CACRCP 75-2015 code of hygienic practice for low-m

CODEOFHYGIENICPRACTICEFORLOW-MOISTUREFOODSCAC/RCP75-2015Adoptedin2015.CAC/RCP75-201521.INTRODUCTIONTherearemanydifferenttypesofproductsthatfallunderthegroupingoflow-moisturefoods.Since2001,therehavebeenanumberofoutbreaksassociatedwiththeconsumptionoflow-moisturefoods,whichhasraisedconcernsregardingthesafetyoftheseproducts.Theprimarypathogensofconcernthatareassociatedwithlow-moisturefoodstodate,includeSalmonellaspp.andBacilluscereus.However,mostoutbreak-relatedillnessesassociatedwithlow-moisturefoodshavebeencausedbySalmonellaspp.and,forthisreason,theCodeofHygienicPracticefocusesoncontrolsforSalmonellaspp.Thewateractivity(aw)oflow-moisturefoodsisoftenwellbelow0.85andfoodbornepathogenssuchasSalmonellacannotmultiplyundertheseconditions.Eventhoughpathogengrowthispreventedintheseproducts,thecellscanremainviableforextendedperiodsoftime.ForSalmonellaspp.,theinfectiousdoseisthoughttobeverylow,asdemonstratedbythesmallnumbersofcellsperservingrecoveredfromlow-moisturefoodsimplicatedinoutbreaks.Furthermore,thereisevidencethatthecompositionofafood(especially,highfatcontent)mayprotectSalmonellaagainsttheacidicconditionsofthestomach,potentiallyincreasingthelikelihoodofillnessfromconsuminglownumbersoftheorganism.PathogenssuchasSalmonellacanbedifficulttocontrolinalow-moisturefoodoperationenvironment,becausetheycanpersistforprolongedperiodsoftimeinthedrystateandinlow-moistureproducts.Microorganismsaremoreheattolerantinfoodmatricesatreducedwateractivity.InvestigationsfromSalmonellaoutbreaksindicatethatthesafetyoflow-moisturefoodsdependsfundamentallyonthecontrolofSalmonellainthefoodoperationenvironment.Maintaininggoodhygienicpractices,hygienicdesignofequipment,proactivemaintenanceprogrammes,controlofincomingmaterials,andeffectiveingredientcontrolinthelow-moisturefoodestablishment,willhelppreventthecontaminationoflow-moisturefoodswithpathogens.Specialattentionshouldbepaidtothoseproductsthatareexposedtotheprocessingenvironmentfollowingapathogenreductionstep,productsthatarenotsubjectedtoapathogenreductionstep,andproductsforwhichingredientsareaddedafterapathogenreductionstep.SECTIONI-OBJECTIVESThisCodeaddressesGoodManufacturingPractices(GMPs)andGoodHygienicPractices(GHPs)thatwillhelpcontrolmicrobialhazardsassociatedwithallstagesofthemanufacturingoflow-moisturefoods.ParticularattentionisgiventominimizeSalmonellaspp.,whichiscurrentlyconsideredtheprimarypathogenofconcernintheseproducts.TheseGMPsandGHPs,ifadheredto,shouldalsobeeffectiveinpreventingtheriskfromotherpathogensthatmaybeofconcern.SECTIONII-SCOPE,USEANDDEFINITIONS2.1ScopeThisCodecoversGMPs/GHPsforthemanufacturingoflow-moisturefoodsforhumanconsumption.ThisCodeappliesto,driedfruitsandvegetables(e.g.desiccatedcoconut),cereal-basedproducts(e.g.breakfastcereals),peanutandothernutbutters,dryproteinproducts1(e.g.drieddairyproductsandsoyprotein),confections(e.g.chocolateandcocoa),snacks(e.g.spice-seasonedchips/crisps),treenuts,seedsforconsumption(e.g.sesameseedsandsesameseedpaste),spicesanddriedaromaticherbs,andspecializedlipidbasednutritionalproducts2forthetreatmentofmoderateandseverelyacutemalnutrition3.Milledgrainproductssuchasflourmaybewithinthescopewhenusedinfoodsthatwouldnotbesubjecttoamicrobialinactivationstep.2.2UseThisCodefollowstheformatoftheGeneralPrinciplesofFoodHygiene(CAC/RCP1-1969)andshouldbeusedinconjunctionwithit,aswellaswithotherapplicablecodessuchastheCodeofHygienicPracticeforDriedFruits(CAC/RCP3-1969),CodeofHygienicPracticeforDesiccatedCoconut(CAC/RCP4-1971),CodeofHygienicPracticeforDehydratedFruitsandVegetablesincludingEdibleFungi(CAC/RCP5-1971),CodeofHygienicPracticeforTreeNuts(CAC/RCP6-1972),CodeofHygienicPracticeforGroundnuts(Peanuts)(CAC/RCP22-1979),andtheCodeofHygienicPracticeforSpicesandDriedAromaticPlants(CAC/RCP42-1995).WhendesigningandimplementingfoodsafetycontrolsystemsforproductsaccordingtotheprovisionsofcommodityspecificCodesofHygienicPractices(e.g.CodeofHygienicPracticeforMilkandMilkProducts(CAC/RCP57-2004))therecommendedpracticesandmeasuresofthisCodeshouldbetakenintoconsideration.1ReportofanFAO/WHOConsultationProcess:RankingofLowMoistureFoodsinSupportofMicrobiologicalRiskManagement(tobepublished).2Specializedlipidbasednutritionalproductscanbecategorizedasready-to-usesupplementaryfoods(RUSF)forthetreatmentofmoderateacutemalnutritionandready-to-usetherapeuticfoods(RUTF)forthetreatmentofseverelyacutemalnutrition.3AlthoughtheprovisionsofthisCodecouldbeappliedintheproductionofpowderedinfantformula,thisproductisexcludedfromthescope,giventhespecificvulnerablegroupofconsumers.TheseproductsarecurrentlyappropriatelyaddressedintheCodeofHygienicPracticeforPowderedFormulaeforInfantsandYoungChildren(CAC/RCP66-2008).CAC/RCP75-20153Theprovisionsinthisdocumentshouldbeappliedasappropriate,withconsiderationofthediversityofingredients,processes,andcontrolmeasuresoftheproductsandvariousdegreesofriskinvolvedinproducinglow-moisturefoods.2.3DefinitionsRefertodefinitionsintheGeneralPrinciplesofFoodHygieneandotherapplicablecodes(seesection2.2ofthiscodeforthelistofadditionala