Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information

Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.

इंटरनेट मानक

“!ान $ एक न' भारत का +नम-ण”Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

“Invent a New India Using Knowledge”

“प0रा1 को छोड न' 5 तरफ”Jawaharlal Nehru

“Step Out From the Old to the New”

“जान1 का अ+धकार, जी1 का अ+धकार”Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

“The Right to Information, The Right to Live”

“!ान एक ऐसा खजाना > जो कभी च0राया नहB जा सकता है”Bhartṛhari—Nītiśatakam

“Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen”

“Invent a New India Using Knowledge”

है”ह”ह

IS 2491 (1998): Food Hygiene - General Principles - Code ofPractice [FAD 15: Food Hygiene, Safety Management and OtherSystems]

IS 2491 : 1998

Indian Standard

FOOD HYGIENE- GENERAL PRINCIPLES -CODE OFPRACTICE( Second Revision )

ICS 67.020

0 BIS 1998

B U R E A U O F I N D I A N S T A N D A R D SMANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG

NEW DELHI 110002

July 1998 Price Group 5

Reaffirmed 2009

Food Hygiene Sectional Committee, FAD 45

FOREWORD

This Indian Standard (Second Revision) was ado ted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the draft finalizedby the Food Hygiene Sectional Committee had !een approved by the Food and Agriculture Division Council.

People have the right to expect the food they eat to be safe and suitable for consumption. Foodborne illnessand foodborne injury are, at best unpleasant, and at worst, can be fatal. There are also other consequences,such as damage to trade and tourism, which may lead to loss of earnings, unemployment and litigation.Food spoilage is wasteful, costly and can adversely affect trade and consumer confidence.

International food trade and foreign travel are increasing, bringing important social and economic benefits.But this also makes the spread of illness around the world easier. Eating habits too, have undergone majorchange in many countries over the last two decades and new food production, preparation and distributiontechniques have developed to reflect this. Effective hygiene control, therefore, is vital to avoid the adversehuman health and economic consequences of foodborne illness, foodborne injury and food spoilage. Everyone,including farmers and growers, manufacturers and processors, food handlers and consumers has a responsibilityto assure that food is safe and suitable for consumption.

Keeping in view the above, this Indisn Standard was first published in 1963 and revised in 1972. In thesecond revision, the text has been updated and aligned with the Recommended International Code of Practice-General Principles of Food Hygiene [CAURCP-1(1969), Rev. 3(1997)] published by the Joint FAO/WHOFood Standards Programme, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Rome and is identical to it. The title hasalso been aligned with the Codex Code of Practice.

This Indian Standard lays a firm foundation for ensuring food hygiene and should be used in conjunctionwith each specific code of hygienic practice, where appropriate and IS 14595 : 1998 ‘Food hygiene -Microbiological criteria - Principles for establishment and application’. The standard follows the foodchain from primary production through to final consumption, highlighting the key hygiene controls at eachstage. It recommends a HACCP based approach wherever possible to enhance food safety.

There will inevitably be situations where some of the specific requirements contained in this standard arenot applicable. The fundamental question in every case is ‘what is necessary and appropriate on the groundsof the safety and suitability of food for consumption?’

The text indicates where such questions are likely to arise using the phrases‘where necessary’ and whereappropriate. In practice this means that, although the requirement is generally appropriate and reasonable,there will nevertheless be some situations where it is neither necessary nor appropriate on the grounds offood safety and suitability. In deciding whether a requirement is necessary or appropriate, an assessmentof the risk should be made, preferably within the framework of the HACCP appioach. This approach allowsthe requirements in this standard to be flexibly and sensibly applied with a proper regrd for the overall objectivesof producing food which is safe and suitable for consumption. In doing so it fakes into account the widediversity of activities and varying degrees of risk involved in producing food.

This standard is subject to the provisions of the Factories Act, 1948 and other food safety legislations,such as Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and Rules framed thereunder.

Indian Standard

FOOD HYGIENE - GENERAL

IS 2491 : 1998

PRINCIPLES -CODE OF PRACTICE

( Second Revision )1 SCOPE

This standard covers the essential principles of foodhygiene .applicable throughout the food chain(including primary production through to the finalconsumer) to achieve the goal of ensuring that foodis safe and suitable for human consumption.

2 REFERENCES

The.In&an Standards listed below contain provisionswhich through reference in this text, constituteprovision of this standard. At the time of publication,the editions indicated were valid. All standards aresubject to revision and parties to agreements basedon this standard are encouraged to investigate thepossibility of applying the most recent editions ofthe standards indicated below:

IS No.

