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FOOD SAFETY FUNDAMENTALS

What is Food Safety?
Food is any material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to
sustain growth, repair vital processes, and furnish energy – it is the basic need of all living beings (Britannica,
2020). It also refers to any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed, or unprocessed,
intended for human consumption (Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme [JFSP], 2001).
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), an intergovernmental body established by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), defines food safety as
“the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten according to
its intended use” (Mortarjemi & Lelieveld, 2014). This definition embodies three (3) essential notions:
 The notion of harm. It separates the safety aspects of food from other quality aspects that make food
unfit for human consumption without necessarily presenting a danger to health. The concept of food
safety that makes it unfit for human consumption, even though it is safe, is referred to by the CAC as
food suitability.
 The concept of assurance. Food safety and its management should be based on measures in place to
ensure that food is safe. Food safety depends on the conditions in which food is produced and prepared
and not on the results of the end-product testing, which for many contaminants cannot be a reliable
method for food safety assurance. The conditions for ensuring both safety and suitability are referred
to as food hygiene by the CAC.
 Preparation and/or use of a food product should be considered in product design. A food product is
considered safe if it is prepared and/or used according to its intended use. The intended use and
information conveyed to the consumer should be considered by the manufacturer in the product's
design. The consumer must also follow the on-pack instructions as provided by the manufacturer.
According to Motarjemi and Lelieveld (2014), successful and sustainable businesses prioritize consumers and
meet their expectations. The three (3) fundamental expectations of consumers are (1) to be able to trust the
food businesses from which they buy their food products, (2) to be able to rely on their ability to ensure the
safety of their products, and (3) to have confidence that, in the event of a mishap, they will take the necessary
measures to protect them and will act truthfully and transparently. Therefore, it cannot be stressed enough
that customers' trust is one of the most important assets of a food business and that food safety is the
foundation of this trust.
Sectors Involved in Food Safety Management (Motarjemi and Lelieveld, 2014)
The modern approach to food safety management recognizes the need for cooperation of different sectors
and a role or responsibility for each sector.
Government
Public health and food control authorities have the leading role in managing food safety and overseeing the
safety of food supply, from primary production up to the point of consumption. The government’s duties
include the following:
 Foresee all infrastructures and public health services that are necessary for good food safety
management, such as public health laboratories, water supply, and sanitation;
 Promulgate laws and regulations, which give priority to public health but which also meet other societal
and environmental factors; and
 Provide education to caregivers, consumers, travelers, health professionals, and the public.

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Industry
The food industry is responsible for ensuring that the food it puts in the marketplace or served in food
establishments is safe, fit for human consumption, and meets the regulatory requirements of the country
where it is marketed. The food industry must have an integrated food safety assurance system to meet these
responsibilities.
Consumers
Consumers at large, domestic and professional food handlers in particular, also have an equally important role
in food safety. These include, but are not limited to:
 Observation of good hygienic practices in the preparation of food;
 Reading the information on the labels of products and observing the instruction for the preparation
and storage of products;
 Reporting defective (unsafe) products to public health authorities and/or manufacturers; and
 Being discriminatory in selecting products, brands, and establishments to exclude those that may
present a risk for health, do not respect food hygiene, do not meet regulatory requirements, or have
unethical practices.
Academia
Scientists play an essential role in both the management of food safety and the communication of a crisis. They
contribute to food safety management by providing scientific data and assessments like:
 Toxicological information, mechanisms of contamination of food items with chemicals, or their
formation;
 Ecology of microorganisms and epidemiology of foodborne diseases;
 Validated analytical methods;
 Process and technologies to control hazards; and
 Consumer perception, beliefs, and practices.
Such information is necessary to make decisions concerning food safety and public health.
Food Safety Laws
Food Safety Act of 2013
Republic Act 10611 (RA No. 10611), otherwise known as the Food Safety Act (FSA) of 2013, was passed by the
Senate and the House of Representatives on June 5, 2013, and signed by former President Benigno Aquino III
on 23 August of the same year. The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) was released by the Department
of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Health (DOH) on 20 February 2015.
RA 10611 is an act to strengthen the food safety regulatory system in the Philippines to protect consumer
health, facilitate market access to local food and food products, and other purposes.
Objectives of the Act
To strengthen the food safety regulatory system in the country, the State shall adopt the following specific
objectives:
(a) Protect the public from foodborne and waterborne illnesses and unsanitary, unwholesome,
misbranded, or adulterated food;
(b) Enhance industry and consumer confidence in the food regulatory system; and
(c) Achieve economic growth and development by promoting fair trade practices and a sound regulatory
foundation for domestic and international trade.

