THE LAWS AND
AGENCIES RELATING TO
FOOD SAFETY AND
SANITATION
INTERNATIONAL LAWS
The law is a complex subject and
most acts and regulations affecting the food
industry is difficult to comprehend.
However, ignorance of the law is no defense
in the event of a prosecution, and all food
handlers should make special efforts to
understand the legislation that affects their
business and themselves.
Acts & regulations applicable to the food
industry are concerned with:
1. production\sale of injurious, unsafe,
unfit or substandard food;
2. contamination of food;
3. sanitation of food premises,
equipment & personnel;
4. food safety practices, including
temp. control & treatment;
5. control of food poisoning & food-
borne disease;
6. and composition & labelling of food
Occupational Safety and Health Act
(OSHA)
This is the principal act concerned
with protecting the health and safety of
employees
and members of the public.
Every employer has a legal
obligation to ensure, as far as is reasonably
practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of
employees. Safe systems of work must be
devised and supervision and training given
to all staff, for example before staff are
allowed to operate or clean dangerous
machines, such as gravity feed slicers.
Employees must ensure that their
acts or omissions do not adversely affect
other
persons.
Employees Right-to—Know Act
The regulations in this act provide a
legal framework for the control of
substances hazardous to health They apply
to all types of business including food
businesses. The essential measures that
employers (and sometimes employees) have
to take to ensure people are protected from
the hazardous substances they may
encounter are stipulated. Hazardous
substances include those that are toxic
harmful, irritant, or corrosive.
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Department of Health,
Department of Sanitation, and Department
of Labor are responsible for issuing and
enforcing regulations covering workplace
safety.
SANITATION CODE OF THE
PHILIPPINES
Presidential Decree 856: Sanitation
Code of the Philippines requires all food
establishments to secure sanitary permits
from the local health office. it specifies that
health certificate will be issued only to
persons who have passed the physical and
medical examinations and have been
administered immunization. The code also
specifies the structural requirements for
food establishments, the vermin-control
measures to be undertaken, and the proper
disposal of refuse.
Presidential Decree No. 856 Code on
Sanitation
• Dec 23, 1975
• Promulgation of the Code on
Sanitation by President
Ferdinand E. Marcos
• Objective:
• Directing public health services
towards protection and
promotion of the health of the
Filipinos
 • 3 people that made an effort to
codify our health laws and
regulations
– Dr. Mariano Icasiano
– Dr. Amadeo Cruz – City
Health Officer of Manila
– Director of Health Services
• List of those with significant
contributions in the development of
the code
– Regional Provincial and City
Health Offices
– National Environmental
Protection Commission
– Metropolitan Water and
Sewage System
– Population Commission
– Executive branch of the
government: Labor, Natural
Resources, Agriculture,
Education, and Finance
– Philippine Public Health
Association
– League of Public Health
Engineers
– Philippine Society of Sanitary
Engineers
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Functions:
1. Promotion and preservation of
health and health standards
2. Extend maximum health services in
rural areas and provide medical care
to people who cannot afford due to
poverty
3. Develop, administer and coordinate
health activities and services
4. Upgrade the standards of medical
practice and quality of health
services
5. Assist local health agencies in
developing public health programs
6. Issue permits to establish and
operate hospitals, clinics, etc.
7. Prescribe standard rates of fees
8. Performed other functions provided
by law
FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
In establishing a food establishment, the
owner/proprietor should be able to
accomplish all the necessary requirements
established by the local government with the
participation of the city or municipal health
office with regards to the sanitation and
safety not only the customers but as well as
the workers. They should be able to secure
legal permits before they can start
operating.
The structures and ambiance of the
whole establishment should be kept
maintained clean, no overcrowding, and
good ventilation at all times, and proper
waste disposal, in order not only to give
satisfaction to the customers but also to
prevent the spread of diseases, particularly
air-borne. Availability of toilette area or
even a wash area if the former cannot be
provided is also encouraged
There is also emphasis on the screening
of the workers. There are certain guidelines
that the owner and/or human resources
officer in choosing who are qualified to work
in the food establishment. One of the most
highlighted is the issuance of the medical
certificate to the worker. He should be free
from any diseases nor a carrier of any
disease for it may be hazardous to his co-