3103 : 1975

3646 (Part I) :1992

4251:1967

7688(Part 1): 1976

(Part 2) :1976

(Part 3) :1976

14595 : 1998

15000: 1998

Title

Code of practice for industrialventilation

Code of practice for interiorillumination: s Part 1 Generalrequirements and recommendationsfor working interiors yirst revision)

Quality tolerances for water forprocessed food industry

Code of practice for labelling ofpre-packaged foods:General guidelines

Guidelines on claims

Nutritional labelling

Food hygiene - Microbiologicalcriteria - P r i n c i p l e s f o restablishment and application

Food hygiene - Hazard analysisand critical control point (HACCP)- System and guidelines for itsapplication

3 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this standard, the followingdefinitions shall apply.

3.1 Cleaning

Removal of soil, food residue, dirt, g.rease or otherobjectionable matter.

3.2 Contaminant

Any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter orother substances not intentionally added to food whichmay compromise food safety or suitability.

3.3 Contamination

Introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in foodor food environment.

3.4 Disinfection

Reduction, by me&s of chemical agents and/or physicalmethods, of the number. of micro-organisms in theenvironment, to a level that does not compromise foodsafety or suitability.

3.5 Establishment

Any building or area and the surroundings, underthe control of the same management in which foodand other related materials are handled.

3.6 Food Hygiene

All conditions and measures necessary to ensure thesafety and suitability of food at all stages of the foodchain.

3.7 Hazard

A biological, chemical or physical agent in, orcondition of, food with the potential to cause anadverse health effect.

3.8 HACCP

A system which identifies, evaluates and controlshazards which are significant for food safety.

3.9 Food Handler

Any person who directly handles food (packaged orunpackaged), food equipment and utensils, or foodcontact surfaces and is, therefore, expected lo complywith food hygiene requirements.

3.10 Food Safety

Assurance that food will not cause harm to theconsumer when it is prepared and/or eaten accordingto its intended use.

3.11 Food Suitability

Assurance that food is acceptable for humanconsumption according to its intended use.

1

IS 2491 : 1998

3.12 Primary Production

Those steps in the food chain up to and including,for example, harvesting, slaughter, milking, fishing.

4 PRIMARY PRODUCTION

4.0 Objectives

To reduce the likelihood of introducing a hazardwhich may adversely affect the safety of food, orits suitability for consumption, at later stages of thefood chain, primary production should be managedin a way which ensures that food is safe and suitablefor its intended use. Where necessary, this shouldinclude:

a>

b)

c>

avoiding the use of areas where theenvironment poses a threat to the safety offood;

controlling contaminants, pests and diseasesof animals and plants in such a way as notto pose a threat to food safety; and

adopting practices and measures to ensurefood is produced under appropriately hygienicconditions.

4.1 Environmental Hygiene

Potential sources of contamination from theenvironment should be considered. In particular,primary food production should not be carried on inareas where the presence of potentially harmfulsubstances would lead to an unacceptable level ofsuch substances in food.

4.2 Hygienic Production

4.2.1 The potential effects of primary productionactivities on the safety and suitability of food shouldbe considered at all times. In particular, this includesidentifying any specific points in such activities wherea high probability of contamination may exist andtaking specific measures to minimize that probability.The HACCP based approach (see IS 15000) may assistin the taking of such measures.

4.2.2 On-farm programmes which achieve specificfood safety goals are becoming an important part ofprimary production and should be encouraged.Producers should as far as practicable, implementmeasures to:

a)

b)

c)

control contamination from air, soil, water,feedstuffs, fertilizers (including naturalfertilizers), pesticides, veterinary drugs or anyother agent used in primary production;

Icontrol plant and animal health so that it doesnot pose a threat to human health throughfood consumption, or adversely affect thesuitability of the product; and

protect food sources from faecal and othercontamination.

2

4.2.3 Care should be taken to manage wastes andstore harmful substances appropriately.

4.3 Handling, Storage and Transport

4.3.1 Procedures should be in place to:

a>

b)

c>

sort food and food ingredients to segregatematerial which is evidently unfit for humanconsumption;

dispose of any rejected material in a hygienicmanner; and

protect food and food ingredients fromcontamination by pests, or by chemical,physical or microbiological contaminants orother objectionable substances duringhandling, storage and transport.

4.3.2 Care should be taken to prevent, as far as practicable, deterioration and spoilage through appropriatemeasures which may include controlling temperature,humidity and/or other controls.

4.4 Cleaning, Maintenance and Personnel Hygiene

Appropriate facilities and procedures should be inplace to ensure that necessary cleaning and maintenance is carried out effectively and appropriate degreeof personal hygiene is maintained.

