© Q-Point Good Agricultural Practices Inge Neessen 16 May 2006

© Q-Point Program Introduction GAP Background food safety Background HACCP Market demands on food safety Food safety in Netherlands – best practices Examples Food safety Eastern Europe

© Q-Point Q-Point: mission and products Q-Point is an independent advisory organisation, specialised in food safety, traceability, marketing and quality systems in agri-business Customers: growers/farmers, suppliers, traders packers, processors, retailers, government, product boards, transporters HACCP, ISO 9000, BRC, IFS, EUREPGAP, QS

© Q-Point Introduction GAP GAP means Good Agricultural Practices All efforts that producers (growers/farmers) perform to optimise production by good use of soil, fertilisers, manure, crop protection products, energy, water, hygiene etc and minimizing the effect on the environment and assure health and welfare and social circumstances. Input => output: has to be transparant and measurable => Quality Assurance

© Q-Point Introduction GAP – example dairy

© Q-Point Introduction GAP Techniques on production methods e.g. soil, water, fertilisers, climate, integrated crop protection, pest control, feed, health and welfare (animal and human) Food safety and hygiene (guides to good practice, hygiene measures)

© Q-Point Background food safety

© Q-Point Forces for change BSE / GMO Consumer Environmental Awareness Pressure / Lobby groups Media Environmental / Food Safety Legislation New EU member states

© Q-Point History International developments (WTO, Codex) Lack of harmonisation Crises (BSE, Dioxin) Repair consumer trust Guarantee high level of protection of consumer health White Paper

© Q-Point EU food scandals Olive oil in Spain Glycol in Austrian wine Shrimps, Shigella- bacterie/Asia Growth stimulators Dioxin in milk Salmonella in chicken Nutricia baby food Hygiene in meat production BSE CCC pears dioxin in chicken CCC in carrots MPA in pigs Residues in F&V

© Q-Point Response Public: Food safety high on political agenda of EU Private: increase of private standards for food safety and quality (by retail) Consumers: concerns after scandals; and increase in labelling and branding

© Q-Point EU food safety plan Goals: Guarantee the protection of consumer health Repair consumer trust in food safety White Paper Food Safety (84 actions)

© Q-Point White Paper on Food Safety 84 enforcement actions: General Food & Feed Law (No 178/2002) Hygiene Package (No 852/2004, No 853/2004, No 854/2004) Food & Feed control Feed hygiene Etc.

© Q-Point General Food & Feed Law Directive 178/2002 – framework for harmonisation of food safety; general principles and requirements of food and feed law Establishing EFSA: European Food Safety Authority Traceability (active per 1 january 2005) EU hygiene regulations (active per 1 january 2006)

© Q-Point General Food & Feed Law GFL is applicable to all stages of production, processing and distribution of food and feed (also including primary production)

© Q-Point Tracking & Tracing Downstream Tracing Growers Trader Distribution Centre Retailer Foodprocessor Upstream Tracing

© Q-Point Structure hygiene-package From 16 directives to 3 regulations: 852/2004 General rules of hygiene for foodstuffs (H1) 853/2004 Specific rules of hygiene for foodstuffs of animal origin (H2) 854/2004 Organisation of official controls on product of animal origin intended for human consumption (H3) H4 Official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules H5 Repealing old directives

© Q-Point 852/2004 … H1 Regulation of the European Parliament and of the council on the hygiene of foodstuffs

© Q-Point Article 1 Scope Food business operator is responible for food safety Whole chain (starting with primary production) Maintain cold chain General implementation of procedures based on HACCP Guides to good practice: good instrument Risk assessment as a base for microbiological and temperature control requirements Imported goods: same or equivalent standard

© Q-Point Scope Not applicable to: a)Primary production for private domestic use; b)Domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption; c)Direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary product to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer.

