Codex Alimentarius: Essential Food Hygiene Principles for Safety & Compliance
The Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene establish global standards for food safety, covering every stage of the food chain—from primary production to final consumption. These guidelines emphasize a HACCP-based approach to identify and control hazards, ensuring food is safe and suitable for consumers. By following these principles, businesses can maintain high hygiene standards, comply with international regulations, and build consumer trust.
CODEX GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD HYGIENE:
- Identify the essential principles of food hygiene applicable throughout the food chain (including primary production through to the final consumer) to achieve the goal of ensuring that food is safe and suitable for human consumption.
- Recommend an HACCP-based approach as a means to enhance food safety.
- Indicate how to implement those principles.
- Provide guidance for specific codes that may be needed for sectors of the food chain—processes or commodities—to amplify the hygiene requirements specific to those areas.
SCOPE, USE AND DEFINITION
SCOPE THE FOOD CHAIN
This document follows the food chain from primary production to the final consumer, setting out the necessary hygiene conditions for producing food which is safe and suitable for consumption. The document provides a base-line structure for other, more specific, codes applicable to particular sectors. Such specific codes and guidelines should be read in conjunction with this document and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control (HACCP) System and Guidelines for its Application.
ROLES OF GOVERNMENTS, INDUSTRY AND CONSUMERS
Governments can consider the contents of this document and decide how best they should encourage the implementation of these general principles to:
- Protect consumers adequately from illness or injury caused by food; policies need to consider the vulnerability of the population, or of different groups within the population.
- Provide assurance that food is suitable for human consumption.
- Maintain confidence in internationally traded food.
- Provide health education programs which effectively communicate the principles of food hygiene to industry and consumers.
Types Of Certification
- ISO Certification
- ISO 9001 Certification
- ISO 14001 Certification
- ISO 45001 Certification
- ISO 22000 Certification
- ISO 27001 Certification
- ISO 17025 Certification
- ISO 13485 Certification
- ISO 20000-1 Certification
- ISO 22301 Certification
- ISO 50001 Certification
- ISO 37001 Certification
- IATF 16949 Certification
- ISO 29001 Certification
- ISO 31000 Certification
- ISO 20121 Certification
- ISO 10002 Certification
- ISO 41001 Certification
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Industry should apply the hygienic practices set out to:
- Provide food which is safe and suitable for consumption.
- Ensure that consumers have clear and easily-understood information, by way of labelling and other appropriate means, to enable them to protect their food from contamination and growth/survival of food borne pathogens by storing, handling and preparing it correctly.
- Maintain confidence in internationally traded food.
Consumers should recognize their role by following relevant instructions and applying appropriate food hygiene measures.
USE
Each section in this document states both the objectives to be achieved and the rationale behind those objectives in terms of the safety and suitability of food.
Section III covers primary production and associated procedures. Although hygiene practices may differ considerably for the various food commodities and specific codes should be applied where appropriate, some general guidance is given in this section. Sections IV to X set down the general hygiene principles which apply throughout the food chain to the point of sale. Section IX also covers consumer information, recognizing the important role played by consumers in maintaining the safety and suitability of food.
There will inevitably be situations where some of the specific requirements contained in this document are not applicable. The fundamental question in every case is “what is necessary and appropriate on the grounds of the safety and suitability of food for consumption?”
The text indicates where such questions are likely to arise by using the phrases “where necessary” and “where appropriate”. In practice, this means that, although the requirement is generally appropriate and reasonable, there will nevertheless be some situations where it is neither nor appropriate on the grounds of food safety and suitability. In deciding whether a requirement is necessary or appropriate, an assessment of the risk should be made, preferably within the framework of the HACCP approach.
approach allows the requirements in this document to be flexibly and sensibly applied with a proper regard for the overall objectives of producing food which is safe and suitable for consumption. In so doing it takes into account the wide diversity of activities and varying degrees of risk involved in producing food. Additional guidance is available in specific food codes.
DEFINITIONS
- Cleaning: The removal of soil, food residue, dirt, grease or other objectionable matter.