5 ESTABLISHMENT - DESIGN. ANDFACILITIES

5.0 Objectives

Attention to good hygienic design and construction,appropriate location, and the provision of adequatefacilities is necessary to enable hazards to beeffectively controlled. Depending on the nature ofthe operations and the risks associated with them,premises, equipment and facilities should be located,designed and constructed to ensure that:

a)b)

c)

4

e>

contamination is minimized;

design and layout permit appropriatemaintenance, cleaning and disinfections andminimise air-borne contamination;

surfaces and materials, in particular those incontact with food are non-toxic in intendeduse and where necessary, suitably durable,and easy to maintain and clean;

where appropriate, suitable facilities areavailable for temperature, humidity and othercontrols; and

there is effective protection against pest accessand harbourage.

5.1 Location

5.3.1 Establishment

Potential sources of contamination need to beconsidered when deciding where to, locate a food

establishment as well as the effectiveness of anyreasonable measures that might be taken to protectfood. An establishment should not be locatedanywhere, where, after considering such protectivemeasures, it is clear that there will remain a threatto food safety or suitability. In particular, anestablishment should normally be located away from:

a 1

b)

Cl

d)

5.1.2

environmentally polluted areas and industrialactivities which pose a serious threat ofcontaminating food;

areas sub.ject to flooding unless sufficientsafeguards are provided;

areas prone to infestations of pests; and

areas where wastes, either solid or liquid,cannot be removed effectively.

Equipment

Equipment should be located so that it:

4

b)

permits adequate maintenance and cleaning;

functions in accordance with its intended use;and

facilitates good hygiene practices, includingmonitoring.

5.2 Premises and Rooms

5.2.1 Design and Layout

Where appropriate, the internal design and layout ofa food establishment should permit hygienic practices,including protection against cross-contaminationbetween and during operations and storage.

52.2 lnterruzl Structures and Fittings

Structures within a food establishment should besoundly built of durable materials and be easy tomaintain, clean and where appropriate, able to bedisinfected. In particular, the following specificconditions should be satisfied. where necessary, toprotect

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

the safety and suitability of food: _

The surfaces of walls, partitions and floorsshould be made of impervious materials withno toxic effect in intended use;

Walls and partitions should have a smoothsurface up to a height appropriate to theoperation;

Floors should be constructed to allow adequatedrainage and cleaning;

Ceilings and overhead fixtures should beconstructed and finished to minimize the buildup of dirt and condensation, and the sheddingof particles;

Windows should be easy to clean, beconstructed to minimize the build up of dirt

f)

g>

IS 2491 : 1998

and where necessary, be fitted with removableand cleanable insect-proof screens. Wherenecessary, windows should be fixed;

Doors should have smooth, non-absorbentsurfaces, and be easy to clean and, wherenecessary, disinfect; and

Working surfaces that come into direct contactwith food should be in sound condition,durable and easy to clean, maintain anddisinfect. They should be made of smooth,non-absorbent materials, which are inert tothe food, detergents and disinfectants, undernormal operating conditions.

5.2.3 Temporary/Mobile Premises and VendingMachines

Premises and structures covered here include marketstalls, mobile sales and street vending vehicles andtemporary premises in which food is handled, suchas tents. Such premises and structures should besited, designed and constructed to avoid, as far asreasonably practicable, contaminating food andharbouring pests. In applying these specific conditionsand requirements, any food hygiene hazards associatedwith such facilities should be adequately controlledto ensure the safety and suitability of food.

5.3 Equipment

53.1 General

Equipment and containers (other than once-only usecontainers and packaging) coming into contact withfood, should be designed and constructed to ensurethat, where necessary, they can be adequately cleaned,disinfected and maintained to avoid the contaminationof food. Equipment and containers should be madeof materials with no toxic effect in intended use.Where necessary, equipment should be durable andmovable or capable of being disassembled to allowfor maintenance, cleaning, disinfection, monitoringand inspection.

5.3.2 Food Control und Monitoring Equipment

In addition to the general requirements given in 53.1,equipment used to cook, heat treat, cool, store orfreeze food should be designed to achieve the requiredfood temperatures as rapidly as necessary in theinterests of food safety and suitability, and maintainthem effectively. Such equipment should also bedesigned to allow temperatures to be monitored andcontrolled. Where necessary, such equipment shouldhave effective means of controlling and monitoringhumidity, air flow and any other characteristic likelyto have a detrimental effect on the safety or suitabilityof food. These requirements are intended to ensurethat:

a) harmful or undesirable microorganisms or theirtoxins are eliminated or reduced to safe levelsor their survival and growth are effectivelycontrolled:

3

IS 2491 : 1998

b) where appropriate, critical limits establishedin HACCP based plans (see IS 15000) canbe monitored; and

c) temperatures and other conditions necessaryto food safety and suitability can be rapidlyachieved and maintained.

