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1. Introduction
Scope
This industry standard applies to all aspects of design and construction of premises licensed in terms of the Meat Act 1981 and its pursuant regulations, and approved premises that fall within the jurisdiction of MAF RA (M&S), excluding fish packing houses, limited processing fishing vessels and whole fish processing premises.
IS 2 is the New Zealand Standard. It must be read in conjunction with the Meat Act 1981 and its pursuant regulations. It describes the desired outcomes, and the general and specific principles to be applied to the design and construction of premises.
Requirements of importing countries can be found in Manual 12: Overseas Requirements and Certification. Any applicable country standards must be complied with in addition to the New Zealand standard when establishing export markets.
Cross references to other MAF RA (M&S) Manuals, as well as to other sections within IS 2, have been provided where appropriate.
The design and construction requirements for premises processing seafood only are not covered by IS 2. The requirements for fish packing houses, limited processing vessels and whole fish processing premises are described in the Fish Export Processing Regulations 1995 and the Fishing Industry Agreed Implementation Standards (IAIS 001).
Export stores which only hold fish and fish products, and byproducts works which only process fish, are covered by IS 2.
Base Elements of Design and Construction
IS 2 establishes the fundamental principles of designing, constructing and equipping a food manufacturing premises in the context of the base elements required of any food premises, so as to provide a sanitary environment which supports good manufacturing practice and the development of HACCP plans for product and process. These base elements are detailed in Sections 2-6. The following sections cover common premises facilities, but not all are applicable to every category of premises.
Additional Regulatory Requirements
This industry standard only covers those aspects of design and construction relevantto compliance with the requirements of the Meat Act 1981 and its pursuant regulations. Premises design and construction will also need to comply with the relevant requirements of local territorial authorities, the Resource Management Act 1991, the Building Act 1992, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and any other applicable statutory requirements.
1.1 Outcome
A sanitary environment shall be provided to facilitate the hygienic holding, slaughter and dressing of animals and the processing, packing, storing and transport of food and byproducts, the minimisation of food safety hazards of concern and compliance to regulatory requirements.
1.2 Definitions
Unless otherwise noted, terms will have the same meaning as described in the Meat Act 1981 and its pursuant regulations or the Shorter Oxford Dictionary.
Amenities include personnel changing, drying, ablution, dining and personal storage facilities.
Approved premises are those categories of premises that are either exempt from, or fall outside, the licensing provisions of the Meat Act 1981. Approval is granted by MAF RA (M&S) to facilitate market access through branding and certification to markets requiring official government certification.
Bakery product is a ready-to-eat flour-based product.
Building services include ventilation, water, drainage, lighting, process air and other gases, and associated pipes and fittings.
Byproduct Premises (BP) are approved premises used for the collection, processing and/or storage and transport of byproducts.
Byproducts Biological Premises (BBP) are licensed premises used for processing, packing, storage and transport of byproducts intended for biological purposes.
Chillers are rooms where food or byproducts are reduced in temperature and stored in a chilled preservation state.
Clean water is water that is fit for the purpose for which it is to be used. Clean water may be potable water.
Cold stores are rooms where frozen foods or byproducts are stored in storage at the preservation temperature.
Contaminant is any biological agent, chemical agent, foreign matter or other substance not intentionally added to food, or byproduct, which may compromise food safety or suitability for purpose.
Contaminated means that a contaminant on any product, byproduct, piece of equipment or article, including protective clothing, has exceeded any standard or, in the absence of a standard, the accepted level for that contaminant on the product or byproduct being produced at the time.
Continuous towel dispenser provides each user with an area of cloth to be used once only, as it remains after its use in a separate part of the dispenser which is inaccessible to the users. The towel, once entirely used, can be laundered and reused.
Dead ends within a pipe system are unused pipe ends which are not routinely flushed within a potable water reticulation system.
Detain is the secure holding of food or byproduct that is under the supervision of an Inspector.
Dry food is that which has a low water activity (aw), being less than the minimum growth water activity of the spoilage micro-organisms of significance for the particular food.
Equipment is any device (machinery, appliance, implement, tool, receptacle, vessel, container, etc.) used for performing a task in food or byproduct production.
Food is any substance, including additives, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption. The definition of food includes "product" as defined in the Meat Act 1981.
