Legislation makes manufacturers come clean
Hygiene is a big issue for food manufacturers as the number of costly product recalls continues to grow. Poor hygiene and contamination account for a lot of these incidents, with almost half of all the problems reported to the Food Standards Agency in 2007 due to contamination by microorganisms or chemicals, for example.
The consequences of a failure to manage hygiene can be severe. In 2006, salmonella contamination at Cadbury's Marlbrook factory made the confectionary giant the first company in the UK to be successfully prosecuted under the EU's General Food Law for failing to keep the authorities informed about a possible problem. The lapse resulted in a fine of £1 million.
Which laws apply?
The General Food Law, (EC) 178/2002, covers a wide range of food safety issues, but specific food hygiene legislation was introduced in January 2006 to ensure that manufacturers in different Member States work to the same hygiene standards, and that the law is being applied in the same way by all the local regulators.
Regulation (EC) 852/2004 lays out general requirements for the hygiene of foodstuffs, Regulation (EC) 853/2004 covers additional measures for food of animal origin and Regulation (EC) 854/2004 sets out how the responsible authorities should enforce the official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption.
In England, the European regulations are enforced by the Food Standards Agency and Local Authorities via the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006, with equivalent legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What do companies need to do?
Hygiene regulations require businesses to assess their risks using hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) techniques. Not only must all food handlers receive training and/or instruction in food hygiene, but staff responsible for the HACCP procedures must be sufficiently versed to ensure that procedures are effective. Although there is no legal requirement to attend a course or get a qualification, business owners are responsible for ensuring staff have the right skills.
Find out more in the Food Manufacture archives:
How clean is your factory