5.3.3 Corltuiners jar Waste und Inedible Substances

Containers for waste materials, by-products andinedible or dangerous substances, should bespecifically identifiable, suitably constructed and,where appropriate made of impervious material.Containers used to hold dangerous substances shouldbe identified and, where appropriate, be lockable toprevqt malicious or accidental contamination of food.

5.4 Facilities

5.4.1 Water Supply

5.4.1.1 Adequate supply of potable water (see IS 425 1)with appropriate facilities for its storage, distributionand temperature control, should be available whenevernecessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food.

5.4.1.2 Non-potable water (for use in, for example,fire control, steam production, refrigeration and othersimilar purposes where it would not contaminate food),shall have a separate system. Non-potable watersystems shall be identified and shall not connect with,or allow reflux into, potable water systems.

5.4.2 Drairlage and Waste Disposal

Adequate drainage and waste disposal systems andfacilities should be provided. They should be designedand constructed so that the risk of contaminating foodor the potable water supply is avoided.

5.4.3 Cleaning

Adequate facilities, suitably designated, should beprovided for cleaning food, utensils and equipment.Such facilities should have an adequate supply ofhot and cold potable water where appropriate.

5.4.4 Personnel Hygiene Facilities and Toilets

Personnel hygiene facilities, suitably located anddesignated, should be available to ensure that anappropriate degree of personal hygiene can bemaintained and contamination of food avoided. Whereappropriate, facilities should include:

a )

b)c)

54.5

adequate means of hygienically washing anddrying hands, including wash basins and asupply of hot and cold (or suitably temperaturecontrolled) water, where appropriate;lavatories of appropriate hygienic design; and

adequate cleaning facilities for personnel.

Temperature Control

Depending on the nature of the food operations

4

undertaken, adequate facilities should be availablefor heating, cooling, cooking, refrigerating andfreezing food, for storing refrigerated or frozen foods,monitoring food temperatures, and when necessary,controlling ambient temperatures to ensure the safetyand suitability of food.

5.4.6 Ventilation

5.4.6.1 Adequate means of natural or mechanicalventilation should be provided, in particular to:

4 minimise air-borne contamination of food, forexample, from aerosols and condensationdroplets;

b)

c>

4

control ambient temperatures;

control odours which might affect thesuitability of food; and

control humidity, where necessary, to ensurethe safety and suitability of food.

5.4.6.2 Ventilation systems should be designed andconstructed so that air does not flow fromcontaminated areas to clean areas and, wherenecessary, they can be adequately maintained andcleaned.

5.4.7 Lighting

Adequate natural or artificial lighting should beprovided to enable the undertaking to operate in ahygienic manner. Where necessary, lighting shouldnot be such that the resulting colour is misleading.The intensity should be adequate to the nature ofthe operation. Lighting fixtures should, whereappropriate, be protected to ensure that food is notcontaminated by breakages [see IS 3 103 and IS 3646(Part l)].

5.4.8 Storage

5.4.8.1 Where necessary, adequate facilities for thestorage of food, ingredients and non-food materialssuch as packing materials, cleaning materials,lubricants, fuels, should be provided.

5.4.8.2Where appropriate, food storage facilities shouldbe designed and constructed to:.

a)

b)

c>

d)

permit adequate maintenance and cleaning;

avoid pest access and harbourage;

enable food to be effectively protected fromcontamination during storage; and

where necessary, provide an environmentwhich minimises the deterioration of food,such as by temperature and humidity control.

5.4.8.3 The type of storage facilities required willdepend on the nature of the food. Where necessary,separate, secure storage facilities for cleaning materialsand hazardous substances should be provided.

6 CONTROL OF OPERATION

6.0 Objectives

To reduce the risk of unsafe food by taking preventivemeasures to assure the safety and suitability of foodat an appropriate stage in the operation by controllingfood hazards, it is desirable to:

formulate design requirements with respectto raw materials: composition, processing,distribution, and consumer use to be met inthe manufacture and handling of specific fooditems; and

design, implement, monitor and revieweffective control systems.

6.1 Control of Food Hazards

6.1.1 Food business operators should control foodhazards through the use of systems, such as HACCP(see IS

a)

b)

c)

c)

lSOO@. They should:

identify any steps in their operations whichare critical to the safety of food;

implement effective control procedures at thosesteps;

monitor control procedures to ensure theircontinuing effectiveness; and

review control procedures periodically, andwhenever the operations change.

