FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD HYGIENE MR BILLY MAKHAFOLA
FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD HYGIENE MR. BILLY MAKHAFOLA, DIVISION: AGRONOMY AND VEGETABLES, DIRECTORATE FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ABOUT THE PRESENTATION 1. About the APS Act 2. Food safety & food hygiene standards 3. Scope of standards 4. Registration for FBO 5. Who should register for FBO 6. Impact of food safety & food hygiene standards 7. Benefit of compliance 8. Evolution of marketing standards 9. Towards better implementation
ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT STANDARD ACT, (ACT NO. 119 OF 1990) ØAgricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act no. 119 of 1990), came into force on the 1 st September 1991. ØRegulates the sale (local/import) and export of specific agricultural products by requiring that agricultural products: ØBe graded or classed according to standardized, objective, measurable minimum quality standards ØBe marked or labelled accordingly ØPacked in a certain manner. ØThe Act was amended in 1998 in order to address: ØConstitutional changes (1996) • E. g. Bill of rights. ØInternational changes, e. g. ISO and Codex Alimentarius Commission. ØPractical needs which arose at the time, e. g. management control system (proposed Organic regulations, Food Safety standards)
FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD HYGIENE STANDARDS Food Safety means “an assurance that a food product will not cause harm to the Consumer when it is prepared and eaten according to its intended use”. ØStandards regarding food hygiene and food safety of regulated Agricultural Food Products of plant origin intended for Export was published in line with section 4(3)(a)(i) of the APS Act. ØPromulgated on the 13 th May 2005 ØStandards is only restricted to food safety and food suitability. ØOnly cover prescribed products destined for export. ØCovers safety and hygiene of food products at all stages – from farm to export stage. ØHACCP principles have been used. ØConcerns itself with registration for export to specific market ØRecord keeping and traceability.
SCOPE OF THE STANDARDS These standards relate to – ØFood safety and food suitability, does not cover nutritional or compositional or grading matters. ØFood products of which the export is regulated in terms of the Act. ØFood products intended for export and not local sales or consumption. These standards provide for – ØThe requirements with regard to the hygiene of food products at all stages from and including primary production up to and including the export thereof and where necessary, require the implementation of food safety programmes. ØThe rules for drafting of guides to good practices and the application of HACCP.
Scope of standards Continues …. These standards provide for - - ØThe registration for export to specific markets ØRecord keeping and traceability and, where necessary, the withdrawal of food products unfit for human consumption. General obligation ØFood business operators shall ensure that at all stages of handling for which they are responsible, from and including primary production up to and including the export of food products are carried out in hygienic way in accordance with the prescribed requirements of these standards.
REGISTRATION OF FOOD BUSINESSES FOR SPECIFIC DESTINATIONS Food business operators who intend to export a specific product shall ensure that all establishments under their control and covered by these standards are registered with the Executive Officer FBO shall outline the – Ønature of business ØName and address of all premises where food business activities are carried out including particulars of the responsible person. ØProducts /commodities (produced, packed, processed, stored and handled) ØFood safety and system certification received to date - for risk assessment purposes
WHY IS FBO REGISTRATION IMPORTANT • To comply and maintain our international market share in term of food safety and hygiene. • It allows the identification of the origin of a product at any stage from the production unit to the final consumer. • Tracking and tracing is made possible at any point in the supply chain.
Should national fresh produce market register for FBO. All national fresh produce market where regulated products are exported should be registered with the executive officer. PPECB as an Assignee of the Department will conduct food safety and food hygiene auditing. Agents who handle regulated products that are exported must also register.
