The Department of Health’s Environmental Health Directorate is the primary regulatory authority for food safety and cold chain compliance in South Africa. This government body is responsible for enforcing Regulation R638 governing the transport of foodstuffs, conducting inspections of refrigerated vehicles, issuing Certificates of Acceptability for food transport operations, and prosecuting non-compliance.

Cold Chain Relevance: The Environmental Health Directorate is the regulatory authority that every food cold chain operator must satisfy. Regulation R638 specifies temperature requirements for food categories during transport, vehicle construction standards for refrigerated bodies, and documentation requirements for temperature monitoring. Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) conduct roadside inspections of refrigerated vehicles, facility audits of cold storage operations, and investigate food safety incidents that may involve cold chain failures. The Certificate of Acceptability is a legal requirement for operating food transport vehicles—without it, operators cannot legally move temperature-controlled foodstuffs. For cold chain businesses, understanding R638 requirements and maintaining positive relationships with provincial Environmental Health offices is fundamental to continued operation. The directorate also provides guidance on emerging compliance requirements and participates in industry forums addressing cold chain standards.