6.1.2 These systems should be applied throughoutthe food chain to control food hygiene throughoutthe shelf life of the product through proper productand process design.

6.1.3 Control procedures may be simple, such aschecking stock rotation calibrating equipment, orcorrectly loading refrigerated display units. In somecases a system based on expert advice, and involvingdocumentation, may be appropriate. A model of sucha food safety system is given in IS 15000.

6.2 Hygiene Control Systems - Key Aspects

.6.2.1 Time and Temperature Control

6.2.1.1 Inadequate food temperature control is oneof the most common causes of foodborne illness orfood spoilage. Such controls include time andtemperature of cooking, processing and storage.Systems should be in place to ensure that temperatureis controlled effectively where it is critical to the safetyand suitability of food.

6.2.1.2 Temperature control systems should take intoaccount: *

a) the nature of the food, for example, its wateractivity, pH, and likely initial level and typesof microorganisms;

b) the intended shelf-life of the product; ,.

c) the method of packaging and processing;‘and

4

6.2.1.3

IS 2491 : 1998

how the product is intended to be used, forexample, further cooking/processing or ready-to-eat.

Such systems should also specify tolerablelimits for time and temperature variations.

6.2.1.4 Temperature recording devices should bechecked at regular intervals and tested for accuracy.

6.2.2 Specific Process Steps

Specific process steps which contribute to foodhygiene may include among others, chilling, thermalprocessing, irradiation, drying, chemical preservationand vacuum or modified atmospheric packaging.

6.2.3 Microbiological and Other Specifications

Systems described in 6.1 offer an effective way ofensuring the safety and suitability of food. Wheremicrobiological, chemical or physical specificationsare used in any food control system, suchspecifications should be based on sound scientificprinciples and state, where appropriate, monitoringprocedures, analytical methods and action limits.

6.2.4 Microbiological Cross-Contamination

6.2.4.1 Pathogens can be transferred from one foodto another, either by direct contact or by food handlers,contact surfaces or the air. Raw, unprocessed foodshould be effectively separated, from ready-to-eatfoods, with effective intermediate cleaning anddisi,nfection, where appropriate.

6.2.4.2 Access to processing areas may need to berestricted or controlled. Where risks are particularlyhigh, access to processing areas should be only viaa changing facility. Personnel may be required to puton clean protective clothing including footwear andwash their hands before entering.

6.2.4.3 Surfaces, utensils, equipment, fixtures andfittings should be thoroughly cleaned and wherenecessary disinfected after raw food, particularly meatand poultry, has been handled or processed.

6.2.5 Physical and Chemical Contamination

Systems should be in a place to prevent contaminationof foods by foreign bodies such as glass or metalshards from machinery, dust, harmful fumes andunwanted chemicals. In manufacturing andprocessing, suitable detection or screening devicesshould be used where necessary.

” *6.3. Incoming Material

6.3.1 No raw material or ingredient should be acceptedby an establishment if it is known to contain parasites,undesirable microorganisms, pesticides, veterinarydrugs or toxic, decomposed or extraneous substanceswhich would not be reduced to an acceptable levelby normal sorting and/or processing. Where

5

IS 2491 : 1998

appropriate, specifications for raw materials shouldbe identified and applied.

6.3.2 Raw materials or ingredients should, whereappropriate, be inspected and sorted before processing.Where necessary, laboratory tests should be madeto establish fitness for use. Only sound, suitable rawmaterials or ingredients should be used.

6.3.3 Stocks of raw materials and ingredients shouldbe subject to effective stock rotation.

6.4 Packaging

Packaging design and materials should provideadequate protection for products to minimisecontamination, prevent damage, and accommodateproper labelling. Packaging materials or gases, whereused, shall be non-toxic and shall not pose threat tothe safety and suitability of food under the specifiedconditions of storage and use. Where appropriate,reusable packaging should be suitably durable, easyto clean and, where necessary, disinfected.

6.5 Water

6.5.1 In Contact with Food

6.5.1.1 Only potable water (see IS 4251) should beused in food handling and processing with thefollowing exceptions:

a) for steam production, fire control and othersimilar purposes not connected with food;and

b) in certain food processes, such as chilling,and in food handling areas, provided this doesnot constitute a hazard to the safety andsuitability of food (for example, the use ofclean sea water).

6.5.1.2 Water recirculated for reuse should be treatedand maintained in such a condition that no risk tothe safety and suitability of food results from its use.The treatment process should be effectively monitored.Recirculated water which has received no furthertreatment and water recovered from processing offood by evaporation or drying may be used, providedits use does not constitute a risk to the safety andsuitability of food.

