Key Components of Food Safety Strategy

1. Management responsibility [Link] safety policy

● Management is accountable for ● Policy must align with the natural
establishment and maintenance of and activities of the business
food safety products ● Policy is communicated, understood
and supported by all personnel
● Ensures compliance with food
legislation
● Demonstrate commitment to
continuous improvement

[Link] [Link] Steps

● Development of a detailed food ● Understand production cycle
safety program -From raw materials to finished
-Define responsibility, resources, goods and their uses
requirements and communication ● Knowledge of product-process
channels interaction
● Consider product and process -Includes product specification,
safety requirements monitoring and verification methods
-Constraints: Regulatory and ● Safety analysis
commercial requirements -Identify safety-affecting factors and
-Opportunity: Innovation, product implement control measures to
development and new markets comply with requirements
-Other factors:Economics cost and
raw material considerations

[Link] and Audit [Link], improvement and

● Conduct regular assessments of the review
food safety programs ● Ensure compliance with changing
● Audit individual stages to identify regulations
weakness ● Focus on the ongoing assurance of
● Ensure the food safety requirements foods safety
are met and the program is effective
MeSTI Certification
Definition
-A minimum Food Safety Assurance Programme to control processing operations in food
manufacturing premises

Objective
-To ensure small and medium enterprises(SMEs) implement proper food safety practice and
meet regulatory requirements in Malaysia under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009

Purpose/Benefits
● To help food businesses, especially SMEs, adopt a structured food safety program
● To ensure compliance with the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985
● Builds confidence in food safety for consumers and facilities market access locally
and internationally as MeSTI logo on food product label
● Benefits from promotional activities

Core Elements of MeSTI Approval process

[Link] and facilities [Link] of application
[Link] handle [Link] audit
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]-up audit
[Link] and Sanitation [Link] report
[Link] Material Control [Link]
[Link] control
[Link] control
[Link] control
[Link] and distribution
[Link]
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Definition
● Fundamental principles or procedures needed to design a suitable environment for
the production of food
● GMP are a set of guidelines and procedures aimed at ensuring products are
consistently produced and controlled to meet quality standards

Benefits
● Enhances product quality and safety
● Builds consumer confidence
● Prevent non-compliance with regulatory standards
● Reduce recalls and customer complaints
● Improve operational efficiency and profitability
[Link] and facilities

Production Area Requirements

● Location and nearby area must be free from contamination risk
● Production area must be sanitary. No accumulation of waste or dirt.
● The area must be dust-prone
● The area must not close to repugnant areas
● There must be a good draining system to keep the areas dry and clean

Additional Facility Requirements

● The production areas must be separated from living areas
● Prevent animals and insects from entering production zone
● Remove irrelevant waste and items from the production area
● Provide appropriate lightning and ventilation
● Other facilities: Hand-washing areas, dressing and locker room, toilet
● Use safety-type light bulbs and fixtures to avoid glass contamination
● Adequate size to prevent overcrowding
● Proper layout for orderly material flow

[Link]

Design and Material Requirements

● Equipment must be designed from materials that are easy to clean and properly
maintained
● Equipment designed must be free from contamination risks such as metal
fragments, lubricants, fuel
Installation and Maintenance
● Equipment must be installed to facilitate easy cleaning

Food-Contact Surface
● Surfaces must be made of materials that is corrosion-resistant
● Materials should be nontoxic and should not react with food
● Seams on food-contact surfaces should be smoothly bonded to prevent
accumulation of dirt, food particles and organic matter and minimise opportunity of
microbial growth

[Link] and process control

● All activities including receiving, inspecting, transporting, segregating,

preparing, manufacturing, packaging, and storing food must follow proper
sanitation principles
● Implement quality control procedures to ensure food is safe for human
consumption and food packaging materials are safe and suitable
● Take reasonable precautions to prevent contamination during production
 ● Use chemical, microbial and physical-material tests to identify sanitation
failures or contamination
● Contaminated food should be rejected or treated to eliminate contaminants

[Link] and pest control

Sanitation Measure Pest Control Measures

[Link] Maintenance [Link] Control Plan

● Building, fixtures, and facilities must be ● Should be developed with
kept in a sanitary condition to avoid professional provider
food adulteration ● Includes:
● Water supply must be reliable and -Assigned personnel or pest control
sufficient for operation company
-Chemical list, application methods,
[Link] of chemicals and frequencies
● Sanitising and cleaning chemicals, -Map of trap locations
pesticides and toxic substances should -Record of pest control inspection
be stored in locked area and program effectiveness
● Be kept away from direct contact with
food areas [Link] Storage
● Prevent leakage and contamination ● Pest control chemicals must be
stored securely due to their high
[Link] and Cleaning procedures toxicity
● Toilet should be accessible but not
directly open to food areas [Link] Management
● A detailed cleaning plan should ● Waste management must follow
include: Chemicals, Methods, strict guidelines
Safety instructions and Inspection ● Plan loading spaces for easy
points for equipment and cleaning and control
environment
● Cleaning procedures should not occur
during production to avoid aerosols
contaminating food contact surfaces

[Link] of fats and soil

● Use brush or vacuum to clean the
surface
● Use hot water to remove fat but should
be carefully to avoid coagulation of
protein
[Link] Materials and Ingredients
● Inspect and segregate raw materials to prevent contamination and store under
proper condition to avoid spoilage
● Ensure materials are free from pathogens or treated such as pasteurisation to
acceptance levels
● Use materials with guarantee or certifications from suppliers
● Check containers to ensure they don’t cause contamination
● Wash or clean materials to remove soil or contaminants
● Keep frozen materials at required temperature

[Link] operation
● Manufacturing, packaging and storage must minimise microorganism growth and
contaminations
● Ensure careful conditions during manufacturing, handling and distribution to avoid
contamination
● Monitor factors like temperature, humidity, pH and processing methods to prevent
mechanical breakdown, contamination and decomposition
● Use method like pasteurisation, sterilisation, refrigeration and pH control to prevent
undesirable microorganisms growth
● Protect finished food from contamination by raw materials and ingredients

Common GMP Challenges in Malaysia

● Insufficient staff training
● Poor documentation practices
● Inadequate maintenance of facilities and equipment

Steps to Achieve GMP Certification

1. Conduct a Gap analysis- compare current practices with GMP standards
2. Develop and implement Quality Management system (QMS)
3. Train personnel and implements SOPs
4. Validate processes and equipment
5. Conduct an internal audit before applying for certification
6. Submit application to NPRA
Good Hygiene Practice (GHP)

Definition
-Basic hygienic measures which are the prerequisites to other applications, in particular
HACCP.

General GHP/requirements usually cover the following:

● The hygienic design and construction of food manufacturing premises
● The design, construction and proper use of machinery
● Cleaning and disinfection procedures including pest control
● The general hygienic and safety practices in food processing including
-The microbial quality of raw materials
-The hygienic of personnel and their training in the hygiene and food safety
-The hygienic operation of each process step