No, unpasteurized cheese is prohibited for sale in Chile under SEREMI de Salud regulations, except under strict conditional exemptions for artisanal producers. The 2023 Reglamento Sanitario de los Alimentos (RSA) enforces mandatory pasteurization, with limited trials for raw-milk cheeses permitted until 2026 under SEREMI oversight.
Key Regulations for Unpasteurized Cheese in Chile
- RSA Article 154 bans the commercialization of unpasteurized dairy products unless aged ≥60 days, a provision rarely met by soft or fresh cheeses.
- Decreto 977/96 (RSA implementation) requires SEREMI de Salud pre-approval for artisanal raw-milk cheeses, subject to microbiological testing and traceability audits.
- 2026 Compliance Shift: A pilot program allows select producers to bypass pasteurization if they meet EU-equivalent standards, but market-wide sales remain illegal post-trial.
Imports face stricter scrutiny: SAG (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero) demands health certificates proving pasteurization or equivalent treatment, with raw-milk cheeses automatically rejected unless aged ≥90 days. Non-compliant products are seized under Ley 18.755 (Customs Sanitary Control). Exemptions apply only to private consumption, not commercial distribution.