Food area is an area where animals are slaughtered or dressed, or unprotected or wrapped food is processed, packed, stored or transported.
Food support facility is any facility:
- through which unprotected food, packaging, protective clothing, or processing equipment may pass; or
- where unprotected or wrapped ingredients, packaging, chemicals, protective clothing, or processing equipment may be held and/or prepared; or
- where processing equipment is cleaned and/or sterilised prior to reuse.
Freezers are rooms or equipment used to initially freeze food and byproducts. Freezers reduce food or byproduct temperatures to the required preservation temperature.
Green offals are products which are derived from any part of the alimentary tract, not including casings, that are inherently contaminated with ingesta or faecal material.
HACCP means hazard analysis critical control point. It is a system which identifies, evaluates and controls hazards which are significant for food safety.
Hazard is a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or conditions of, food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.
Hermetically sealed means air-tight, completely sealed and impermeable to gas.
Ingredient is any substance, including a food or byproduct additive, used in the manufacture or preparation of a food or byproduct and is present, whether in a modified form or not, in the final food or byproduct.
Input means all consumables, e.g. raw materials and ingredients, and non-consumables, e.g. packaging materials.
MAF RA (M&S) means Ministry of Agriculture Regulatory Authority (Meat and Seafood).
Minimise to have taken all practical steps to substantially reduce the potential hazard of concern.
Non-food is any area, equipment, personnel or thing that does not have direct or indirect contact with any area, equipment, personnel or thing associated with the slaughter and dressing of animals or the processing, packing, storage or transport of unprotected or wrapped food.
Non-food contact surfaces include:
- surfaces not approved for food contact, e.g. walls, structures, fixtures and equipment, such as columns, floors, door jambs, gantries, scaffolding, steps, rise and fall stands, and certain fixed or moveable equipment;
- coatings and materials that are not approved for food contact;
- uncleaned surfaces, e.g. dirty food surfaces, contact points before inspection, contaminated food or personnel, carcasses prior to post-mortem inspection, waste water.
Non-potable water is any water that does not conform to the definition of potable water.
Outer packaging is the final packaging layer that will protect the wrapping of, or the direct contact of, any food or byproduct, equipment, packaging, thing, from the introduction of contaminants.
Positive air pressure is an air pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure. Where this exists within an enclosed environment, it will prevent the possibility of air contaminants being forced into the enclosed environment through door, chute orhatch openings.
Potable water is water that complies with The Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand 1995, Ministry of Health (NZDWS95), or later editions or amendments of these standards.
Preserved means food or byproduct which has been subjected to biological, chemical or physical agents that will minimise deterioration during its expected shelf life.
Protected means sufficiently wrapped, packaged or enclosed to prevent the introduction of contaminants.
Ready-to-eat is food that may be eaten with little or no preparation/ cooking.
Retain refers to carcasses held on the slaughter floor that have not passed post-mortem inspection and are under the supervision of an Inspector.
Retort is a pressure vessel designed for heat processing food or byproduct, packed in hermetically sealed containers, either by saturated steam or by heated water with superimposed air pressure.
Roller towel is a continuous loop of cloth rotating around a central axis and which is available for reuse without laundering, for example, a 2 metre loop of towelling over a bar.
Sanitary design means designed and constructed so that an area, conveyance, or equipment:
- meets the requirements appropriate to its use; and
- can be readily maintained, cleaned, sanitised and sterilised where required to ensure that it is free from contaminants and vermin; and
- in relation to any equipment or access way in any food or byproduct area, also means
that the equipment or access way;
- is easily accessible for maintenance, cleaning, operation, checking and inspection; and
- does not allow contaminants to come in contact with any food or byproducts or other equipment; and
- precludes the harbouring or accumulation of any contaminants or vermin.
Separate by distance means to separate to such an extent so as to avoid any possible contact, splash, contamination, etc., between specific functions, processes or personnel.
Separate physically means to separate by floor to ceiling solid walls and doors, or to fully protect product/byproduct by pipelines, enclosed vats, etc.
Separate by time means to end one function or process prior to starting a different function or process, with a cleaning operation in between.
Shall expresses a mandatory requirement of this industry standard.
Should/may expresses a recommended provision which when followed may assist in achieving the required outcome of this industry standard.