6.5.2 As an Ingredient

Potable water (see IS 4251) should be used wherevernecessary to avoid food contamination.

6.5.3 Ice and Steam

Ice should be made from water that complies with5.4.1. Ice and steam should be produced, handledand stored to protect them from contamination. Steamused in direct contact with food or food contact surfacesshould not constitute a threat to the safety and suitabilityof food.

6.6 Management and Supervision

The type of control and supervision needed will dependon the size of the business, the nature of its activitiesand the types of food involved. Managers andsupervisors should have enough knowledge of foodhygiene principles and practices to be able to judgepotential risks, take appropriate preventive andcorrective action, and ensure that effective monitoringand supervision takes place.

6.7 Documentation and Records

Where necessary, appropriate records of processing,production and distribution should be kept and retainedfor a period that exceeds the shelf-life of the product.Documentation can enhance the credibility andeffectiveness of the food safety control system.

6.8 Recall Procedures .

Managers should ensure that effective procedures arein place to deal with any food safety hazard and toenable the complete, rapid recall of any implicatedlot of the finished food from the market. Where aproduct has been withdrawn because of an immediatehealth hazard, other products which are producedunder similar conditions and which may present asimilar hazard to public health, should be evaluatedfor safety and may need to be withdrawn. The needfor public meanings should be considered.

7 ESTABLISHMENT - MAINTENANCE ANDSANITATION

7.0 Objective

To facilitate the continuing effective control of foodhazards, pests, and other agents likely to contaminatefood, it is desirable to establish an effective systemto:

4

b)c)d)

ensure adequate and appropriate maintenanceand cleaning,

control pests,

manage waste, and

monitor effectiveness of maintenance andsanitation procedures.

7.1 Maintenance and Cleaning

7.1.1 General

7.1.i.l Establishment and equipment should be keptin an appropriate state of repair and condition to:

a)b)

cl

6

facilitate all sanitation procedures;

function as intended, particularly at criticalsteps (see 6.1); and

prevent contamination of food, for example,from metal shards, flaking plaster, debris andchemicals.

7.1.1.2 Cleaning should remove food residues anddirt which may be a source of contamination. Thenecessary cleaning methods and materials will dependon the nature of the food business. Disinfection maybe necessary after cleaning.

7.1.1.3 Cleaning chemicals should be handled andused carefully and in accordance with manufacturer’sinstructions and store, where necessary, separate fromfood, in clearly identified containers to avoid the riskof contaminating food.

7.1.2 Cleaning Procedures and Methods

Cleaning can be carried out by the separate or thecombined use of physical methods, such as heat,scrubbing, turbulent flow, vacuum cleaning or othermethods that avoid the use of water, and chemicalmethods using detergents, alkalis or acids. Cleaningprocedures will involve, where appropriate:

4b)

cl

4

e)

removing gross debris from surfaces;

applying a detergent solution to loosen soiland bacterial film and hold them in solutionor suspension;

rinsing with water which complies with 54.1,to remove loosened soil and residues ofdetergent;dry cleaning or other appropriate methods forremoving and collecting residues and debris;and

where necessary, disinfection.

7.2 Cleaning Programmes

7.2.1 Cleaning and disinfection programmes shouldensure that all parts of the establishment areappropriately clean and should include’ the cleaningof cleaning equipment.

7.2.2 Cleaning and cleaning programmes should becontinually and effectively monitored for theirsuitability and effectiveness and where necessary,documented.

7.2.3 Where written cleaning programmes are used,they should specify:

4

b)cl4

areas, items of equipment and utensils to becleaned;responsibility for particular tasks;

method and frequency of cleaning; and

monitoring arrangements.

7.2.4 Where appropriate, programmes should bedrawn up in consultation with relevant specialist expertadvisors.

7.3 Pest Control Systems

7.3.1 General

Pests pose a major threat to the safety and suitabilityof food. Pest infestations can occur where there are

IS 2491 : 1998

breeding sites and a supply of food. Good hygienepractices should be employed to avoid creating anenvironment conducive to pests. Good sanitation,inspection of incoming materials and good monitoringcan minimise the likelihood of infestation and therebylimit the need for pesticides.

7.3.2 Preventing Access

Buildings should be kept in good repair and conditionto prevent pest access and to eliminate potentialbreeding sites. Holes, drains and other places wherepests 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 pestentry. Animals should, wherever possible, be excludedfrom the grounds of factories and food processingplants.

