In Argentina, food regulatory frameworks standardize and regulate the numerous and varied links of the chain that connects production with industrial processing, warehousing, transportation, distribution, marketing and sale of food to reach the final target: the consumer. General or specific for products or groups of products, these rules are obligatory for all participants in the production process.

The SENASA (National Service of Agro-alimentary Health and Quality) and the ANMAT (National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology) in their specific jurisdictions, together with Provincial Health Authorities1, play an important role in the regulatory and institutional system aimed at preserving the harmlessness and quality of food.

It is the regulatory framework in itself that distributes, assigns and acknowledges jurisdictions to different organs or authorities for the control and supervision of food. It is important to know the regulations in order to determine the jurisdiction we must turn to and consequently who is responsible for the registration, authorizations, permits, etc. regarding the product the manufacturer wants to sell in the market.

It must be pointed out that the Argentine Food Code (Decree 2126/71), Law 18284 and its regulations are applied by national, provincial, or Buenos Aires City’s health authorities in their respective jurisdictions, but nevertheless, the national health authority may intervene to demand compliance with said rules in any part of the country.

Once production, processing and/or packaging of products have been authorized and verified by the health authority with jurisdiction in the location where they are produced, processed or fractioned, in accordance with the CAA (Argentine Food Code), the above mentioned law and its regulations, products can circulate, be promoted and sold in any part of the country, despite the verification of their hygiene-sanitary and bromathological conditions, and commercial identification at their final destination.

Processing plants must request authorization and register products by the Health Authority corresponding to the jurisdiction where they are produced, processed or packed. The only exceptions are related to the nature of the product (of animal 1 or of vegetal origin, before being processed) and to their destination, i.e. domestic or export markets.

Consequently, in the first place it is necessary to register the establishment by the RNE (National Registry of Establishments). Then, the producer must register each product by the RNPA (National Foodstuff Registry).
The National Food Institute (INAL) intervenes when packed products for direct sale to consumers are exported. The SENASA must intervene when products of animal or vegetal origin, by-products or derivatives are exported in bulk.

In the particular case of exports of products processed and packed for direct sale to consumers, exporters must comply with the rules of the Argentine Food Code or with the requirements of the country of destination, provided that in the label there is a clear identification of that country of destination, and the production, processing and packaging of the products have been approved by the National Health Authority through the registration by the RNPA (Art. 4, Law 18284).

The Sanitary Control authority may verify the condition of those products until the moment of being loaded on the vessel. The authority may take samples from the products if it deems it convenient, and authorize the departure in a conditional way until test results are obtained.

All handlers involved in the production process or that may become in contact with foodstuff must count with a sanitary document mentioned in Art. 21 of the Argentine Food Code and must comply with the medical exams and the mandatory training therein established.

In 1997, Resolution Nr. 857 from the then so called Ministry of Health and Social Security incorporated MERCOSUR Resolution 80/96 relative to the obligation of manufacturing / processing plants of complying with the hygiene-sanitary conditions and good manufacturing practices (BPM) described in Chapter II of Decree 2126/71.

Transportation of foodstuffs must be authorized by the corresponding sanitary authority according to the nature of the product and the transit (intra-provincial or federal), and is governed by rules contained in Decree 4238/68 or in Art. 154 bis from the CAA.

Products offered to consumers must be adequately labeled, complying with the general rules established in Chapter V of the Argentine Food Code. Likewise, as from August 1st, 2006 it is obligatory for packed foodstuffs to include nutritional information in the label.

It is obligatory that certain processes be carried out with the assistance of a Technical Director. This is the case, for example, of certain dairy products, irradiation (method for food preservation), water processing plants, food additives and others.

With the purpose of facilitating procedures related to Food Industry establishments and products, the National Food Administration of the Secretariat for Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing and Food has developed several Guides. They may be consulted at http://www.alimentosargentinos.gov.ar or by phone at (0054 – 11) 4349-2236/2789