workers as well as to the customers.
There should also be well-distinct work
description among the workers of the said
establishment. i.e.: the cook should not be
expected to do janitorial job (rest room
cleaning) simultaneously; the cashier who
receives all the money from the customers
should be avoided to do preparation of food
in the kitchen. Emphasize on prevention of
all the contagious diseases that is likely to
spread in food handling and other services.
Guidelines should be well-maintained by the
management at all times, otherwise,
necessary consequences will be imposed
(i.e. suspension/ termination of permits,
closure of the establishments, etc.)
REGULATORY AGENCY
 The Bureau of Food and Drugs is the key
regulatory agency of the Department of
Health, Philippines with major
responsibilities in ensuring safety, efficacy,
and quality of food products, drugs,
vaccines, and biologicals, in vitro, diagnostic
reagents, medical devices, cosmetics, and
household hazardous substances.
The following are the routine functions
of BFAD related to food:
• Inspection and licensing of
establishments in accordance with
Good Manufacturing Practices of
regulated establishments such as,
manufacturers, packers/repackers,
distributor, importers, exporters,
wholesalers, outlets, groceries,
supermarkets, other commercial
outlets.
• Evaluation and registration of
regulated products based on set
standards of safety, efficacy, purity,
and quality of regulated products,
processed foods (imported and
local), advertised local products and
processed food products intended
for export.
• Market monitoring of products for
adulterated products, expired and
unregistered products.
• Laboratory analysis of regulated
products such as collected samples
from routine monitoring, products
which are subject of complaints from
consumers, products for registration
and donated products.
• Evaluation and monitoring of
advertisements and promotions of
tri- media such as television, radio
and print ads like "newspaper and
magazine.
• Policy Formulation, drafting of rules
and regulations, administrative
orders and standards, issuance of
bureau circulars/bureau memoranda
and guidelines.
• Public Assistance and Information
such as rendering the following
service product information, health
advisories, and consumer assistance
for complaints, and client assistance
for consultancy, seminars and
trainings.
• Legal functions such as disposition
of consumer complaints and
adulterated food, misbranded food
products, advertisement and
promotional regulations.
• Administrative functions for human
resource development: enhancement
of skills and knowledge of personnel
through training.
• Special functions related to food
such as implementation of food
fortification programme, salt
iodization, and milk code.
The Philippine Food Processing
Industry
The food processing industry is an
important sector of the Philippine economy.
It is composed establishments engaged in
the processing/ manufacturing and
distribution of food and food products
The major processed food sectors
include the following
• Fruits and vegetables
• Fish and marine products
• Meat and poultry products
• Flour and bakery products
• Beverage and confectionery
• Dairy foods
• Food condiments and seasonings
• Food supplements
• Bottled water
• Snack foods
• Fats and oils
 The Bureau of Food And Drugs (BFAD) Philippines into the General Agreement of
was created by Republic Act 3720 mandated Tariff and Trade, setting of standards is
to enforce and administer the law, “it is the geared towards making Philippine product
policy of the state to ensure safe and good standards equivalent to those of the Codex
quality food, drug and cosmetics and Alimentarius Commission (Codex) since
regulate the production, sale and traffic of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement
the same to protect the health of the considers Codex standards as one of the
consumer." international reference for food safety
standards
Republic Act 7394 (Consumer Act of the
Philippines) reiterated BFAD's mandate “to
protect consumers from adulterated or
unsafe product with false deceptive and
misleading information.” The enforcement
activities have been focused on four
strategies, namely, (1) licensing and
inspection of food establishments; (2)
product registration; (3) monitoring of trade
outlets; and (4) monitoring of product
advertisements and process.

Control Measures to Address Safety and

Quality in the Processed Food Industry

1. Hygienic Safety Manufacturing

Practices (GMP)
Basic requirement by BFAD
• bldg. & grounds
• equipment & other facilities
• sanitary facilities & control
• sanitary operations
• processes & control
• personnel

2. HACCP
• system of food safety control
• increasingly important for all food
• businesses
• minimum system of quality control
of
• raw materials & manufacturing
• technologies
• JMC

3.) Safety and Quality Standards

Food Processors also adopt standards of
quality for processed foods. BFAD has
standards for some of the processed
products. In the absence of a particular
standard, food processors use the Codex and
US CFR for reference. with the entry of the