This document discusses food safety, hygiene, and related legislation. It covers several key points: 1) Food safety involves proper handling, preparation, and storage of food to prevent foodborne illness. Proper sanitation and hygiene practices are important to avoid health hazards. 2) Major issues discussed include foodborne disease transmission, genetic food safety debates, availability of safe water in developing countries, and the five key principles of food hygiene according to WHO. 3) International standards like ISO 22000 and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) principles are described which aim to reduce food safety risks and prevent hazards. Proper food handling, purchasing, receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, serving

1. Food Hygiene, sanitation and legislation
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food
in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be
followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards.
Food can transmit disease from person to person as well as serve as a growth medium for
bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Debates on genetic food safety include such
issues as impact of genetically modified food on health of further generations and genetic
pollution of environment, which can destroy natural biological diversity. In developed
countries there are intricate standards for food preparation, whereas in lesser developed
countries the main issue is simply the availability of adequate safe water, which is usually
a critical item. In theory food poisoning is 100% preventable. The five key principles of
food hygiene, according to WHO, are
1. Prevent contaminating food with pathogens spreading from people, pets, and
pests.
2. Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent contaminating the cooked foods.
3. Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature
to kill pathogens.
4. Store food at the proper temperature.
5. Do use safe water and cooked materials.
ISO
ISO 22000 is a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization
dealing with food safety. This is a general derivative of ISO 9000. ISO 22000 standard:
The ISO 22000 international standard specifies the requirements for a food safety
management system that involves interactive communication, system management,
prerequisite programs, HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points) principles.
HACCP
Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP is a systematic preventive
approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that identifies physical, allergenic,
chemical, and biological hazards in production processes that can cause the finished
product to be unsafe, and designs measurements to reduce these risks to a safe level. In
this manner, HACCP is referred as the prevention of hazards rather than finished product
inspection. The HACCP system can be used at all stages of a food chain, from food
production and preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc.
Hence, HACCP has been increasingly applied to industries other than food, such as
cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This method, which in effect seeks to plan out unsafe
practices based on science, differs from traditional "produce and sort" quality control

2. methods that do nothing to prevent hazards from occurring and must identify them at the
end of the process.
The 7 steps of HACCP are as follows
1. Assess hazards and potential risks.
2. Identify critical control points including cross contamination, cooking, cooling,
hygiene.
3. Set up procedures to make sure safety is maintained at all critical control points.
4. Monitor critical control points and use the correct signs, tools, and training
materials to ensure this.
5. Take corrective actions as soon as a critical control point is in jeopardy or when
any violations are pointed out by the Health Department.
6. Set up a record-keeping system to log all of your flowcharts and temperature
checks
7. Keep up with the system to make sure it is working.
HACCP application
It can apply to several food categories; sea food, bulk milk production line, Bulk Cream
and Butter Production Line, animal meat industry, Organic Chemical Contaminants in
Food, Corn Curl Manufacturing Plant, etc.
Food Handling Practices
Purchasing
1. Buy from reputable vendors, grocery stores, or food buying clubs.
2. Check “use by” dates to purchase the freshest foods.
3. Place frozen foods in cooler during transport between store and center.
4. Place fresh meats in separate area from ready-to-eat foods.
Receiving
1. Store foods immediately.
2. Avoid cross-contamination.
2. Keep receiving area clean.
Storing
1.Record delivery/purchase date on food.
2. Use oldest food first
3. Avoid cross-contamination.
4. Store chemicals away from food and other food-related supplies.
5. Maintain proper refrigerator, freezer, and dry storage temperatures.
Preparing
1. Wash hands frequently, properly, and at appropriate times.
2. Avoid cross-contamination.
3. Keep foods out of the “temperature danger zone” (41 °F–135 °F ).
4. Prepare foods no further in advance than necessary.
5. Thaw foods properly.
Cooking
1. Avoid cross-contamination.

