The General Directorate of Standards and Industrial Technology (DGNTI) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries of Panama has issued a Draft Technical Regulation (DGNTI-XX-2025) titled Dairy Products Ice Cream Specifications, classified under ICS 67.100.40 (Food Technology).
The proposed regulation establishes organoleptic, sanitary, physicochemical, labeling, storage, transport, and conformity assessment requirements for ice cream intended for human consumption. It applies to both domestically produced and imported ice cream products marketed within Panamanian territory.
Scope and Objective
The draft regulation aims to define standardized criteria for:
Product definitions and classifications
Ingredient and additive use
Physicochemical parameters
Hygiene and food safety controls
Packaging, labeling, storage, and distribution
Sanitary registration and conformity assessment
The regulation aligns national requirements with Codex Alimentarius standards and applicable Central American Technical Regulations (RTCA).
Product Definitions and Classification
The draft introduces clear classifications of ice cream based on fat content, total milk solids, and formulation, including:
Ice Cream: Pasteurized and homogenized dairy product incorporating air during freezing
Low-Fat Ice Cream: Maximum 3% fat and minimum 9% total milk solids
Milk Ice Cream: Prepared from milk fat
Cream Ice Cream: Higher fat content than milk ice cream
Premium Ice Cream: Minimum 14% fat and 22% total dairy solids
Ice Cream with Yogurt: Minimum 5% yogurt prepared with specific cultures
The regulation also defines overrun, setting acceptable air incorporation levels between 60% and 110%, depending on product type.
Physicochemical and Composition Requirements
Detailed minimum and maximum thresholds are established for:
Fat percentage
Total milk solids
Dairy solids content
Inclusion levels for yogurt, fruits, dried fruits, and egg yolk solids
Notably:
Ice creams with egg yolk must contain at least 1.4% egg yolk solids
Ice creams with fruit must contain at least 5% fruit
Stabilizers are limited to a maximum of 1%
Ingredients and Additives
Permitted ingredients include milk and dairy derivatives, sugars, fruits, cocoa, coffee, potable water, eggs, and cultured dairy products.
Food additives must comply with:
RTCA Food Additives Regulation, or
Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192-1995) where RTCA provisions are not specified.
Food Safety, Hygiene, and Contaminants
The draft mandates compliance with:
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
HACCP principles
Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969)
Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Dairy Products (CXC 57-2004)
Maximum contaminant and residue levels must align with Codex CXS 193-1995.
Labeling, Storage, and Transport
Ice cream must be:
Stored below -20°C
Transported below -20°C
Stored at retail below -18°C
Labeling must comply with Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985) and DGNTI requirements. The term Ice Cream may only be used when the product meets the defined criteria, and the specific classification and flavor must be declared.
Sanitary Registration and Conformity Assessment
All ice cream products must obtain Sanitary Registration from the National Directorate of Food Control and Veterinary Surveillance (DNCAVV). Verification and enforcement will be carried out using DGNTI-approved analytical methods or internationally validated equivalents.
Next Steps
The regulation has been issued as a draft for consultation, and stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed requirements and submit comments before final adoption.