Information and legislation

Professional advisory power on guides to good hygiene practices and HACCP implementation

HACCP texts

This supersedes the opinion on the same subject published in the Official Journal of 24 November 1993.
Considering the provisions of Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and No 183/2005 (EC) of 12 January 2005 on the hygiene of feed, all professional organizations of human food and animal feed are encouraged by the Ministers of agriculture, consumer and health to develop, disseminate and assist in the implementation of good hygiene practice guides and application of the HACCP principles.

Of good hygiene practice guides and application of HACCP principles should cover, on the one hand, all food, plant, mineral and animal and feed in all stages of the food chain including at the stage of primary production, including at the stage of the food animals feed, and, secondly, all the dangers, physical, chemical and biological, including allergenic ingredients fortuitously in foodstuffs.
A guide to good hygiene practice and application of HACCP is a reference document, voluntary, designed by a professional sector for professionals in the sector.
It brings together the recommendations, to the stages of the food chain for food or feed it concerns, should help compliance with the health rules laid down by the case under Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, where appropriate, the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and Articles 4, 5 and 6 of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005, including their annexes, and help the application of HACCP principles.
It is carried out in consultation with other parties (other partners in the sector, consumers associations, supervisory authorities).
A guide generally covers certain stages of the food chain.

For that, in said step, its implementation should be considered alone as sufficient to guarantee compliance with the provisions of Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 183/2005, it must take into account all hazards it must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level for food or identified in its scope.
However, if the arguments warrant, a guide can also take into account that a type of danger, but in this case, the professional who applies must also control other hazards or by developing himself steps or with the help of another guide on complementary way these other types of hazards.
For food and / or feed and the activities falling within its scope, the guide recommends ways or suitable methods, procedures, especially the own checks, the implementation should result to control the identified hazards in compliance with regulatory requirements. It specifies in particular the applicable good hygiene practices and offers support for the establishment of a control system or hazard that concerns based on the principles of HACCP. It can then provide examples of adaptable HACCP plans by each company to its specificities.
It can also make recommendations for the implementation of traceability and to determine the durability dates and storage conditions or conditions of use, and any other recommendations relating to safety or the safety of food and / or feed.

The guides are developed at national level:

  • Either within professional organizations in liaison, as appropriate, with technical centers;
  • By way of standardization.

For their preparation, the following are considered:

  • Foodstuffs: the objectives and essential requirements of Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and its Annexes and, where applicable, Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. Especially when they concern primary production and those associated operations listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, the development of the guide takes into account the recommendations contained in Part B of the Annex I;
  • To feed: the objectives of and essential requirements of Articles 4, 5 and 6 of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 and its annexes. Especially when they concern primary production and those associated operations listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005, the development of the guide takes into account the recommendations contained in Part B of this Annex I, and when it comes to food-producing animals for food, the development of the guide takes into account the recommendations contained in Annex III;
  • Any national or Community related regulations affecting food hygiene;
  • The recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene and other relevant codes of Practice of the Codex Alimentarius;
  • HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point).

The guides are approved by the Ministers for Agriculture, Consumer and health. They make sure that their content can be put into practice in the sectors to which they are intended.

Prior to validation:

The guides are submitted by the ministers to the scientific opinion of the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA). It evaluates the ability of the proposed recommendations:

  • For food and the dangers involved, to enable compliance with the hygiene rules laid down in Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, including its Annexes, and, if applicable, Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and to assist in the implementation of HACCP principles;
  • For animal feed and the dangers involved, to enable compliance with the hygiene rules laid down in Articles 4, 5 and 6 of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005, including its annexes, and to help the application of HACCP principles.

The guides are also presented to the National Consumer Council (food group) to information for economic actors.
Advertising validation of guides is provided by a notice published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
Compliance by professional traders recommendations validated guides is a preferred means of justification of compliance of Regulations (EC) No 852/2004, 853/2004 and No 183/2005.

The guides are revised especially when scientific, technological or regulatory make this necessary. The review is undertaken on the initiative of professionals. If necessary, the ministers responsible for agriculture, consumer or health professionals report to the need to revise, if necessary, on the proposal of the AFSSA.
The validated guides are communicated to the European Commission.
The guides developed in accordance with Directive 93/43 / EEC remain applicable as they are compatible with the objectives of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004.

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