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Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products

Part 2: Good Manufacturing Practice

Prelims

Amendment 2

June 2006

Table of Contents

Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products 1

Prelims 2

Disclaimer 5

Review of Code of Practice 5

Amendment Record 6

1 Introduction 1.1

1.1 Purpose and scope 1.1

1.2 Layout of Part 2 1.1

1.3 Documentation of GMP 1.3

2 Design, Construction and Maintenance of Buildings, Facilities and Equipment 2.1

2.1 Purpose and scope 2.1

2.2 Sources of hazards 2.1

2.3 Mandatory requirements 2.1

2.4 Procedures 2.5

2.5 Records 2.11

3 Potable Water 3.1

3.1 Purpose and scope 3.1

3.2 Sources of hazards 3.1

3.3 Mandatory requirements 3.1

3.4 Procedures 3.2

3.5 Records 3.8

4 Cleaning and Sanitation 4.1

4.1 Purpose and scope 4.1

4.2 Sources of hazards 4.1

4.3 Mandatory requirements 4.1

4.4 Procedures 4.2

4.5 Records 4.6

5 Personnel Competency, Health and Hygiene 5.1

5.1 Purpose and scope 5.1

5.2 Sources of hazards 5.1

5.3 Mandatory requirements 5.1

5.4 Procedures 5.3

5.5 Records 5.7

6 Control of Chemicals 6.1

6.1 Purpose and scope 6.1

6.2 Sources of hazards 6.1

6.3 Mandatory requirements 6.1

6.4 Procedures 6.2

6.5 Records 6.3

7 Pest Control 7.1

7.1 Purpose and scope 7.1

7.2 Sources of hazards 7.1

7.3 Mandatory requirements 7.1

7.4 Procedures 7.2

7.5 Records 7.4

8 Packaging Materials (Specifications, Storage & Handling) 8.1

8.1 Purpose and scope 8.1

8.2 Sources of hazards 8.1

8.3 Mandatory requirements 8.1

8.4 Procedures 8.2

8.5 Monitoring 8.6

8.6 Records 8.6

9 Receipt and Processing of Honey and Dried Pollen 9.1

9.1 Purpose and scope 9.1

9.2 Mandatory requirements 9.1

9.3 Procedures for the receipt of honey, pollen and other bee products 9.4

9.4 Procedures for the processing of honey 9.4

9.5 Procedures for the processing of pollen 9.10

9.6 Traceability and inventory control 9.13

9.7 Monitoring 9.13

9.8 Records 9.13

10 Document Control and Record Keeping 10.1

10.1 Purpose and scope 10.1

10.2 Mandatory requirements 10.1

10.3 Procedures 10.4

10.4 Records 10.5

11 Recall 11.1

11.1 Purpose and scope 11.1

11.2 Mandatory requirements 11.1

11.3 Procedures 11.1

12 Operator Verification and Other Operational Requirements 12.1

12.1 Purpose and scope 12.1

12.2 Mandatory requirements 12.1

12.3 Procedures 12.3

12.4 Records 12.6

13 Glossary of Terms 13.1

Appendix 1: Example Pre-Season Checklist

Appendix 2: Schedule 1 to the Human Consumption Specifications – Potable Water Checklist and Water Management Plan

Disclaimer

Important Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this report is accurate.

NZFSA does not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, however it may have occurred.

Website
A copy of this document can be found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/index.htm

Review of Code of Practice

This code of practice will be reviewed, as necessary, by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. Suggestions for alterations, deletions or additions to this code of practice, should be sent, together with reasons for the change, any relevant data and contact details of the person making the suggestion, to:

Assistant Director (Production and Processing)

New Zealand Standards Group

New Zealand Food Safety Authority

P O Box 2835

Wellington

Telephone: 04 463 2500

Facsimile: 04 463 2643

Amendment Record

It is important that this publication is kept up-to-date by the prompt incorporation of amendments.

To update this publication when you receive an amendment, remove the appropriate outdated pages, destroy them, and replace them with the pages from the new issue. Complete instructions will be given on the covering letter accompanying the amendment. File the covering letter at the back of the publication and sign off and date this page.

If you have any queries, please ask your local verifier.

1 Introduction

Amendment 2

June 2006

1.1 Purpose and scope

This code of practice (COP) has been developed by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), in consultation with an industry working group, to assist bee product processors meet the requirements of the Animal Products Act 1999 and produce products for human or animal consumption that are fit for their intended purpose. It applies to businesses involved in the secondary processing of bee products which covers the extraction of honey; and the processing, packing and storage of honey, and other edible bee products.

