. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MEX/198
29 August 2003
(03-4544)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   MEXICO
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health (SSA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
Unripened/fresh, ripened and processed cheese and products made from similar ingredients
or by similar procedures or having a similar appearance
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any
trading partner marketing unripened/fresh, ripened and processed cheese and products made
from similar ingredients or by similar procedures or having a similar appearance.
5. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Mexican Official Standard
PROY-NOM-212-SSA1-2002,  G oods and Services.  Unripened/Fresh, Ripened and
Processed Cheese and Products Made from Similar Ingredients or by Similar Procedures or
Having a Similar Appearance.  Sanitary Specifications.  Test Method  (21 pages, in Spanish)
6. Description of content:  This draft Mexican Official Standard (NOM) establishes the
sanitary specifications for unripened/fresh, ripened and processed cheese and products made
from similar ingredients or by similar procedures or having a similar appearance. Thesespecifications define the restrictions on and maximum permissible limits with regard to the
microbiological organisms, foreign matter, food additives and contaminants (heavy metals
and metalloids) present in these products.
This draft Standard also establishes the nutritional specifications, test method, and
sampling, packing, packaging and labelling requirements for these products.
Upon final publication, compliance with this Standard will be mandatory throughout
Mexican territory for natural and legal persons engaged in the production or importation ofsuch products.
This draft Standard is partially equivalent to the Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic
Practice for the Manufacture of Uncured/Unripened Cheese and Ripened Soft Cheese,
"CXFH 97/06" of July 1997.
7. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,
[   ] protect territory from other damage from pestsG/SPS/N/MEX/198
Page 2
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [    ] Office International des Epizooties,
[    ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Diario Oficial de la
Federación  (Official Journal) of 19 August 2003 (available in Spanish).
9. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined
11. Final date for comments:  17 October 2003
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Web site:  www.economia.gob.mx/?P=85  (Standards catalogue)
E-mail:  cidgn@economia.gob.mx