7.3.3 Harbourage and Infestation

The availability of food and water encourages pestharbourage and infestation. Potential food sourcesshould be stored in pest-proof containers and/orstacked above the ground and away from walls. Areasboth inside and outside food premises should be keptclean. Where appropriate, refuse should be stored incovered and pest-proof containers.

7.3.4 Monitoring and Detection

Establishments and surrounding areas should beregularly examined for evidence of infestation.

7.3.5 Eradication

Pest infestations should be dealt with immediatelyand without adversely affecting food safety orsuitability. Treatment with chemical, physical orbiological agents should be carried out without posinga threat to the safety or suitability of food.

7.4 Waste Management

Suitable provision shall be made for the removal andstorage of waste. Waste shall not be allowed toaccumulate in food handling, food storage, and otherworking areas and the adjoining environment exceptso far as is unavoidable for the proper functioningof the business. Waste stores shall be keptappropriately clean.

7.5 Monitoring Effectiveness

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 foodcontact surfaces and regularly reviewed and adaptedto reflect changed circumstances.

8 ESTABLISHMENT - PERSONAL HYGIENE

8.0 Objectives

People who do not maintain an appropriate degree

7

IS 2491 : 1998

of personal cleanliness, who have certain illnesses orconditions or who behave inappropriately, cancontaminate food and transmit illness to consumers.To ensure that those who come directly or indirectlyinto contact with food are not likely to contaminatefood, it is desirable to:

a) maintain an appropriate degree of personalcleanliness, and

b) behave and operate in an appropriate manner.

8.1 Health Status

Periodical medical examination of a food handlershould be carried out. People known, or suspected,to be suffering from, or to be a carrier of a diseaseor illness likely to be transmitted through food, shouldnot be allowed to enter any food handling area ifthere is a likelihood of their contaminating food. Anyperson so affected should immediately report illnessor symptoms of illness to the management. Conditionswhich should be reported to management so that anyneed for medical examination and/or possibleexclusion from food handling can be considered,include jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sorethroat with fever, visibly infected skin lesions (boils,cuts, etc) and discharges from the ear, eye or nose.

8.2 Personal Cleanliness

8.2.1 Food handlers should maintain a high degreeof personal cleanliness, and where appropriate, wearsuitable protective clothing, head covering, andfootwear. Cuts and wounds, where personnel arepermitted to continue working, should be covered bysuitable waterproof dressings.

8.2.2 Personnel should always wash their hands whenpersonal cleanliness may effect food safety, forexample:

a) at the start of food handling activities:

b) immediately after using the toilet; and

c) after handling raw food or any contaminatedmaterial, where this could result incontamination of other food items.

8.2.3 Personnel should avoid handling ready to eatfood, where appropriate.

8.3 Personal Behaviour

8.3.1 People engaged in food handling activitiesshould refrain from behaviour which could result incontamination of food, for example, smoking, spitting,chewing or eating, and sneezing or coughing overunprotected food.

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

8.4 Visitors

Visitors to food manufacturing, processing or handlingareas should, where appropriate, wear protective

Food may become contaminated, or may not reachits destination in a suitable condition for consumption,unless effective control measures are taken duringtransport, even where adequate hygiene controlmeasures have been taken earlier in the food chain.Measures should be taken where necessary to:

a>

b)

c)

protect food from potential sources ofcontamination,

protect food from damage likely to render thefood unsuitable for consumption,

provide an environment which effectivelycontrols the growth of pathogenic or spoilagemicroorganisms and the production of toxinsin food, and

4 to ensure that the type of conveyances orcontainers required depends on the nature ofthe food and the conditions under which ithas to be transported.

clothing and adhere to the other personal hygieneprovisions.

9 TRANSPORTATION - CONVEYANCE ANDBULK CONTAINERS

9.0 Objectives

9.1 Design and Construction

Whereshould

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

necessary, conveyances and bulk containersbe designed and constructed so that they:

do not contaminate foods or packaging;

can be effectively cleaned and, wherenecessary, disinfected;

permit effective separation of different foodsor foods from non-food items where necessaryduring transport;

provide effective pro tec t ion f romcontamination, including dust and fumes;

can effectively maintain the temperature,humidity, atmosphere and other conditionsnecessary to protect food from harmful orundesirable microbial growth and deteriorationlikely to render it unsuitable for consumption;and

allow any necessary temperature, humidityand other conditions to be checked.

9.2 Use and Maintenance

9.2.1 Conveyances and containers for transportingfood should be kept in an appropriate state ofcleaniiness, repair and condition. Where the sameconveyance or container is used for transportingdifferent foods, or non-foods, effective cleaning and,where necessary, disinfection should take placebetween loads.