© Q-Point Article 2: definitions Some important definitions: Food hygiene Competent authority Equivalent: in respect of different systems, capable of meeting the same objectives Potable water Wrapping Packaging But also definitions of No 178/2002 apply

© Q-Point Food hygiene –The measures and conditions necessary to control hazards and to ensure fitness for human consumption of a foodstuff taking into account its intended use

© Q-Point Article 3 en 4 Art 3: General obligation Art 4: General and specific hygiene requirements. –Primary production: Annex IA –Other (production, processing, distribution: Annex II –Microbiological and temperature requirements –Procedures –Cold chain –Sampling and analyses

© Q-Point Primary production (Annex 1) Part A: General hygiene provisions - incl. transport, storage, handling of primary products - incl. record keeping Part B: Recommendations for guides to good hygiene practice

© Q-Point Article 5: Hazard analyses and critical control points Implementing HACCP principles by food business operators Only for stages of production, processing and distribution of food after primary production and those associated operations listed in Annex 1. Record keeping for an appropriate period

© Q-Point Article 6: Registration and approval Cooperate and registration with competent authorities Approval by the competent authority Article 7: Guides to good practice Development and dissimination

© Q-Point Article 8: National guides In consultantion with relevant parties Codex Alimentarius Primary production: follow recommendations Annex 1B Existing guides shall continue to apply Article 9: Community guides No community guides untill now Initiative has to come from EC

© Q-Point Article 10 en 11: imports and exports Relevant requirements of food law referred to in Article 11 and 12 in No 178/2002 shall include the requirements laid down in Article 3,4,5 and 6 Article 12: Implementing and transitional arrangement in accordance with committee procedure

© Q-Point Article 13 Amendment and adaptions of Annexes I and II –Need to revise recommendations in Annex 1 B –Experience from HACCP-implementation –Technological developments –Scientific advice –Microbiological and temperature criteria Exceptions on Annex II –Traditional methods of production –Geografical constriants

© Q-Point Article 14 Committee procedure Article 15 Consultation EFSA Article 16 Report to EC and EP

© Q-Point Article 17: Repealing directive 93/43/EEC Art 3/3 and art 10 of 93/43 stay in force Nationale microbiological requirements based on 93/43 stay in force untill new requirements are developed Article 18: Applies no earlier than 1 January 2006

© Q-Point Annex II General hygiene requirements for all food business operators (except when annex 1 applies) Layout and design to premises and risks: 1. General requirements for food premises (other than those in Chapter III) 2. Specific requirements in rooms where foodstuffs are prepared 3. Movable and/or temporary premises 4. Transport 5. Equipment 6. Food waste 7. Water supply 8. Personal hygiene 9. Provisions applicable to foodstuffs 10. Wrapping and packaging 11. Heat treatment 12. Training

© Q-Point Background HACCP

© Q-Point Why (now) HACCP Consumer: sensitive/ emancipated/ healthy/easy food –More critical (informationtechnology); –Changed way of life/eating; convenience food (faster, fresh, healty, no additionals etc.) –Immunity/allergies); –Emotions (by affaires, loss of confidence); –Ageing

© Q-Point What is HACCP ? Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points A system to guarantee safe food (in other words: what do you have to do to prevent that a consumer gets ill)

© Q-Point HACCP seven principles 1.Conduct a hazard analysis 2.Determine the Critical Control Points (CCPs) 3.Establish critical limit(s) 4.Establish a system to monitor control of the CCP

© Q-Point HACCP seven principles 5.Establish the corrective action to be taken when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not under control 6.Establish procedures for verification to confirm that the HACCP system is working effectively 7.Establish documentation concerning all procedures and record appropriate to these principles and their application

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Hazards in food A danger in food is described as a microbiological, physical or chemical property that can make food unsafe for consumption. Diseases caused by consumption of food: – food infection (by micro-organism) – food poisoning (by toxic matters) – but also injuries

© Q-Point Microbiological hazards Food infection: Depending on how many micro- organism you get down Growth of the micro-organism in your body Symptom of disease/illnes Food poisoning: Taking of a toxic matter/material (like toxine) –present by nature in food –produced by micro- organism inside the human body

© Q-Point Examples of causes of diseases Parasites (tapeworm; scabies) Moulds (producing toxic matter) Bacteria (boil) Virus (jaundice) Prions (BSE = mad cow disease)

© Q-Point Direct contamination of human to human Talk, sneeze, cough Shake hands Dust

© Q-Point Indirect contamination Dust particles Contaminated cleaning cloths/rags (toilets) Contaminated food Polluted water Excrements (faeces) and urine Cross contamination and recontamination is often a problem without noticing this!!