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Implementing and Regulatory Agencies (Policy Advocacy Group of DOST-PCAARRD, 2019)

The primarily responsible departments for implementing the law are the Department of Health (DOH),
Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the local
government units (LGUs).
The DA is tasked with developing and enforcing food safety standards and regulations for food items in the
supply chain’s primary production and post-harvest stages. Under the DA, food safety regulatory functions are
bestowed on agencies specializing in various commodities. Some of these agencies under DA are the following:
 Bureau of Animal Industry – Food derived from animals, including eggs and honey
 National Dairy Authority – Milk production and post-harvest handling
 National Meat Inspection Service – Meats
On the other hand, agencies under the DOH are mainly responsible for the safety of processed and pre-
packaged food items and conducting monitoring and epidemiological studies on foodborne diseases. Some of
these agencies under the DOH are:
 Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Regulation and Research – It implements a
performance-based food safety control system.
 Bureau of Quarantine – It ensures food safety in domestic and international ports and airports of entry.
 National Epidemiology Center – It conducts and documents epidemiological monitoring studies on
foodborne illnesses for use in policy formulation.
Meanwhile, DILG supervises the enforcement of food safety and sanitary rules and regulations and the
inspection and compliance of business establishments and facilities within its territorial jurisdiction in
collaboration with the DA, DOH, and other government agencies. DILG also supports the DA and DOH in
collecting and documenting foodborne illness data, monitoring, and research.
Lastly, LGUs enforce the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 856, December 23,
1975), food safety standards, and food safety regulations in their territorial jurisdiction. They are responsible
for sanitation in public markets, slaughterhouses, micro and small food processing establishments, and public
eating places (Food Safety Act of 2013).
Highlights of the Act
The following are some of the important elements of the law:
 Use of science-based risk analysis in food safety regulation
 The setting of food safety standards based on existing Philippine National Standards, the Codex
Alimentarius Commission, and other international standards
 Identified responsibilities of Food Business Operators and government agencies
 Skills training on safe food handling for food business operators and food handlers
 Establishment of the Food Safety Regulation Coordinating Board (FSRCB) to monitor and coordinate
the performance and implementation of the mandates of the DOH, DA, DILG, and the LGUs in food
safety regulation
Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (1975)
The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines, also known as the Presidential Decree No. 856 (PD No. 856), was
promulgated on December 23, 1975, by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. The Code on Sanitation aims
to improve the way of the Filipinos by directing public health services toward protecting and promoting
people's health. The DOH is responsible for the proper implementation and enforcement of the provisions of
the Code.

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The Code includes sanitation standards for the following hospitality and tourism industry-related businesses:
 Food establishments
 Rest areas, bus terminals, bus stops, and service stations
 Camps and picnic grounds
 Hotels, motels and apartments, boarding, tenement houses, and condominiums
 Port, airport, vessel, and aircraft sanitation
The sanitation standards for the abovementioned establishments include:
 Requiring the establishment to secure a sanitary permit from the local health office
 Requiring employees to undergo health certification
 Specifying structural requirements
 Setting control measures in sanitizing tools, equipment, and work areas
 Procedures in disposing of refuse

References:
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. (2020, March 24). Food. Encyclopedia Britannica.
[Link]
Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. (2001). Codex Alimentarius Commission – Procedural Manual
(12th ed.). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Motarjemi, Y. and Lelieveld, H. (Eds.). (2014). Food safety management: A practical guide for the food industry.
Academic Press
Public Advocacy Group of DOST-PCAARRD. (April 2019) Policy brief: Readiness of commodity stakeholders and
regulatory agencies in implementing the food safety law. Department of Science and Technology –
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development
Food Safety Act of 2013. R. A. No. 10611. (2013). [Link]
10611/
Code on Sanitation of the Philippines. P. D. no. 856 (1975). [Link]

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