NAFDAC Guideline for Food Hygienic Practices has been prepared for the use of all stakeholders in the food industry- Regulatory Officers, Government Authorities, Primary Producers, Consumers, Food Handlers, Food Establishments, NGOs etc. It is presented in an understandable and applicable format and divided into sections. Section I-II deals with objectives, Scopes, Uses and Definition of terms as employed in the text while Section III captures the hygienic requirements for the primary food producers. Although, sections IV- IX specifically addressed the hygienic needs of processed food establishments, however, the underlying principles, which gird the listed hygienic requirements, are also of the fundamentals employed for the hygienic requirements of food preparation establishments under sections X and XI.
The food preparation establishments are highlighted because they have become significant in the food distribution chain in our environment. Hygienic requirements for food imports and exports are contained in section XII, while training requirements as a prerequisite for adequate food handling are reflected in section XII Although it is structured after Codex Alimentarius Commission Food Hygiene Texts, it’s content is largely derived from the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Food Inspection Division of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN) Directorate of NAFDAC, which has evolved overtime from the field experience of her inspectors. It is intended to equip the stakeholders in the food industry with acknowledge and skills of food hygiene and food and food safety, which would translate into great benefits for consumers health. It is intended to be a reference material from which different tiers of government; different sectors of the food industry, academia, institutions, NGOs etc could initiate efforts that would meet their specific needs.
Moreover, the text is intended to make the Agency and other stakeholders more focused within the broad scope of food safety issues which include food pathogens, chemical contaminants, residues of drugs and pesticides, microbiological contaminants, food borne disease outbreaks etc. The focal point approach arising from a firm grasp of the basics as contained in the guidelines would definitely enhance food safety and quality. See detailed guidance here
