CAC/RCP 8-1976 Code of Practice for the Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods
1. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE
This Code applies to the receiving, preparation, processing, handling, storage, transport, distribution, and retailing of all quick frozen foods such as cereals, fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, poultry and their products, bakery and pastry products. The Code does not apply to edible ices, ice creams and milk.
The objective of this Code is to provide guidance for the processing and handling of quick frozen food to help ensure product safety and other aspects of the production of quick frozen foods including, as appropriate, essential quality provisions, composition and labelling provisions of pertinent Codex commodity standards. The guidance, emphasizing proper cold chain management, incorporates good hygienic and good manufacturing practices and the application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach described in the HACCP Annex to the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969). A prerequisite programme is described in the Code, covering essential requirements of hygiene in the production of quick frozen foods that should be in place prior to the application of HACCP.
The food hygiene provisions of this document are supplemental to, and must be used in conjunction with the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969). The Code should also, as appropriate, be used in conjunction with other Codex texts, including the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985), codes of hygienic practice (e.g. Code of Hygienic Practice for the Transport of Food in Bulk and Semi-Packed Food (CAC/RCP 47-2001), Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat (CAC/RCP 58-2005)), codes of practice (e.g. Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52-2003)) as well as the Guidelines for the Validation of Food Safety Control Measures (CAC/GL 69-2008). Reference can also be made, as appropriate, to Codex quick frozen food standards and/or provisions in relevant Codex texts.
This Code including its Annex is intended to assist all those who are engaged in the processing and handling of quick frozen foods and/or are concerned with their storage, transportation, export, import and sale in attaining safe food products of appropriate quality.
