European Commission Includes Food Safety Culture in Draft Amendment of Hygiene Legislation
A draft legislation document published by the European Commission includes recommended requirements centered around food safety culture.
Here is an excerpt from the document, entitled, “ANNEX to the Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the hygiene of foodstuffs as regards food allergen management, redistribution of food and food safety culture":
- Food business operators shall establish, maintain, and provide evidence of an appropriate food safety culture by fulfilling the following requirements:
a. Commitment of the management, in accordance with point 2, and all employees to the safe production and distribution of food;
b. Leadership towards the production of safe food and to engage all employees in food safety practices;
c. Awareness of food safety hazards and of the importance of food safety and hygiene by all employees in the business;
d. Open and clear communication between all employees in the business, within an activity and between consecutive activities, including communication of deviations and expectations;
e. Availability of sufficient resources to ensure the safe and hygienic handling of food.
2. Management commitment shall include:
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a. Ensuring that roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated within each activity of the food business;
b. Maintaining the integrity of the food hygiene system when changes are planned and implemented;
c. Verifying that controls are being performed timely and efficiently and documentation is up to date;
d. Ensuring that the appropriate training and supervision are in place for personnel;
e. Ensuring compliance with relevant regulatory requirements;
f. Encouraging continual improvement of the food safety management system of the business, where appropriate, taking into account developments in science, technology, and best practices.
The document ends with a slight caveat:
3. The implementation of the food safety culture shall take account of the nature and size of the food business.
See the European Commission’s entire legislation amendment draft at EC.Europa.eu.
