC 3. AA 4. GC 5. MS 6. Other J. Authorized Officer taking sample: ....................................................... K. No. of animals/animal products processed: .......................................... L. No. of animals or animal products sampled: ........................................ M. Lot no: .................................................................................................. N. Farm of Origin: ..................................................................................... O. Processor: ............................................................................................. P. Date of slaughter/processing: ............................................................... Q. Date and time submitted: ...................................................................... R. Name (Print) and signature of submitter: ............................................. S. Received by: ......................................................................................... T. Action: .................................................................................................. 384 FIRST SCHEDULE FORM B [Regulation 4(g) and (h)(I)(e)] BELIZE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOOD SAFETY SERVICE BIOLOGICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD OF ANIMAL ORIGIN PRIMARY ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE Name: .......................................................................................................... Address: ...................................................................................................... Primary analysis of the official sample described below has shown that it contains a residue of: [Tick the appropriate]: (a) a prohibited substance; (b) An unregistered substance; (c) A substance reasonably suspected of being an unregistered substance; (d) An authorised substance at a concentration which an authorised officer has notified the analyst as being one which he reasonably suspects will produce, in animal tissue or a food product derived from the animal to which the sample relates, an authorised substance at a concentration exceeding the relevant maximum residue limit; (e) An authorised substance at a concentration exceeding the relevant maximum residue limit. As indicated in box 9 overleaf Signature of analyst .............................................. Date ................ Name (in block letters) .............................................................. Analyst at: Biological Residue Laboratory, Central Investigation Laboratory Belize City, Belize An approved laboratory for the purposes of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (Food Safety) Regulations, 2001. 1. Sample Reference No. 2. Sample type and amount 3. Date of collection 4. Method of collection 5. Species and sex (if applicable) 6. Age (months) approx. 7. Tested for 8. Relevant maximum residue limit (If applicable) 9. Primary analysis result 10. Laboratory Ref. No. NOTES 1. You have the right to challenge the result of the primary analysis indicated in box 9 above. A challenge must be made in writing to the authorised officer at the official address indicated below within a period of seven days from receipt of the primary analysis certificate. 2. On receipt of such a challenge the officer will submit the official sample for a confirmatory analysis. 3. Enforcement authority: Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) Authorised Officer: Address: Director, Food Safety Services Central Investigation Laboratory P.O. Box 181 St. Joseph Street Belize City, Belize. 386 BELIZE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOOD SAFETY SERVICE BIOLOGICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD OF ANIMAL ORIGIN [Reg. 4(g)] FORM B PRIMARY ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE LABORATORY REPORT FORM FOR LABORATORY USE ONLY: Date Received: Lab Ref. No. Sample Conditions Lot No. Owner Sampling Officer Address: Test For Type of Test Result Analysis: MRL (if appropriate) Screening Screening 2 Confirmatory Comments Name: Date: Signature: Action: SECOND SCHEDULE [Regulations 2, 4(a) and 4(c)(i)] GROUP A SUBSTANCES HAVING ANABOLIC EFFECT AND UNAUTHORISED SUBSTANCES (1) Stilbenes, stilbenes derivatives, and their salts and esters (2) Antithyroid agents (3) Steroids (4) Resorcylic acid lactones including zeranol (5) Beta-agonists (6) Compounds prohibited for use in food producing animals in Belize GROUP B VETERINARY DRUGS AND CONTAMINANTS (1) Antibacterial substances, including sulphonamides, quinolones (2) Other veterinary drugs– (a) Anthelmintics (b) Anticoccidials, including nitroimidazoles; (c) Carbamates and pyrethroids (d) Sedatives 388 (e) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (f) Other pharmacologically active substances (3) Other substances and environmental contaminants (a) Organochlorine compounds including PcBs (b) Organophosphorus compounds (c) Chemical elements (d) Mycotoxins (e) Dyes (f) Others Including unregistered substances which could be used for veterinary purposes. THIRD SCHEDULE1 The purpose of this Schedule is to define the minimum number of animals or animal products from which the samples must be taken. Each sample can be analysed for detecting the presence of one or more substances. GROUP 1 BOVINE, PORCINE, OVINE, CAPRINE AND EQUINE ANIMALS 1. BOVINE ANIMALS The minimum number of animals to be controlled each year f or all kinds of residues and substances must at least equal 0.4% of bovine animals slaughtered the previous year, with the following breakdown: Group A: 0.25 % divided as follows: - one half of the samples are to be taken from live animals on the holding; (by derogation, 25% of samples analysed for the research of Group A 5 substances can be taken from appropriate material (serum, feeding stuffs, drinking water, etc.) - one half of the samples are to be taken at the slaughterhouse. Each sub-group in Group A must be checked each year using a minimum of 5% of the total number of samples to be collected for Group A. The balance will be allocated according to the experience and background information of the result of the investigatory phase. 