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

8

IS 2491 : 1998

10 PRODUCT INFORMATION ANDCONSUMER AWARENESS

10.0 Objectives

Insufficient product information, and/or inadequateknowledge of general food hygiene, can lead toproducts being mishandled at later stages in the foodchain. Such mishandling can result in illness, orproducts becoming unsuitable for consumption, evenwhere adequate hygiene control measures have beentaken earlier in the food chain. To prevent suchsituations, the following is desirable:

3 1

b)

c)

Products should bear appropriate informationto ensure that adequate and accessibleinformation is available to the next personin the food chain to enable them to handle,store, process, prepare and display the productsafely and correctly, and the lot or batch canbe easily identified and recalled if necessary;

Consumers should have enough knowledgeof food hygiene to enable them to understandthe importance of product information, makeinformed choices appropriate to the individual,and prevent contamination and growth orsurvival of foodborne pathogens by storing,preparing and using it correctly; and

Information for industry or trade users shouldbe clearly distinguishable from consumerinformation, particularly on food labels.

10.1 Lot Identification

Lot identification is essential in product recall andalso helps effective stock rotation. Each containerof food should be permanently marked to identifythe producer and the lot.

10.2 Product Information

All food products should be accompanied by or bearadequate information to enable the next person inthe food chain to handle, display, store and prepareand use the product safely and correctly.

10.3 Labelling

Prepackaged foods should be labelled with clearinstructions to enable the next person in the foodchain to handle, display, store and use the productsafely [.w IS 7688(Parts I, 2 and 3)). Specific productstandards may also be referred to.

10.4 Consumer Education

Health education programmes should cover generalfood hygiene. Such programmes should enableconsumers to understand the importance of any productinformation and to follow any instructionsaccompanying products, and make informed choices.In particular, consumers should be informed of therelationship between time/temperature control andfoodborne illness.

11 TRAINING

11.0 Objectives

Training is fundamentally important to any foodhygiene system. Inadequate hygiene training, and1or instruction and supervision of all people involvedin food related activities pose a potential threat tothe safety of food and its suitability for consumption.It is, therefore, desirable that those engaged in foodoperations who come directly or indirectly into contactwith food should be trained, and/or instructed in foodhygiene to a level appropriate to $e operations theyare to perform.

11.1 Awareness and Responsibilities

Food hygiene training is fundamentally important.All personnel should be aware of their role andresponsibility in protecting food from contaminationor deterioration. Food handlers should have thenecessary knowledge and skills to enable them tohandle food hygienically. Those who handle strongcleaning chemicals or other potentially hazardouschemicals should be instructed in safe handlingtechniques.

11.2 Training Programmes

Factors which shall be taken into account in assessingthe level of training required include:

a>

b)

c>

4

e)

the nature of the food, in particular its abilityto sustain growth of pathogenic or spoilagemicroorganisms;

the manner in which the food is handled andpacked, including the probabili ty ofcontamination;

the extent and nature of processing or furtherpreparation before final consumption;

the conditions under which the food will bestored; and

the expected length of t ime beforeconsumption.

11.3 Instruction and Supervision

11.3.1 Periodic assessments of the effectiveness oftraining and instruction programmes should be madeand routine supervision and checks should beundertaken to ensure that procedures are being carriedout effectively.

11.3.2 Managers and supervisors of food processesshould have the necessary knowledge of food hygieneprinciples and practices to be able to judge potentialrisks and take the necessary action to remedydeficiencies.

11.4 Refresher Training

Training programmes should be routinely reviewedand updated where necessary. Systems should bein place to ensure that food handlers remain awareof all procedures necessary to maintain the safetyand suitability of food.

9

Bureau of Indian Standards

BIS is a statutory institution established under the Bureau of Indian Standard Act, 1986 to promote harmoniousdevelopment of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certilication of goods and attendingto connected matters in the country.

Copyright

BIS has the copyright of all its publications. No part of these publications may be reproduced in any formwithout the prior permission in writing of BIS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course ofimplementing the standard, of necessary details, such as symbols and sizes, type or grade designations.Enquiries relating to copyright be addressed to the Director (Publications), BIS.

Review of Indian Standards

Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the basis of comments. Standards are also reviewedperiodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no changesare needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up for revision. Users of IndianStandards should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest amendments or edition by referring tothe latest issue of ‘BIS Handbook’ and ‘Standards: Monthly Additions’.

This Indian Standard has been developed from Dot : No. FAD 45 (891).

Amendments Issued Since Publication

Amend No. Date of Issue Text Affected

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