© Q-Point From contamination to risk Contamination source plus opportunity Most pathogens (agents of disease) react to: –food –temperature –moisture –time Sometimes is a living host necessary (parasites, virus and prions)

© Q-Point Contamination cycle Salmonella

© Q-Point Prevention microbiological hazards Wash hands (after use of toilet, eating, blow ones nose etc.) Disposables towels/roller-towel Separated cleaning rags and regular refreshing of cleaning rags Clean clothing and daily showering No loose hanging long hair (tied) Cover up wounds No pets/animals No sneezing/coughing above the products Wear no jewelry Contaminating disease have to be reported

© Q-Point Examples of physical hazards Jewelry Watches Bandage or plasters cigarette or –end Knives or other sharp material Pieces of glass Wood and splinters

© Q-Point Prevention physical hazards No jewelry (except a plain wedding ring) No smoking or eating Use of plasters with striking colour (blue) Control on used tools Make appointments with regard to control on glass breakage, boxes (for products), etc.

© Q-Point Examples of chemical hazards Residues of crop protection products (pesticides) Cleaning agents Other chemical residues (acids, cooling fluid, lubricants)

© Q-Point Prevention chemical hazards Use of suitable cleaning agents and agreements on cleaning schedule Agreements on maintenance of machinery and equipement

© Q-Point Market demands on food safety

© Q-Point What do retailers want from producers? Transparency!! Insight in production process Traceability Product liability

© Q-Point

Global Food Safety Initiative Mission: strengthen consumer in food they buy in retail outlets –Enhance food safety –Ensure consumer protection –Strengthen consumer confidence –Benchmark requirements of food safety management schemes –Improve cost efficiency throughout the food supply chain

© Q-Point Global Food Safety Initiative Objectives are facilitated by: implementing and maintaining a scheme to benchmark food safety standards for mutual recognition Co-ordinated by CIES Schemes benchmarked and accepted by GFSI at this moment: dutch HACCP, BRC, IFS, SQF

© Q-Point GFSI Pre-farm gate EUREPGAP Q&S (Germ.) Agriconfiance (France) SQF 1000 (Aus/USA) etc. Post-farm gate HACCP BRC IFS EFSIS SQF 2000, 3000 ISO etc.

© Q-Point Relations between systems GrowerpackerExporterImporter wholesale supermarket EUREP- GAP Hygiënecode HACCPBRC IFS HACCP

© Q-Point What is EUREPGAP? Good Agricultural Practice: Framework with minimum standards for horticultural products EUREPGAP is an accredited set of normative documents for international certification. The documents are developed by representatives from all stages of the food chain world-wide.

© Q-Point BRC and IFS Market oriented systems BRC: British Retail Consortium Technical Standard: HACCP/ISO IFS: International Food Standard: German and French retailers (HACCP/ISO)

© Q-Point Conclusions Food safety top priority for EU Certification ongoing trend Export to EU: EUREPGAP (growers) and HACCP (BRC/IFS) (packers): –Most important and widely supported food safety schemes in Europe –Also exporters to EU should take it seriously!

© Q-Point Case: Situation agro- and food sector in Bulgaria SWOT: –Strength –Weaknesses –Oppertunities –Threats

© Q-Point Case - discussion Why should food safety and GAP a priority in Bulgaria? How is public response (government)? What is the reaction of private food companies? And growers/farmers/cooperatives? Who has to take a leading role in implementation? Should there be support and by whom? Do you think companies can comply and why? What is necessary in your country?

© Q-Point Food safety in Netherlands – best practices Examples, discussion and questions

© Q-Point Current developments GAP In Netherlands almost all producers are working with GAP: –For F&V: EUREPGAP –Feed and combinable crops (grain, corn etc): GMP+ –Potatoes: VVA (food safety certificate) –Flowers and ornamentals: MPS GAP –Dairy (milk): KKM –Eggs: IKB eggs –Poultry: IKB poultry –Pigs: IKB Pigs –etc

© Q-Point Current developments GAP Retailers (Dutch, English a.o) already demand EUREPGAP certified fresh produce (F&V) and MPS GAP for flowers Retailers announced deadline of for animal produce (meat, milk, eggs etc)

© Q-Point Current developments GAP Benchmarking of national schemes with EUREPGAP IFA (Integrated Farm Assurance): –VVA is benchmarked –IKB Pigs is benchmarked against modules All farm base, Livestock base module and Pig module and the General Regulations –GMP+ for feed is benchmarked

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Food safety in practice – examples in Eastern Europe Examples, discussion and questions

© Q-Point Case – discussion: Are there any national Certification Body (CBs) in Bulgaria? Do you think you need CBs? What is necessary for setting up a CB in your country? Who must take the lead (government, universities, institutes, private companies)? Which measures should be taken? Knowledge infrastructure?