WHO ELSE SHOULD REGISTER FOR FBO ØAgri Production Unit (Farm) ØPackhouse (on-farm) ØPackhouse (off-farm) ØCommercial cold storage ØContainer depot ØProcessing plant ØTransport operator ØSea port terminal ØAirport terminal/forwarde ØExporter ØDry storage facility ØDry facility
IMPACTS OF FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD HYGIENE STANDARDS ØCompliance fees with auditing for Food Safety and Food hygiene standards. ØRegistration as a Food Business Operators. ØTraining costs ØNew investment in infrastructure (e. g. pesticides stores) ØAnalytical test costs ØWater tests ØMrls tests ØAdherence and upkeep of records ØEstablishment of standard operating procedures for compliance purposes ØEstablishment of traceability tools
BENEFITS OF COMPLYING WITH THE LEGISLATION 1. Achieve due diligence 2. Facilitate international trade - Market access 3. Automate compliance with other legislations in the industry, e. g. Act 36 of 1947, Act 54 of 1972 4. Ensure consistent production of safe and quality products. 5. Maintains consumer confidence in food safety and quality 6. Promote safe production practices for growers 7. Minimise negative impact on the environment 8. Food security becomes totally meaningful 9. Encourages capacity-building
EVOLUTION OF MARKETING STANDARDS AND ASSOCIATED CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR FRESH PRODUCE Market requirements in the 60 s ØQuality was determined through: ØVisual characteristics and inspections Market requirements in the 70 s and early 80 s ØOver and above earlier requirements market requirements were based on: ØQuality grades, varieties (cultivar) preferences based on use and purposes. ØConsistency in quality and quantities
EVOLUTION OF MARKETING STANDARDS AND ASSOCIATED CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR FRESH PRODUCE Market requirements in the late 80 s and early 90 s ØFood safety ØMaximum residue limits ØMicrobiological contamination ØMycotoxin (Aflatoxin) tolerances ØStricter individual Country’s official import border inspection (for example the European Union). ØInspection and controls by official authorities (Assignee: PPECB, PROKON in collaboration with DAFF). ØRequirements of the 60 s, 70 s and early 80 s are also applicable.
EVOLUTION OF MARKETING STANDARDS AND ASSOCIATED CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR FRESH PRODUCE Market requirements in the early 2000 s: ØTraceability requirements: ØCAC/GL 60 -2006: Principles for traceability/Product tracing as a tool within a Food Inspection and Certification system ØRegulation EC/178/2002. ØStrengthening of import border inspections (EU). ØForeign audit inspections ØFood and Veterinary Organization of the EU. ØCodex: • Guidelines on the judgement of Equivalence of Sanitary measures associated with Food Inspection and Certification • Principles and Guidelines for the Exchange of information in Food Safety Emergency situation, etc.
EVOLUTION OF MARKETING STANDARDS AND ASSOCIATED CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR FRESH PRODUCE Market requirements in the most recent years and going into the future: ØEmphasis on GAP implementation in the field ØHACCP in processing plants ØThird party certification (GLOBALGAP, BRC and ISO 22000) ØNew, sophisticated method of sampling procedures in food business operators in order to monitor safety and quality.
COMPARISON OF RSA STANDARDS TO THE CODEX AND EC Codex and EC on food safety and quality standards; RSA Standards on food safety and quality standards ØEC marketing standards, UNECE and Codex commodity standards on quality. ØExport standard and requirements, local/import regulations on grading, packing and marking requirements ØEC 178/2002, Codex principles and guidelines on food hygiene, traceability and food safety ØHACCP R 908, Food safety R 707, Basic Hygiene R 918, metal in foodstuffs R 1518 Ø EC 1525/1998 – Contaminants in foodstuff ØEC MRL’s Regulation 396/2005 – 2008, Codex JMPR ØGood Agricultural Practices ØR 1145 tolerance for fungus-produced toxins in foodstuffs ØExport standards and requirements and the Regulations relating to maximum levels of chemical residues (Foodstuff, Cosmetics and disinfectants Act No. 54 of 1972). ØAct 36 and many other acts.
TOWARDS BETTER IMPLEMENTATION “The focus is to have a completely different emphasis than we have had in the past. We are going to make our new priority preventing (contamination) from happening in the first place” (Joe Biden, 2009) Food safety Working Group which is co-chaired by Biden and Health and Human Service Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius. With 90 days the Working Group: ØNew safeguards designed to cut salmonella in raw eggs, E. Coli in ground beef and other leafy greens, melons and tomatoes. ØA better tracking system to pinpoint the origins of outbreaks. ØBetter communications between agencies that regulate food safety. ØNew positions at the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture.
TOWARDS BETTER IMPLEMENTATION The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in her budget speech: 17 June 2009, highlighted the following: ØThe DAFF will manage communicable diseases ØImprove on production quality to ensure enhanced food safety ØFinalise the strategy for food safety within 2009, ØTo ensure a food recall system is in place for 2010 ØProvision of adequate, healthy and safe food for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
CONCLUSION Food safety or Food security? The life expectancy in developing countries, where food security is often seen as more important than food safety due to the high level of under -nourishment in the population, is low (WHO, 2007). Why can’t we have food safety and food security?
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