CAC/RCP 52-2003 Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products
INTRODUCTION
This Code of practice for fish and fishery products has been developed by the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products from the merging of the individual codes listed in Appendix 121 plus a section on aquaculture and a section on frozen surimi. These codes were primarily of a technological nature offering general advice on the production, storage and handling of fish and fishery products on board fishing vessels and on shore. This Code also deals with the distribution and retail display of fish and fishery products.
This combined Code of Practice has been further modified to incorporate the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach described in the Code of practice – general principles of food hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969), Annex:”Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and guidelines for its application”. A prerequisite programme is described in the Code covering technological guidelines and the essential requirements of hygiene in the production of fish, shellfish and their products that are safe for human consumption, and otherwise meets the requirements of the appropriate Codex product standards. The Code also contains guidance on the use of HACCP, which is recommended to ensure the hygienic production of fish and fishery products to meet health and safety requirements.
Within this Code, a similar systematic approach has been applied to essential quality, composition and labelling provisions of the appropriate Codex product standards. Throughout the Code, this is referred to as “defect action point (DAP) analysis”. However, DAP analysis is optional.
