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In May 2002, the Distintivo "H" became Mexico's official voluntary standard for all food handling industries. This new certificate demands the highest standards of hygiene in all sectors of the food and beverage industry including hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Yaxche Maya Cuisine Restaurant in Playa del Carmen has received the Distintivo "H" award every year since 2002. Distintivo "H" guarantees a hygienic environment for all patrons as it controls the full cycle in all food and beverage processes i.e. from supplier to consumption. This recognition is awarded by the Secretaries of Tourism and Health and the Distintivo "H" certifying agency which examines over 100 aspects of food preparation and handling before granting the certificate. Dr. Carlos Arguelles Gomez, coordinator of the Tourism and Health
program told Macroeconomica that the Secretary of Tourism, in regard
to Programa H for food and beverage service The Programa H wants to establish through the Secretary of Health, taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization (Organizacion Mundial de la Salud / OMS), that the tourism establishments improve their quality of service in regard to food hygiene and they voluntarily submit to a verification of the operations in regard to food protection and preservation, food purchasing and delivery, food storage, thawing, cooking, conditions, serving methods and finally the service with which it is given to deserve this prestigious award. “The Secretary of Tourism, on behalf of Programa H, is promoting this international tendency adopting the same concepts with the United States and Canada,” said Arguelles. The Distintivo H award is recognized as being given to the most prestigious of these services with only the highest of hygiene standards. The type of voluntary requirements include: A – The establishment must request from the Secretary of Tourism in the Federal District or in their state for a certified external instructor from the Programa H who has successfully completed the training for no less than 25 course hours and is recognized in his region as such. To bring this forward, lists of data regarding these instructors are distributed to organizations such as Canirac, Amhym and Sectur of each entity so they can choose whomever they prefer. B – At least 60 per cent of the establishment’s personnel, including the general manager and the head chef, is required to have taken the required food and hygiene course recognized by the Secretary of Health or the Secretary of Tourism. C – Obtain an approved rating of the program verification list, which emphasizes the criticalness of danger of contamination of food, which emphasizes the installation as well as the operation and must receive no less than the 18 point minimum.
After receiving the Distintivo H, the initial period of award is 4 months, during which time, a series of unannounced inspections are made. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure continued compliance with the award standards. Upon completion of the 4 month award period a second official inspection takes place. Upon approval, the award is reissued for a period of 9 months. Additional unannounced inspections take place and a third official inspection is set upon completion of the 9 month award period. Passing a third inspection results in the reissuing of the award for a period of 12 months. The system of random unannounced inspections, in addition to scheduled annual inspections, assures continued compliance with Distintivo H high standards. |
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Yaxche
Maya Cuisine Restaurant in Playa del Carmen is pleased to have been
given the Distintivo "H" award from the Mexican Tourism
Board. Distintivo "H" is awarded to restaurants which
have highly trained staff who passed international tests of quality
and hygiene. Distintivo "H" is the most important award
given to restaurants in Mexico. 
s,
is looking to forward to providing to national and foreign visitors
with excellent hygiene services in addition to a magnificent variety
and excellent quality of typical and international dishes from diverse
tourist locations in the Mexican republic.
D
– The first opportunity that the instructor feels the hotel,
restaurant, commissary or industrial kitchen is ready; the Sectur
Mexico is notified to schedule the first official visit. In the
event a passing mark is not received it is indicated where the need
for improvement lies. When the date is set, any previously observed
required changes will have been addressed and the inspection is
done. Once approved, it is submitted to the Sectur and / or SSA.
From that point forward the Distintivo H can be used on all advertising
and promotional material as they see fit as long as the rules and
regulations are followed and continue to be met.