1 This Schedule was not attached by a provision of the Regulations and needs rectification. 390 Group B: 0.15% 30% of the samples shall be checked for Group B 1 substances. 30% of the samples shall be checked for Group B 2 substances. 10% of the samples shall be checked for Group B 3 substances. The balance will be allocated according to the situation found after the investigatory phase. 2. PORCINE ANIMALS The minimum number of animals to be checked each year for all kinds of residues and substances must at least equal 0.05% of the pigs slaughtered the previous year, with the following breakdown: Group A: 0.02 % In those cases where the sampling of animals is carried out at the slaughterhouse, in addition the analysis of drinking water, feeding stuff, faeces, or all other appropriate parameters must be undertaken at farm level. In that case, the minimum number of farms to be visited annually must represent at least one farm per 1000 pigs slaughtered the previous year. Each sub-group in Group A must be checked each year using a minimum of 5% of the total number of samples to be collected for Group A. The balance will be allocated according to the experience and background information of the investigatory phase. Group B: 0.03% The same breakdown per sub-group as for bovine animals has to be respected. The balance will be allocated according to the situation of the investigatory phase. 3. SHEEP AND GOATS The minimum number of animals to be checked for all kind of residues and substances must at least equal 0.05% of sheep and goats over three months of age slaughtered the previous year, with the following breakdown: Group A: 0.01 % Each sub-group of Group A must be checked each year using a minimum of 5% of the total number of samples to be collected for Group A. The balance will be allocated according to the experience and background information of the investigatory phase. Group B: 0.04 % The same breakdown per sub-group as for bovine animals has to be respected. The balance will be allocated according to the experience of the investigatory phase. 4. EQUINE ANIMALS The number of samples is to be determined by the Authority in relation to the problems identified. 392 GROUP 2 BROILER CHICKENS, SPENT HENS, TURKEYS, OTHER POULTRY A sample consists of one or more animals depending on the requirements of the analytical methods. For each category of poultry considered (broiler chickens, spent hens, turkeys, and other poultry) the minimum number of samples to be taken each year must at least equal one per two hundred tonnes of annual production (deadweight), with a minimum of one sample for each group of substances if the annual production of the category of birds considered is over five tonnes. The following breakdown must be respectedGroup A: 50 % of the total samples The equivalent of one fifth of these samples must be taken at farm level. Each sub-group of Group A must be checked each year using a minimum of 5% of the total number of samples to be collected for Group A. The balance will be allocated according to the experience and background information of the investigatory phase. Group B: 50 % of the total sample 30% must be checked for Group B 1 substances, 30% must be checked for Group B 2 substances, 10% must be checked for Group B 3 substances. The balance will be allocated according to the situation of the investigatory phase. GROUP 3 AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS 1. Finfish farming products A sample is one or more fish, according to the size of the fish in question and of the requirements of the analytical method. Belize will respect the minimum sampling levels and frequencies given below, depending on the production of farmed fish (expressed in tonnes). The minimum number of samples to be collected each year must be at least one per ten tonnes of annual production. The compounds sought and the samples selected for analysis should be selected according to the likely use of these substances. The following breakdown shall be respected: Group A: one third of the total samplesAll the samples must be taken at farm level, on fish at all stages of farming including fish which is ready to be placed on the market for consumption. Group B: two thirds of the total samples: The sampling should be carried out– (a) preferably at the farm, on fish ready to be placed on the market for consumption; (b) either at the processing plant, or at wholesale level, on fresh fish, on condition that tracing- 394 back to the farm of origin, in the event of positive results, can be done. In all cases, samples taken at farm level should be taken from a minimum of 10% of registered sites of production. 2. Other aquaculture products If there is reason to believe that veterinary medicine or chemicals are being applied to the other aquaculture products, or when environmental contamination is suspected, then these species shall be included in the sampling plan in proportion to their production as additional samples to those taken for finfish farming products. In the investigatory phase, a minimum of one sample per ten tonnes of annual production shall be collected each year. For sea-farming, in which sampling conditions may be especially difficult, sample may be taken from feed in place of samples from fish. GROUP 4 MILK 1. Bovine milk A. Sampling requirements - Each official sample shall be taken by the BAHA in such way that it is always possible to trace it back to the farm of origin of the milk. - The samples, according to the choice of BAHA, may be taken: (a) either at farm level from the collection tank, (b) or at the level of the dairy industry before the bulk tanker has discharged. The sample size will depend on the analytical methods used. B. Sampling level and frequency The annual number of samples is one per five tonnes of the annual production of milk, with a minimum of fifty samples. The following breakdown must be respected: (a) 70% of the samples must be examined for the presence of residues of veterinary drugs. In this case, each sample has to be tested for at least four different compounds from at least three grouped among groups A 6, B 1, B 2 (a) and B 2 (e) of the Second Schedule to this regulation. (b) 15% of the samples must be tested for the presence of residues designated in group B 3 of Annex 1 to this regulation. (c) The balance (15) must be allocated according to the situation of the investigatory phase. 