Store is a facility used for the storing of containers, ingredients, chemicals, and finished shelf-stable or chilled and frozen food or byproduct, that are protected by outer packaging. A store may be refrigerated or non-refrigerated and may utilise wet or dry cleaning procedures dependent upon construction standards.
Thermal processing is the application of heat that will result in complete or partial preservation of products.
Vermin is any free living animal which is not part of the normal operation of any premises. The term includes, but shall not be restricted to, birds, rodents, mammals and insects.
Water activity (aw) is the ratio of the water vapour pressure of the food (p) to that of pure water (po) at the same temperature:
When a solution becomes more concentrated, vapour pressure decreases and the aw falls from a maximum value of 1 for pure water.
Water reticulation is the system of water supply throughout the premises from the source to the point of use. It includes the source of supply, means of treatment, storage, temperature modifying devices, distribution pipework, backflow protection devices, etc.
Wrapping is any material that is intended to protect food or byproduct, equipment, packaging or thing and comes into immediate contact with the food or byproduct, equipment, packaging or thing. Wrapping can include rigid materials, such as cartons and containers.
1.3 General Principles
Premises shall be designed and constructed using good sanitary design principles which should support HACCP principles, and shall be fit for purpose.
Premises designed and constructed in accordance with the outcomes and principles outlined in this manual would satisfy MAF RA (M&S) requirements for licensing and approval and for the approval of alterations to licensed and approved premises. Refer also to Manual 1: Licensing.
It is strongly recommended that advice on the design of new premises, and alterations to existing premises that substantially alter or affect the sanitary environment of the premises, is obtained from a competent person.
It is the responsibility of the applicant or Licensee to provide appropriate validation of design, construction and installation attributes that will enable effective verification of compliance to standards. This is particularly important where alterations and additions require professional expertise, e.g. refrigeration systems, back flow prevention systems and water treatment systems. The requirements of Manual 8: Quality Assurance must be adhered to for any new process technology, new process, etc.
Where any outcome required by this industry standard can be achieved using alternative principles to those outlined in this industry standard, then the alternative principles are permitted, provided they are validated and they address all appropriate regulatory outcomes.
1.4 Layout of this Industry Standard
IS 2 is organised into sections, each dealing with a particular element for developing the minimum requirements for the various categories of premises.
Each section commences with a scope which describes the area of application of the standard.
Each section is arranged in a four-tier system, i.e., outcome, general principles, specific principles and action guidelines. Each tier progressively expands and guides the user on means to ultimately achieve the required outcome.
The top tier is the outcome statement. The outcome describes the overall requirementthat must be achieved for the particular element being addressed and provides the basis for determining equivalent alternative general or specific principles with the New Zealand standard.
The general principles section establishes the fundamental principles that will achieve the required outcome.
Specific principles are subsequently detailed to provide an additional guide on common issues which support the general principles.
There are no headings which identify specific principles. However, specific principles will be identified as any major heading (with two-digit numbering and in bold 14 point type face) which occurs in sequence after the general principles.
Action Guidelines
Sequential Order of this Industry Standard
In using this industry standard, it is important that the whole industry standard and each section is read in the sequential order intended. Sections 2-6 detail the base elements required of any food premises and are the "building blocks" to be incorporated into all subsequent sections. The four-tier system, within each individual section, must also be read and used in the intended order to maximise understanding of the requirements. Information in this industry standard will be of little use if it is extracted from a specific principle without acknowledging the prior general principles and, most importantly, the required outcome.
1.5 Abbreviations
1.6 References
Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC). Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards for the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Slaughter at Licensed and Approved Premises. Code of Animal Welfare No.10. July 1994.
Australian Standard AS 3500.1 National Plumbing and Drainage Code. Part 1: Water Supply.
Codex Alimentarius Commission, CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 2 (1985) Recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene.
Drinking Water Standard for New Zealand 1995 (NZDWS95).
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Manuals 1, 3, 4, IS 5, IAS 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15
New Zealand Building Code (First Schedule to the Building Regulations 1992).
New Zealand Standard 5807: 1980. Industrial Identification by Colour, Wording or Other Coding.
New Zealand Standard 6703: 1984. Code of Practice for Interior Lighting Design.
Slaughter of Stock, Game and Poultry Regulations 1969.
Water Supplies Protection Regulations 1961.
US Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 parts 170-199.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
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