20041224_CXP_042e

CAC/RCP42Page1of17CODEOFHYGIENICPRACTICEFORSPICESANDDRIEDAROMATICPLANTSCAC/RCP42-19951TABLEOFCONTENTSSectionI-Scope..............................................................................................2SectionII-Definitions.......................................................................................2SectionIII-HygienicRequirementsintheProduction/HarvestingArea................2SectionIV-EstablishmentDesignandFacilities..................................................4SectionV-Establishment:HygieneRequirements..............................................8SectionVI-PersonnelHygieneandHealthRequirements...................................10SectionVII-Establishment:HygienicProcessingRequirements...........................11SectionVIII-End-productSpecifications..............................................................151TheCodeofHygienicPracticeforSpicesandDriedAromaticPlantswasadoptedbytheCodexAlimentariusCommissionatits21stSessionin1995.TheCodehasbeensenttoallMemberNationsandAssociatedMembersofFAOandWHOasanadvisorytext,anditisforindividualgovernmentstodecidewhatusetheywishtomakeofit.TheCommissionhasexpressedtheviewthatcodesofpracticemightprovideusefulchecklistsofrequirementsfornationalfoodcontrolorenforcementauthorities.CAC/RCP42Page2of17CODEOFHYGIENICPRACTICEFORSPICESANDDRIEDAROMATICPLANTSCAC/RCP42-1995SectionI-SCOPEThisCodeofHygienicPracticeappliestospicesanddriedaromaticplants-whole,broken,groundorblended.Itcoverstheminimumrequirementsofhygieneforharvesting,postharvesttechnology(curing,bleaching,drying,cleaning,grading,packing,transportationandstorageincludingmicrobialandinsectdisinfestation)processingestablishment,processingtechnology(grinding,blending,freezingandfreezedrying,etc.)packagingandstorageofprocessedproducts.SectionII-DEFINITIONS2.1SpicesandDriedAromaticPlantsThetermspices,whichincludesdriedaromaticplants,relatestonaturaldriedcomponentsormixturesthereof,usedinfoodsforflavouring,seasoningandimpartingaroma.Thetermappliesequallytospicesinthewhole,brokenorgroundform.2.2SpiceBlendsandProducts2.2.1SpiceBlendsSpiceblendsareobtainedbymixingandgrinding,cleaned,driedandsoundselectedspices.SectionIII-HYGIENICREQUIREMENTSINTHEPRODUCTION/HARVESTINGAREA3.1EnvironmentalHygieneinAreaswhereRawMaterialsareProduced3.1.1.UnsuitableGrowingorHarvestingAreasSpicesshouldnotbegrownorharvestedwherethepresenceofpotentiallyharmfulsubstanceswouldleadtoanunacceptablelevelofsuchsubstancesinthefinalproduct.3.1.2.ProtectionfromContaminationbyWastes3.1.2.1Rawspicesshouldbeprotectedfromcontaminationbyhuman,animal,domestic,industrialandagriculturalwasteswhichmaybepresentatlevelslikelytobeahazardtohealth.AdequateprecautionsshouldbetakentoensurethatthesewastesarenotusedandarenotdisposedofinamannerwhichmayconstituteaCAC/RCP42Page3of17hazardtohealththroughthefood.3.1.2.2Arrangementsforthedisposalofdomesticandindustrialwastesinareasfromwhichrawmaterialsarederivedshouldbeacceptabletotheofficialagencyhavingjurisdiction.3.1.3IrrigationControlSpicesshouldnotbegrownorproducedinareaswherethewaterusedforirrigationmightconstituteahazardtohealthtotheconsumerthroughthespices.3.1.4PestandDiseaseControlControlmeasuresinvolvingtreatmentwithchemical,physicalorbiologicalagentsshouldonlybeundertakenunderdirectsupervisionofpersonnelwhohaveathoroughknowledgeofthepotentialhazardstohealth.SuchmeasuresshouldonlybecarriedoutinaccordancewiththerecommendationsoftheCodexAlimentariusCommissionor,wherethesedonotexist,bytheofficialagencyhavingjurisdiction.3.2Drying(Curing)Plantsorpartsofplantsusedforthepreparationofspicesmaybedriednaturallyorartificially,providedadequatemeasuresaretakentopreventcontaminationoralterationoftherawmaterialduringtheprocess.Topreventthegrowthofmicroorganisms,especiallymycotoxinproducingmould,asafemoisturelevelshouldbeachieved.Ifdriednaturally,plantsorpartofplantsshouldnotbeindirectcontactwiththesoil.Theyshouldbeplacedonraisedplatformsoronafloormadeofasuitablematerial.Newconcretefloorsshouldbeusedfordryingonlywhenitisabsolutelycertainthatthenewconcreteiswell-curedandfreeofexcesswater.Itissafertouseanapprovedplasticcoverspreadovertheentirenewconcretefloorasamoisturebarrierpriortouseforspices.Excessiveheating/dryingofmaterialshouldbeavoidedinordertoretainitsaromaticprinciples.Suitableprecautionsshouldbetakentoprotectthespicesfromcontaminationbydomesticanimals,rodents,birds,mitesandotherarthropodsorotherobjectionablesubstancesduringdrying,handlingandstorage.3.3CleaningThespicesshouldbecleanedproperlytothedesiredlevelsprescribedinthenationalandinternationalstandards.3.4PackagingPackagingshouldprotecttheclean,driedspicesfromcontaminationandtheentryofwaterorexcessmoisture.Inparticular,thereabsorptionofambientmoistureinhumidtropicalclimatesshouldbeprevented.Contaminationfrommineraloilsusedforprocessingnaturalfibrebagsshouldbepreventedbytheuseoflinerswhereappropriate.Reusablecontainersshouldbeproperlycleanedanddisinfestedbeforereuse.CAC/RCP42Page4of173.5TransportationTheconveyancesfortransportingtheharvested,cleaned,drieda