3. 2. Use a clean food thermometer.
3. Cook food to the proper internal temperature for appropriate time
without interruptions.
4. Record internal temperatures.
Serving and Holding
1. Avoid cross-contamination.
2. Hold foods at proper temperature, either below 41 °F or above 135 °F.
3. Record internal temperatures.
4. Monitor the temperature of hot-holding and cold-holding equipment.
5. Follow rules for good personal hygiene.
6. Maintain a sanitary food service operation.
Cooling
1. Chill rapidly.
2. Stir frequently.
3. Use shallow, pre-chilled pans.
4. Record internal temperatures.
5. Store appropriately.
Reheating
1. Reheat rapidly.
2. Reheat to internal temperature of 165 °F for 15 seconds.
3. Record internal temperatures.
4. Never reheat food in hot-holding equipment.
Purchasing
1. Buy from reputable vendors.
2. Include food safety standards in purchasing agreement.
3. Accept food only if delivered at proper temperature in clean,
well-equipped trucks.
Receiving
1. Inspect food upon arrival for proper temperature, content, and damage.
2. Reject all products that do not meet requirements.
3. Store foods immediately.
4. Keep receiving area clean.
SANITATION ISSUES, METHODS & SOLUTIONS
Foodborne disease on a global scale is very difficult to quantify however, the Centre for
Disease Control and Prevention announced in December of 2010 new estimates on
foodborne disease illness, hospitalization and deaths. World Health Organization report
in 2004 listed that disease associated with diarrhea was the 5th leading cause of death
worldwide with the majority of those deaths attributed to food and water contamination.
Although these statistics are not solely related to commercial food establishments it is a
startling cautionary tale for food handlers. Food handlers worldwide should have a solid
understanding of the sanitation process which is one very important step in combating
foodborne disease. Sanitizing food handling equipment reduces bacteria and viruses to a

4. safe level. Understanding food related sanitization methods, what and when to sanitize
and the tools to use for sanitization play vital roles in the fight against foodborne disease.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Food handlers face a myriad of issues with regards to sanitization. Poor sanitization
within the establishment could lead to disease, illness or even death. This in turn would
most probably lead to loss of customers, loss of reputation, lawsuits, fines and possible
business closure. Lack of proper sanitation procedures or tools can also result in failure to
meet food safety regulations, legislation or inspections which in turn could cost the
company its license or significant funds to rectify regulatory citations.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE SANITIZED
Each establishment strives to maintain a clean environment but cleaning and sanitizing
are actually two separate activities. Cleaning removes debris such as food particles, grime
& grease but sanitizing is the process of taking a clean item and reducing the level of
microorganisms to a safe level. All equipment must be cleaned but some equipment and
utensils must also be sanitized. There are four basic groups of items that need
sanitization, employee hands, food contact surfaces and tools, hand contact surfaces &
tools and items that are most susceptible to bacterial growth.
SANITIZATION METHODS & MECHANISMS
The basic process steps involved in sanitization are:
1. Pre-cleaning – Remove, scrape and rinse to remove loose food or dirt 2. Wash - Use
detergent solutions to remove stuck-on food or dirt 3. Rinse to remove food/dirt and
detergent 4. Sanitize to kill attached surviving bacteria and viruses 5. Air Dry
The sanitization step is accomplished by using either a thermal or chemical approach.
The thermal approach uses very hot water or steam at a specific temperature and specific
contact time. The thermal or heat sanitizing method for food utensils and equipment can
be used in both a manual or mechanical warehousing set-up. Manually sanitizing
equipment requires that the hot water must be 171 degrees Fahrenheit or above and the
equipment must be immersed for at least 30 seconds. When using the heat method in
mechanical warehousing equipment the sanitizing rinse must fall between 180 & 194
degrees Fahrenheit. Thermometers or thermolabels should be on hand to routinely check
the temperatures.
Using chemicals to sanitize equipment can be accomplished by submerging the
equipment in or brushing or spraying an appropriate sanitizing solution on the equipment.
The solution must be an approved solution and the equipment must be exposed to the
solution at a set temperature for a set time. These vary depending on the type of solution
used. The most common sanitizing chemicals used in the food service industry are
Chlorine, Iodine and Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. Typically chlorine sanitization

5. requires exposure for 7 seconds at a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There are
some variations depending on pH factors. Solutions that contain Iodine are called
iodophors. Equipment sanitation with this solution requires exposure for 30 seconds at a
temperature between 75 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Quaternary Ammonium Compound
is another chemical solution used in the food industry. This chemical requires equipment
to be exposed for 30 seconds at a temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Legislation
The production, processing, distribution, retail, packaging and labelling of food stuffs are
governed by a mass of laws, regulations, codes of practice and guidance.
Food safety is a concern of everyone. Given that food intake is the fundamental
precondition for survival, food safety issues embrace us all the time. Food safety simply
means that what we eat, chew or drink is safe for human health. In order to ensure that
people get safe food, multidimensional approaches have to be taken at all levels of a food
chain e.g. production, storage, supply, distribution, and consumption, etc. The
government and citizens are two major stakeholders in any approach to food safety. Food
producers and food industry also play very important role in ensuring food safety, but this
is not discussed in this paper. The focus of this paper rests on the role of government and
citizens in achieving food safety through enforcement of proper legislation.
Though implementation of legislative measures is basically the mandate of the state,
citizens have also a major role to play in any legislative scheme. The state provides a
legal framework that lays down certain conditions for those involved in provision of food
to the people. These conditions may include prohibition of the sale of adulterated goods,
compliance with prescribed technical specifications, bio-safety guidelines, etc. Most of
the countries around the world have developed their own legal frameworks for ensuring
food safety, notwithstanding the effectiveness of these frameworks. Pakistan does not
have an integrated legal framework but has a set of laws, which deals with various
aspects of food safety. These laws, despite the fact that they were enacted long time ago,
have tremendous capacity to achieve at least minimum level of food safety. However,
like many other laws, these laws remain very poorly enforced.
Laws Dealing with Food Safety in Pakistan
There exist a large number of food laws in Pakistan. However, most of them deal with
control of production, distribution and supply of food, in addition to dealing with
profiteering and hoarding. There are four laws that specifically deal with food safety.
Three of these laws directly focus issues related to food safety, while the fourth one
namely Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, is indirectly relevant to
food safety. A brief overview of these laws is given below:
The Pure Food Ordinance, 1960 consolidates and amends the law in relation to the
preparation and the sale of foods. All provinces and some northern areas have adopted
this law with certain amendments. Its aim is to ensure purity of food being supplied to

