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Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products

2 Design, Construction and Maintenance of Buildings, Facilities and Equipment

Amendment 2

June 2006

2.1 Purpose and scope

To ensure that all buildings, facilities and equipment are designed, constructed, installed and operated in a manner that prevents or minimises contamination of edible bee products, packaging, equipment, and the processing environment.

2.2 Sources of hazards

2.3 Mandatory requirements

2.3.1 AP Reg 10

The premises, facilities, equipment and essential services must be designed, constructed, located and operated in a manner that:

• enables the suitability of any edible bee product to be maintained;

• enables the fitness for intended purpose of any edible bee product to be achieved and maintained; and

• minimises and manages the exposure of any edible bee product, packaging, equipment, and the processing environment to hazards and other risk factors.

2.3.2 HC Spec 5 (1)

Any material or exposed internal surface finish used in the building, manufacture, or maintenance of facilities, equipment, or internal structures, that may affect the suitability for processing or the fitness for intended purpose of any edible bee product, must:

• be impervious, non-absorbent, and free from depressions, pits, cracks, and crevices that may harbour contaminants;

• be easily cleaned and sanitised;

• be unaffected by any corrosive substance with which it is likely to come into contact, to the extent necessary to ensure that it will not harbour contaminants and is not a source of contamination;

• be durable, resistant to fracture, and capable of withstanding repeated exposure to normal cleaning and sanitising;

• in the case of surfaces (other than those used for walking or standing on during operations), be smooth and minimise the accumulation of condensation; and

• in the case of materials lining the walls, floors, and ceilings, be of a colour that does not disguise contaminants having regard to the lighting arrangements.

2.3.3 HC Spec 5 (2)

The facilities, equipment, and internal structures, that may affect the suitability for processing or the fitness for intended purpose of any edible bee product, must be of sanitary design.

2.3.4 HC Spec 20

Equipment and storage areas that are used to store or contain waste must:

• be clearly identified, and if equipment is permanently installed and in an identified storage area then either the equipment or storage area may be identified; and

• not be a source of contamination to any edible bee product.

2.3.5 HC Spec 7

Lighting must be of a sufficient intensity and quality to enable satisfactory performance of all operations.

2.3.6 HC Spec 6 (3)

Temperature controlled rooms and equipment must be operated within their design capability and capacity, and must consistently deliver any required temperature.

2.3.7 HC Spec 6 (4)

Cleaning and sanitation facilities, and equipment, must be provided to ensure that the hygiene of personnel, equipment and the premises or place can be maintained.

2.3.8 HC Spec 6 (5)

Access to facilities that are sufficient for official assessors and Animal Product Officers to perform their role must be provided.

2.3.9 HC Spec 19 (1)

Equipment or storage areas used to store or contain any bee product that is not suitable for processing or not fit for human consumption, but is suitable or fit for some other purpose, must be clearly identified and not be a source of contamination to any other bee product that is intended for human consumption.

2.3.10 HC Spec 19 (2)

Any bee product that is not suitable for processing or not fit for human consumption but is suitable or fit for some other purpose, must be kept under controlled conditions until adequately identified in a manner that will ensure that it will not be mistakenly or fraudulently released as suitable for processing or fit for human consumption.

2.3.11 HC Spec 28 (1)

Measuring equipment, such as scales, thermometers, pH meters, and flow meters (whether stand alone or forming part of a piece of equipment), that is used to provide critical measurements, must:

• have the accuracy, precision, and conditions of use appropriate to the task performed;

• be calibrated against a reference standard showing traceability of calibration to a national or international standard of measurement (where available), or (if no such reference standard exists) be calibrated on a basis that is documented in, or incorporated by reference into, the risk management programme; and

• be uniquely identified to enable traceability of the calibrations and to identify calibration status.

2.3.12 HC Spec 28 (2)

Minimum frequencies of calibration must be specified in the risk management programme for each piece of measuring equipment used to provide critical measurements, or used as reference standards, taking into consideration the following (as appropriate):

• the stability of the piece of equipment;

• the nature of the measurement; and

• the manufacturer’s instructions.

2.3.13 HC Spec 28 (3)

Safeguards must be in place to prevent unauthorised adjustments to the calibration of the measuring equipment, including movement of the equipment where this may invalidate the calibration.

2.4 Procedures

2.4.1 Site

2.4.1.1 Potential sources of contamination must be considered when deciding where to locate the premises, as well as the effectiveness of any reasonable measures that might be taken to protect the product. Premises must be located away from:

• environmentally polluted areas and industrial activities which pose a serious threat of contaminating food;

• areas subject to flooding unless sufficient safeguards are provided;

• areas prone to infestation of pests; and

• areas where wastes, either solid or liquid, cannot be effectively removed.

