1. Location requirements of HACCP

Clause 4.1
1. Establishments
Potential sources of contamination need to be considered when deciding where to locate food establishments, as well as the effectiveness of any reasonable measures that might be taken to protect food. Establishments should not be located anywhere where, after considering such protective measures, it is clear that there will remain [...]

2. Premises and rooms

HACCP requirements of premises and rooms
Clause 4.2
1. Design and layout

3. Equipment requirements

Clause 4.3
1. General
Equipment and containers (other than once-only use containers and packaging) coming into contact with food, should be designed and constructed to ensure that, where necessary, they can be adequately cleaned, disinfected and maintained to avoid the contamination of food. Equipment and containers should be made of materials with [...]

4. Facilities

Clause 4.4
1. Water supply
An adequate supply of potable water with appropriate facilities for its storage, distribution and temperature control, should be available whenever necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food.

5. CONTROL OF FOOD HAZARDS

Clause 5.1
Food business operators should control food hazards through the use of systems such as HACCP. They should:

6. KEY ASPECTS OF HYGIENE CONTROL SYSTEMS

Clause 5.2
1. Time and temperature control

7. INCOMING MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

Clause 5.3
No raw material or ingredient should be accepted by an establishment if it is known to contain parasites, undesirable micro-organisms, pesticides, veterinary drugs or toxic, decomposed or extraneous substances which would not be reduced to an acceptable level by normal sorting and/or processing. Where appropriate, specifications for raw materials should [...]

8. Packaging

Clause 5.4
Packaging design and materials should provide adequate protection for products to minimize contamination, prevent damage, and accommodate proper labelling. Packaging materials or gases where used must be non-toxic and not pose a threat to the safety and suitability of food under the specified conditions of storage and use. Where appropriate, reusable [...]

9. Water requirements

Clause 5.5
1. In contact with food
Only potable water, should be used in food handling and processing, with the following exceptions:

Related docs to HACCP

• HACCP checklist

1 AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Food hygiene training is fundamentally important. All personnel should be aware of their role and responsibility in protecting food from contamination or deterioration. Food handlers should have the necessary knowledge and skills to enable them to handle food hygienically. Those who handle strong cleaning chemicals or other potentially hazardous chemicals should be instructed in safe handling techniques.

2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Factors to take into account in assessing the level of training required include:

• the nature of the food, in particular its ability to sustain growth of pathogenic or spoilage micro-organisms;

• the manner in which the food is handled and packed, including the probability of contamination;

• the extent and nature of processing or further preparation before final consumption;

• the conditions under which the food will be stored; and

• the expected length of time before consumption.

3 INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION

Periodic assessments of the effectiveness of training and instruction programs should be made, as well as routine supervision and checks to ensure that procedures are being carried out effectively.

Managers and supervisors of food processes should have the necessary knowledge of food hygiene principles and practices to be able to judge potential risks and take the necessary action to remedy deficiencies.

4 REFRESHER TRAINING

Training programs should be routinely reviewed and updated where necessary. Systems should be in place to ensure that food handlers remain aware of all procedures necessary to maintain the safety and suitability of food.

1 LOT IDENTIFICATION

Lot identification is essential in product recall and also helps effective stock rotation. Each container of food should be permanently marked to identify the producer and the lot. Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985, Rev. 1(1991)) applies.

2 PRODUCT INFORMATION

All food products should be accompanied by or bear adequate information to enable the next person in the food chain to handle, display, store and prepare and use the product safely and correctly.

3 LABELING

Prepackaged foods should be labeled with clear instructions to enable the next person in the food chain to handle, display, store and use the product safely. Codex General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985, Rev. (1991)) applies.

4 CONSUMER EDUCATION

Health education programs should cover general food hygiene. Such programs should enable consumers to understand the importance of any product information and to follow any instructions accompanying products, and make informed choices. In particular consumers should be informed of the relationship between time/temperature control and food borne illness.

1 GENERAL

Food must be adequately protected during transport. The type of conveyances or containers required depends on the nature of the food and the conditions under which it has to be transported.

2 REQUIREMENTS

Where necessary, conveyances and bulk containers should be designed and constructed so that they:

• do not contaminate foods or packaging;

• can be effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected;

• permit effective separation of different foods or foods from non-food items where necessary during transport;

• provide effective protection from contamination, including dust and fumes;

• can effectively maintain the temperature, humidity, atmosphere and other conditions necessary to protect food from harmful or undesirable microbial growth and deterioration likely to render it unsuitable for consumption; and

• allow any necessary temperature, humidity and other conditions to be checked.

3 USE AND MAINTENANCE

Conveyances and containers for transporting food should be kept in an appropriate state of cleanliness, repair and condition. Where the same conveyance or container is used for transporting different foods, or non-foods, effective cleaning and, where necessary, disinfection should take place between loads.

Where appropriate, particularly in bulk transport, containers and conveyances should be designated and marked for food use only and be used only for that purpose.