6. people in the market and, therefore, provides for preventing adulteration. The law
prohibits any person to mix, colour, stain or powder any food, if the mixing involves
violation of prescribed rules or is likely to make the food injurious for health. The
prescribed rules set standards for colouring, preservatives, flavouring compounds,
antioxidants, stabilisers, anti-caking agent, non-nutritive constituents, and metals. The
law also prohibits sale, preparation, manufacture, import or export of such food for
human consumption, which is unsound, unwholesome, or injurious to health, in addition
to misbranded food items. Besides, the law sets rules for labeling of pre-packed food and
precautionary measures to be taken during storage, stocking and packing. There are four
criterion adopted by the law to ensure purity of food: a) it prohibits
manufacturing/preparation or processing of such food, which is likely to be unsafe for
human consumption, e.g. any food which can cause food poisoning; b) it prohibits
import, export or sale of unsafe food; c) sets out certain hygiene standards; d) provides
for inspection and laboratory analysis of food samples according to a set criterion. ‘Local
authority’, which is designated by the government, is responsible for enforcing the
Ordinance within its jurisdiction. The law is not uniform in all areas. Even penalties of
the same offence vary in provinces. Furthermore, the law is silent about award of
compensation or damages to consumers.
Pakistan Hotels and Restaurant Act, 1976 applies to all hotels and restaurants in Pakistan
and seeks to control and regulate the rates and standard of service(s) by hotels and
restaurants.
The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, 1996 is a relevant law;
although it is not classified as a “food law”. This Act provides for the establishment of
Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), which is the apex body to
formulate standards or adopt international standards. It is also responsible for
enforcement of standards in the whole of Pakistan and has the mandate to inspect and test
products and services, including food items, for their quality, specification and
characteristics during use, and for import and export purposes.
Public Monitoring
Public monitoring of the implementation of food safety laws in general, and of certain
specific provisions of these laws in particular, can greatly contribute to effectiveness of
the existing laws. Following are the specific entry points for public monitoring of food
safety laws:
(1) Under Pure Food Ordinance 1960, private persons have the right to have food sample
analyzed. If one suspects that any food is likely to be detrimental to human health, an
application can be made in writing to a Health Inspector or Food Inspector asking him
to purchase sample of such food from the person specified in the application. The
inspector shall submit the sample to the Public Analyst for laboratory analysis. The
cost will be borne by the applicant. If the food sample is found to be adulterated, the
amount paid by the applicant will be refunded to him or her.
(2) Preparation, manufacturing, or storing for sale or for offer to sell any food which is
unhygienic or unfit for human consumption is prohibited under the Pure Food
Ordinance 1960. The citizens can monitor around them if someone is involved

7. preparing, manufacturing or storing for sale or for offer to sell any food, which is
likely to harm the potential consumers. The citizens have the right to register a
complaint to the inspector appointed by the concerned ‘Local Authority’.
3) Any person (i.e. waiter, cook etc.) in any hotel, restaurant, sweetmeat shop or any
other public eating place should be in possession of a health certificate from a health
officer, which should mention that he/she is free from communicable diseases. The
citizens may ask a waiter or cook at any public eating-place to produce the health
certificate. In case of failure to produce such certificate, a complaint can be made to
the Health Inspector concerned.
Some general Rules
• Food Sanitation Act & Its Enforcement Rule
• Code & Food Additive Code
• Food Labeling Standards
• Guideline for Inspection Foods Import
• Labeling Standard of GMO food
• standards etc Provisions on the standards, etc. for authorization of official
laboratories in foreign countries
• Requirement of the Investigation to Establishment in exporting countries for the
registration of Good importer
• Health Functional Food Act & Its Enforcement Rule