♤ Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are measures to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, or contaminants.

♤ All countries maintain measures to ensure that food is safe for consumers, and to prevent the spread of pests or diseases among animals and plants.

♤ Sanitary (human and animal health) and phytosanitary (plant health) measures apply to domestically produced food or local animal and plant diseases, as well as to products coming from other countries.

♤ These sanitary and phytosanitary measures can take many forms, such as:

o requiring products to come from a disease-free area,

o inspection of products, specific treatment or processing of products,

o setting of allowable maximum levels of pesticide residues or permitted use of only certain additives in food.