Part 2 of this COP covers Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) essential for the consistent production of edible bee products that are fit for their intended purpose, and that meet relevant regulatory requirements. It provides guidance on hygienic practices and process control that directly or indirectly impact on the safety and suitability of products. Compliance with these GMP measures will assist operators meet the requirements of the Animal Products Act 1999, particularly the current version of the Animal Products (Specifications for Products Intended for Human Consumption) Notice.

GMP is the foundation for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and of risk management programmes (RMPs). The HACCP approach applied in Part 3 of this COP is based on the expectation that GMP is effectively implemented prior to the application of HACCP principles.

GMP can also be referred to as Good Operating Practice or Supporting Systems.

1.2 Layout of Part 2

Part 2 is divided into several GMP programmes that cover hygiene and sanitation, process control and operating procedures, and other RMP requirements. The GMP programmes are laid out with the following subheadings:

Purpose and Scope

This describes the purpose of the GMP programme and its scope of application.

Sources of Hazards

This section identifies the sources of hazards that are controlled under the particular GMP programme, and gives examples of hazards associated with each source. It does not apply to those GMP programmes that do not directly address a particular source of hazard (e.g. inventory control, calibration).

Mandatory Requirements

These requirements are mandated by legislation, and must be met or complied with by the operator. The mandatory requirements are not directly quoted from legislation. They have been paraphrased to make them relevant to bee products and easier to understand. The specific legislation from which each requirement has been derived is cited to assist those who may wish to read the actual piece of legislation referred to. Actual legislation will always take precedence and it is the operator’s responsibility to check for changes to legislation.

The abbreviations used for legislation cited in this document are:

AP Reg - Animal Product Regulations found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/legislation/regulations/index.htm

HC Spec - the current version of the Animal Products (Specifications for Products Intended for Human Consumption) Notices found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/legislation/notices/animal-material-product.htm

RMP Spec – the current version of the Animal Products (Risk Management Programme Specifications) Notice found at: http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/legislation/notices/animal-material-product.htm

Procedures

The procedures given are the accepted or industry agreed means of achieving or complying with the mandated requirements. These procedures cover control, monitoring, corrective action, and verification. The operator must comply with the procedures that are applicable to their product and process. For example, an extractor must comply with all the GMP procedures and requirements related to the extraction premises and process.

There may be cases when the operator may decide to use an alternative process, procedure or parameter that is not provided for in this COP (e.g. when new technology becomes available). The operator must be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of any alternative to consistently meet all relevant regulatory requirements and produce products that are fit for their intended purpose. Confirmation of the effectiveness of any alternative process, procedure or parameter may involve the collection and analysis of evidence by the operator (e.g. data from testing or trials, published scientific information, report from an expert). A protocol for the collection of data should be prepared by the operator as discussed in the Risk Management Programme Manual.

This GMP section will be reviewed, as necessary, and the inclusion of any alternative process, procedure or parameter will be considered as part of this review.

The GMP programmes covering hygiene and sanitation (e.g. pest control, design and construction), and RMP requirements (e.g. product recall) are expected to apply to the processing of all types of bee products. However, the process control procedures given in Part 2 only cover honey extracted in a premises, comb honey and dried pollen. Field extraction of honey and processing of other types of bee products (e.g. honey and fruit blends, honey and velvet, propolis extract) are not covered. The operator will, therefore, need to write their own process control procedures for these products and these procedures, together with any other required RMP documentation (Refer to Part One of this COP) will need to be reviewed by an accredited RMP Evaluator.

Guidance

Records

This section gives the list of records that must be kept by the operator.

1.3 Documentation of GMP

1.3.1 Legal requirement

The current version of the RMP Specifications requires the operator to document sufficient procedures to ensure that GMP is applied. These procedures must cover:

• the control measures to be used to control hazards and other risk factors;

• any parameters to be met;

• any monitoring procedures that are to be carried out; and

• any corrective action procedures that are to be applied in the event of loss of control, including restoration of control; identification and disposition of affected animal material or animal product; and any measures to be taken to prevent reoccurrence of the loss of control.

The GMP programmes or supporting systems needed for an RMP for a typical honey extraction, processing and packing operation are already documented in this COP. Therefore, most honey extractors or packers will not need to document their own supporting systems except for certain process procedures specific to their operation. All that is required is that the operator incorporates the relevant supporting systems into their RMP by reference (refer to the RMP templates in Part 5).

When the COP does not cover a particular procedure required for the operator’s RMP, the operator will need to write their own procedures. Sufficient detail must be given to ensure that managers and staff know what to do, to assist in staff training and to ensure clear understanding by external verifiers and accredited evaluators.

1.3.2 Contents of supporting systems

When it is necessary for the operator to document supporting systems, it is recommended that they contain the following details:

• Purpose and scope

• Authorities and responsibilities

• Materials and equipment, as applicable

• Procedures (covering control measures, monitoring, corrective action and operator verification)

• Records

• References to other relevant documents, as applicable.