To ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population in the Lepel district, improve the system of state sanitary supervision, and implement the Sustainable Development Goals delegated to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, a priority area of activity in 2020, as well as in the past 2019, is the protection of the consumer market from unsafe and substandard food products, including those of imported origin.
The specialists of the state institution "Lepel Regional Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology" are carrying out systematic work to prevent substandard and unsafe products from entering the domestic consumer market and to implement measures included in the System of Measures for Quality Management in the Real Sector of the Vitebsk Region Economy for 2020.
For the purpose of laboratory support of state sanitary supervision over food raw materials and food products in circulation within the district, and to prevent substandard and unsafe products from entering the domestic market, laboratory support programs for state sanitary supervision are developed annually at the Lepel Regional Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology.
For January-February 2020, preventive and precautionary measures stipulated by the legislation on control (supervisory) activities were carried out – technical (technological, verification) measures (hereinafter referred to as MTTX) for studying and evaluating environmental factors and sampling (specimens) of food products in retail outlets. 23 facilities involved in the circulation of food products were inspected. Violations of sanitary and epidemiological legislation requirements were identified in 100% of cases.
During MTTX, 52 samples of food products were examined, including 17 samples of imported products (32.7%). According to the results of laboratory
of 4 samples, including 2 samples of imported production, did not comply with the Technical Regulatory Acts (TRAs).
The largest proportion of the total number of identified violations were violations of the requirements of current legislation on the conditions of storage (sale) of products – 34.8%. The sale of products with expired shelf life was identified at 8.7% of facilities, without labelling or with labelling information inconsistent with the accompanying documents – at 4.3%.
Based on the identified violations, the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Lepel District, Vitebsk Region – Chief Physician of the State Institution "Lepel District Centre for Hygiene and Epidemiology" issued 8 requirements (orders) and recommendations for the elimination of violations to business entities. 58.51 kg of products were withdrawn from circulation, including 13.45 kg of imported products. 10 information materials were sent to interested departments for response measures.
The inspected facilities included 2 retail outlets selling non-food products (shops "Ostrov Chistoty" of ChTUP "ZapadKhimTorg"), which also sell food products. Violations of the requirements of sanitary and epidemiological legislation were identified in 100% of them. Violations of the requirements for the storage and sale of food products in the trading halls were detected (separate trading zones for the separation of sales and separate premises for the separation of storage of food products and non-food products, including synthetic detergents and other goods with a strong odour, were not allocated). Of the 11 food samples taken, 1 sample of high-grade wheat flour for baking, manufactured by JSC "MAKFA", Russia, did not comply with the TRA requirements for organoleptic indicators.
Supervisory measures for business entities involved in the circulation of food products in Lepel District are ongoing.
Assistant Hygienist Doctor
of the State Institution "Lepel
District Centre for Hygiene and Epidemiology" O.N. Khatskevich