European principles of food law

EU Legislation on food hygiene

Reg 178/2002                                                 general principles and                      

requirements of food law

Reg 852/2004           hygiene of foodstuffs

Reg 853/2004     specific rules for food

of animal origin

Reg 2073/2005Microbiological criteria

Reg 854/2004           specific rules for the organisation of official 

controls on food

Reg. 882/2004            Official controls

Main principles of Food Law

Responsabilities to food business operators

Traceability

Sampling and frequency based on risk analysis

Precautionary principleRapid alert system

Monitoring throughoutthe entire production chain

“Hygiene topics” Reg. EC 178/2002 and EC 852/2004

EFSA

HACCP

Integrated control system throughout the entirefood/feed chain production

distribution

processing

COMMUNITY CONSUMERS

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

“Hygiene plan” Regulation EC 178/2002

Accountability of food operators (FBO)They shall ensure:• That food business operators shall comply with the hygiene

standard rules

• Implementation of a functional traceability of food

• Recall/withdrawal of food if not complying with the legislation

Regulation EC 178/2002

What are the instruments for official control?

a. Close collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Health and the Local Veterinary Authorities

b. Official Food Sample and Animal Sample analysis and technical-scientific support for disease plans

c. Help in diagnosing of animal diseases and zoonosys

d. Research on aetiology, pathogenesis and prophylactics of animal diseases

e. Food health and safety epidemiological survey

f. Veterinary drug surveillance

g. National, OIE and FAO Reference Laboratories for technical scientific support (Listeria monocytogenes, BT, Brucellosis, etc)

TraceabilityFood and feed business operators shall be able to :

trace and follow a food,feed, food-producing animal or substance intended to be,

or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed,through all stages of production, processing and

distribution

shall be adequately labelled and identified

Regulation EC 178/2002

A Rapid Alert System for Feed ad Food is herebyestablished (RASFF)

• Network for notification of a direct or indirect risk to human health deriving from food or feed

• The Member States, the Commission and the Competent Authorities shall designate a contact point

• Web based reporting • The Commission shall be responsible for managing the network

“Hygiene plan” Regulation EC 178/2002

Precautionary principle

In specific circumstances where, the possibility of harmfuleffects on health is identified, but scientific uncertainity

persists, provisional risk management measuresmay be adopted

High protection to consumers’ interests

Derogations- Members States may adopt national measures to adapt the requirements set out in Annex II with the objective of:

• To allow uninterrupted use of traditional methods at any of the stages of food production, transformation or distribution

or• Take into account the needs of food businesses locatedin regions subject to particular geographical constraints

• In other case they have to be applied only for building layout and equipment of production site.

Regulation EC 852/2004