2. Milk from other species (ovine, caprine, equine) The number of samples for these species will be determined by the Authority according to any problems identified. 396 GROUP 5 EGGS 1. Hen eggs A. Sampling requirements - Each official sample must be taken by the Authority in such way that it is always possible to trace it back to the farm of origin of the eggs. - The samples, according to the choice of the Authority, can be taken: (a) either at farm level; (b) or at the level of the packing centre. The sample size is at least twelve eggs or more, according to the analytical methods used. B. Sampling level and frequency The number of samples to be taken each year must be at least equal to one per ten tonnes of the annual production of consumption eggs, with a minimum of twenty samples. The breakdown of samples may be decided by the Authority according to the structure of the industry, particularly as regards levels of integration within it. At least 30% of samples must be collected from packing centres, which represent the most significant proportion of eggs supplied for human consumption. The following breakdown must be respected: - 70% of the samples must be tested for at least one compound from each following group: group A 6, B 1 and B 2 (b) mentioned in annex 1 of this regulation. - 30% of the samples must be allocated to the situation in the investigatory phase but must include some analyses for substances in Group B 3 (a) of The Second Schedule. 2. Eggs from other species of poultry The number of samples for these species is to be determined by BAHA according to the level of production and the problems identified. The eggs from these species must be included in the sampling plan as additional samples to those taken for hen eggs. GROUP 6 RABBIT MEAT AND THE MEAT OF WILD GAME AND FARMED GAME 1. Rabbit meat A. Sampling requirements One sample consists of one or more animals from the same producer, according to the requirements of the analytical methods. - Each official sample must be taken by the Authority in such way that it is always possible to trace it back to the farm of origin of the rabbits. - The samples, according to the structure of the rabbit production in Belize, can be taken: 398 (a) either at farm level, (b) or at the level of the registered Establishments. Some additional samples of drinking water and feeding stuff may be taken at farm level, for the control of illegal substances. B. Sampling level and frequency The number of samples to be taken each year will be determined by the Authority. 2. Farmed game A. Sampling requirements The sample size will depend on the analytical method used. The sample must be taken at the processing unit level. It must be possible to trace the animals or their meat back to the farm of origin. Some additional samples of drinking water and feeding stuff may be taken at farm level, for the control of illegal substances. B. Sampling level and frequency The number of samples to be taken each year must at least be equal to ten samples. The following breakdown shall be respected: Group A: 20% of the total number of samples The majority of the samples must be analysed for compounds of group A 5 and group A. The majority of the samples must be analysed for compounds of group A 5 and group A6. Group B: 70% of the total number of samples The breakdown must be: 30% must be checked for Group B 1 substances, 30% must be checked for Group B 2 (a) and (b) substances, 10% must be checked for Group B 2 (c) and (e) substances, 30% must be checked for Group B 3 substances. The balance (10%) will be allocated according to the experience of the Investigatory phase. 3. Wild game A. Sampling requirements The sample size will depend on the analytical method used. The samples will be taken at the processing unit level or at the hunting place. It must be possible to trace the animals back to the region where they were hunted. B. Sampling level and frequency The number of samples to be taken each year must at least be equal to ten samples. These samples will be taken to analyse residues of chemical elements. 400 GROUP 7 HONEY A. Sampling requirements The sample size will depend on the analytical method used. The samples can be taken at any point in the production chain, provided that it is possible to trace the honey back to the original producer. B. Sampling level and frequency The number of samples to be taken each year must be at least equal to one per thirty tonnes of the annual production for the first three hundred tonnes of production and one sample for each additional thirty tonnes. The following breakdown must be respected- Group B I and Group B 2 (c): 50% of the total number of samples, - Group B 3 (a), (b) and (c): 40% of the total number of samples. The balance (10%) must be allocated according to the experience of the Investigatory phase. In particular, consideration could be given to mycotoxins. FOURTH SCHEDULE (Regulation 12) LIST OF VETERINARY PRODUCTS PROHIBITED FOR USE IN FOOD PRODUCING ANIMALS IN BELIZE 1. Chloramphenicol 2. Furazolidone 3. Nitrofurans 4. Dimetridazole 5. Metronidazole 6. Ethyl Stilbestrol