Order No. 118 dated 03/12/2019 approved the Requirements for the safety and quality of milk and dairy products, which introduce the principles of good manufacturing practice for the production, processing and placing on the market of milk and dairy products. The rules also set criteria for raw milk that determine its suitability for being placed on the market.
These requirements are mandatory for all market operators, regardless of ownership and structure, whose activities involve production, processing and putting into circulation milk and dairy products, and do not apply to the primary production of dairy products intended for own consumption.
The adopted rules provide the following:
1) еhe requirements apply to milk and dairy products market operators who are already exporting or who have declared to the competent authority that they are intending to export - from the date of entry into force of the adopted Order (12 July 2019);
2) to all other operators of the milk and dairy products market the requirements of clause 2 of sec. II Requirements are to apply from January 1, 2022, taking into account the terms and acceptable levels of criteria, and namely:
- the number of microorganisms is no more than 500 thousand CFU / ml and the number of somatic cells is not more than 500 thousand / ml from January 1, 2020;
- the number of microorganisms is no more than 300 thousand CFU / ml and the number of somatic cells is not more than 400 thousand / ml from January 1, 2023;
3) the acceptability criteria for raw milk applicable immediately before processing are provided for in paragraph 1 of Sec. IX and apply to all other operators of milk and dairy products market from January 1, 2022, taking into account the terms and acceptable levels, namely:
- the number of microorganisms is no more than 1,500 thousand CFU / ml from January 1, 2020;
- the number of microorganisms is no more than 900 thousand CFU / ml from January 1, 2023.
The Rules entered into force on 12 July 2019.