- Contaminant: Any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substances not intentionally added to food which may compromise food safety or suitability.
- Contamination: The introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in food or food environment.
- Disinfection: The reduction, by means of chemical agents and/or physical methods, of the number of micro- organisms in the environment, to a level that does not compromise food safety or suitability.
- Establishment: Any building or area in which food is handled and the surroundings under the control of the same management.
- Food Hygiene: All conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.
- Hazard: A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.
- HACCP: A system which identifies, evaluates, and controls hazards which are significant for food safety.
- Food Handler: Any person who directly handles packaged or unpackaged food, food equipment and utensils, or food surfaces and is therefore expected to comply with food hygiene requirements.
- Food Safety: Assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten. according to its intended use.
- Food Suitability: Assurance that food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use.
- Primary Production: those steps in the food chain up to and including, for example, harvesting, slaughter, milking, fishing.
PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Objectives:
Primary production should be managed in a way that ensures that food is safe and suitable for its intended use. Where necessary, this will include:
- Avoiding the use of areas where the environment poses a threat to the safety of food;
- Controlling contaminants, pests and diseases of animals and plants in such a way as not to pose a threat to food safety;
- Adopting practices and measures to ensure food is produced under appropriately hygienic conditions.
Rationale:
To reduce the likelihood of introducing a hazard which may adversely affect the safety of food, or its suitability for consumption, at later stages of the food chain.
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE
Potential sources of contamination from the environment should be considered. In particular, primary food production should not be carried on in areas where the presence of potentially harmful substances would lead to an unacceptable level of such substances in food.
HYGIENIC PRODUCTION OF FOOD SOURCES
The potential effects of primary production activities on the safety and suitability of food should be considered at all times. In particular, this includes identifying any specific points in such activities where a high probability of contamination may exist and taking specific measures to minimize that probability. The HACCP-based approach may assist in the taking of such measures see Hazard Analysis and Critical Control (HACCP) System and Guidelines for its Application.
Producers should, as far as practicable, implement measures to:
- Control contamination from air, soil, water, feedstuffs, fertilizers (including natural fertilizers), pesticides, veterinary drugs or any other agent used in primary production;
- Control plant and animal health so that it does not pose a threat to human health through food consumption, or adversely affect the suitability of the product; and
- Protect food sources from fecal and other contamination. In particular, care should be taken to manage wastes, and store harmful substances appropriately. On-farm programmes which achieve specific food safety goals are becoming an important part of primary production and should be encouraged.
HANDLING, STORAGE AND TRANSPORT
Procedures should be in place to:
- Sort food and food ingredients to segregate material which is evidently unfit for human consumption.
- Dispose of any rejected material in a hygienic manner.
- Protect food and food ingredients from contamination by pests, or by chemical, physical or microbiological contaminants or other objectionable substances during handling, storage and transport.
Care should be taken to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, deterioration and spoilage through appropriate measures which may include controlling temperature, humidity, and/or other controls.
CLEANING, MAINTENANCE AND PERSONNEL HYGIENE AT PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Appropriate facilities and procedures should be in place to ensure that:
- Any necessary cleaning and maintenance are carried out effectively.
- An appropriate degree of personal hygiene is maintained.
Conclusion:
The Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene provides a comprehensive framework for ensuring food safety and suitability throughout the food chain, from primary production to final consumption. By emphasizing a HACCP-based approach, it identifies critical control points to mitigate hazards and maintain hygiene standards. The guidelines highlight the roles of governments, industry, and consumers in safeguarding food safety, while allowing flexibility for risk-based assessments. Implementing these principles ensures safe food production, builds consumer trust, and supports international trade. Adherence to these standards is essential for protecting public health and maintaining confidence in the global food supply.
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FAQ
Why is Codex Alimentarius important for food businesses?
Codex Alimentarius provides internationally recognized food hygiene guidelines that help businesses ensure food safety, comply with regulations, and maintain consumer confidence.
How does HACCP contribute to food safety?
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a systematic approach to identifying and controlling potential food safety hazards, reducing risks, and ensuring safe food production.