2.4.1.2 Transport access ways, and areas between and around buildings, must be constructed and maintained so that they drain surface water, and minimise dust and other environmental contamination.

2.4.2 Buildings and facilities

Adequate facilities must be available for:

• the hygienic performance of all operations, including the extraction of honey, and the processing and packing of edible bee products;

• storage of products, packaging, ingredients, cleaning materials and other maintenance compounds, and other materials;

• storage and distribution of water;

• cleaning and sanitation of facilities and equipment;

• personnel hygiene (e.g. toilets, hand washing units, changing facilities); and

• effective drainage and disposal of wastes.

2.4.2.1 Adequate working space must be provided to allow for:

• the hygienic performance of all operations;

• access of personnel;

• installation of equipment;

• effective cleaning; and

• storage and access of materials.

2.4.2.2 Internal structures of buildings, including floors, ceilings and walls, must be designed and constructed in such a manner that:

• minimises contamination of the product;

• facilitates cleaning and maintenance;

• minimises the entrance and harbourage of pests; and

• minimises the entry of environmental contaminants.

2.4.2.3 Floors that are subject to wet cleaning must be constructed of impervious material, be easily and effectively cleaned, and facilitate the drainage or removal of water.

2.4.2.4 Floor surfaces must be relatively smooth but not slippery.

2.4.2.5 Floor joints in processing areas must be sealed with material impervious to liquids and finished flushed with the surface.

2.4.2.6 Floor and wall angles and joints must be constructed in a manner that can be effectively cleaned.

2.4.2.7 Walls in processing areas must be constructed of smooth, non-absorbent and washable material.

2.4.2.8 Wall joints must be sealed to prevent ingress of water, pests and contaminants.

2.4.2.9 If timber is used in doors, door jambs, and windows in processing areas, the timber must be sealed by the application of a durable, non-toxic, opaque surface coating.

2.4.2.10 Lights and light fixtures over any edible bee product or exposed packaging material must be of a safety type, or otherwise protected to prevent contamination of products in the event of breakage.

2.4.2.11 Buildings and facilities must be designed to provide separation, by partition, location, or other effective means, between those operations, including waste disposal, which may cause contamination of any edible bee product.

2.4.2.12 Vehicle loading bays that are located within the building where processing occurs must have sealed floors to control dust.

2.4.3 Equipment

2.4.3.1 All equipment that come into contact with any edible bee product must be designed, constructed, installed and operated in a manner that:

• ensures the effective performance of the intended task;

• ensures effective cleaning;

• facilitates good hygienic practices, including monitoring; and

• does not cause contamination of the product.

2.4.3.2 Equipment must be able to be effectively cleaned by normal procedures without damage to the material’s surface.

2.4.3.3 Equipment must be:

• durable

• resistant to chipping, flaking, delamination, abrasion;

• able to withstand exposure to heat, water and the particular bee product (e.g. honey is acidic) under normal operating conditions; and

• corrosion resistant.

2.4.3.4 All surfaces in direct contact with edible bee product must be inert to the product, cleaning materials and other substances under normal conditions of use.

2.4.3.5 The following materials must not be used in any equipment that may come in contact with honey:

• metals such as cadmium, lead and their alloys;

• sponge rubber, stone slab, leather and fabrics (excluding strainers/filters); and

• cast iron and galvanised iron.

2.4.3.6 Containers (e.g. plastic buckets) used within the premises for holding edible bee products, wiping cloths, cleaning materials, wastes or other materials must be clearly identified and differentiated as to their use (e.g. by labels or colour coding).

2.4.3.7 Measuring equipment, such as weighing scales, thermometers, and refractometers (whether stand alone or forming part of a piece of equipment) must have the accuracy, precision, and conditions of use appropriate to the task performed.

2.4.3.8 Suitable cleaning equipment that is maintained in a hygienic and good working condition must be available for cleaning and sanitising of equipment and facilities.

2.4.3.9 Outside waste bins must have tight fitting lids or covers.

2.4.4 Repairs and maintenance

All alterations, repairs and maintenance work on buildings, facilities and equipment must be done in a manner that minimises exposure of products to hazards introduced by this work.

2.4.5 Monitoring

Compliance to documented procedures must be regularly checked by the responsible person.

2.5 Records

2.5.1 Records giving the following information must be kept by the operator:

• Pre-season checklist, as applicable;

• Any problem detected regarding buildings, facilities and equipment;

• Any alterations or repairs done; and

• Any corrective action taken (including restoration of control, product disposition and prevention of recurrence).