1 HEALTH STATUS

People known, or suspected, to be suffering from, or to be a carrier of a disease or illness likely to be transmitted through food, should not be allowed to enter any food handling area if there is a likelihood of their contaminating food. Any person so affected should immediately report illness or symptoms of illness to the management.

Medical examination of a food handler should be carried out if clinically or epidemiologically indicated.

2 ILLNESS AND INJURIES

Conditions which should be reported to management so that any need for medical examination and/or possible exclusion from food handling can be considered, include:

• jaundice;
• diarrhoea;
• vomiting;
• fever;
• sore throat with fever;
• visibly infected skin lesions (boils, cuts, etc.);
• discharges from the ear, eye or nose.

3 PERSONAL CLEANLINESS

Food handlers should maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and, where appropriate, wear suitable protective clothing, head covering, and footwear. Cuts and wounds, where personnel are permitted to continue working, should be covered by suitable waterproof dressings.

Personnel should always wash their hands when personal cleanliness may affect food safety, for example:

• at the start of food handling activities;
• immediately after using the toilet; and
• after handling raw food or any contaminated material, where this could result in contamination of other food items; they should avoid handling ready-to-eat food, where appropriate.

4 PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR

People engaged in food handling activities should refrain from behaviour which could result in contamination of food, for example:

• smoking;
• spitting;
• chewing or eating;
• sneezing or coughing over unprotected food.

Personal effects such as jewellery, watches, pins or other items should not be worn or brought into food handling areas if they pose a threat to the safety and suitability of food.

5 VISITORS

Visitors to food manufacturing, processing or handling areas should, where appropriate, wear protective clothing and adhere to the other personal hygiene provisions in this section.

Sanitation systems should be monitored for effectiveness, periodically verified by means such as audit pre-operational inspections or, where appropriate, microbiological sampling of environment and food contact surfaces and regularly reviewed and adapted to reflect changed circumstances.

Suitable provision must be made for the removal and storage of waste. Waste must not be allowed to accumulate in food handling, food storage, and other working areas and the adjoining environment except so far as is unavoidable for the proper functioning of the business.

Waste stores must be kept appropriately clean.

1 General

Pests pose a major threat to the safety and suitability of food. Pest infestations can occur where there are breeding sites and a supply of food. Good hygiene practices should be employed to avoid creating an environment conducive to pests. Good sanitation, inspection of incoming materials and good monitoring can minimize the likelihood of infestation and thereby limit the need for pesticides.

2 Preventing access

Buildings should be kept in good repair and condition to prevent pest access and to eliminate potential breeding sites. Holes, drains and other places where pests are likely to gain access should be kept sealed. Wire mesh screens, for example on open windows, doors and ventilators, will reduce the problem of pest entry. Animals should, wherever possible, be excluded from the grounds of factories and food processing plants.

3 Harbourage and infestation

The availability of food and water encourages pest harbourage and infestation. Potential food sources should be stored in pest-proof containers and/or stacked above the ground and away from walls. Areas both inside and outside food premises should be kept clean. Where appropriate, refuse should be stored in covered, pest-proof containers.

4 Monitoring and detection

Establishments and surrounding areas should be regularly examined for evidence of infestation.

5 Eradication

Pest infestations should be dealt with immediately and without adversely affecting food safety or suitability. Treatment with chemical, physical or biological agents should be carried out without posing a threat to the safety or suitability of food.

Cleaning and disinfection programs should ensure that all parts of the establishment are appropriately clean, and should include the cleaning of cleaning equipment.

Cleaning and disinfection programs should be continually and effectively monitored for their suitability and effectiveness and where necessary, documented.

Where written cleaning programs are used, they should specify:

• areas, items of equipment and utensils to be cleaned;
• responsibility for particular tasks;
• method and frequency of cleaning; and
• monitoring arrangements.

Where appropriate, programs should be drawn up in consultation with relevant specialist expert advisors.

1 General

Establishments and equipment should be kept in an appropriate state of repair and condition to:

• facilitate all sanitation procedures;

• function as intended, particularly at critical steps (see paragraph 5.1);

• prevent contamination of food, e.g. from metal shards, flaking plaster, debris and chemicals.

Cleaning should remove food residues and dirt which may be a source of contamination. The necessary cleaning methods and materials will depend on the nature of the food business. Disinfection may be necessary after cleaning.

Cleaning chemicals should be handled and used carefully and in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions and stored, where necessary, separated from food, in clearly identified containers to avoid the risk of contaminating food.

2 Cleaning procedures and methods

Cleaning can be carried out by the separate or the combined use of physical methods, such as heat, scrubbing, turbulent flow, vacuum cleaning or other methods that avoid the use of water, and chemical methods using detergents, alkalis or acids.

Cleaning procedures will involve, where appropriate:

• removing gross debris from surfaces;

• applying a detergent solution to loosen soil and bacterial film and hold them in solution or suspension;

• rinsing with water which complies with section 4, to remove loosened soil and residues of detergent;

• dry cleaning or other appropriate methods for removing and collecting residues and debris; and

• where necessary, disinfection with subsequent rinsing unless the manufacturers’ instructions indicate on scientific basis that rinsing is not required.