Home > Good Hygienic and Manufacturing Practices to be followed by licensed FBOs engaged in catering or food service operations

Catering/ food establishment in which food is being handled, processed/prepared, stored, distributed and ultimately sold to the customers and the persons handling them should conform to the sanitary and hygienic requirement, food safety measures and other standard as specified below. It shall also be deemed to be the responsibility of the food business operator to ensure adherence to the necessary requirement.

It includes premises where public is admitted for repose or for consumption of any food or drink or any place where cooked food is sold or prepared for sale. It includes:

(a) Eating Houses

(b) Restaurant and Hotels

(c) Snack Bars

(d) Canteen and mess (Schools, Colleges Office, Institutions)

(e) Food Service at religious places

(f) Rail and Flight catering

(g) Hospital Catering (h) Event caterings

Location & Surroundings:

• Food Establishment shall be located away from potential sources of environmental contaminants like smoke, chemical pollutants, objectionable odours that pose a serious threat to food safety. In case there are hazards from environmental pollution, appropriate measures shall be taken to protect the food establishment from any potential contamination.
• Food Establishment shall be located away from areas subject to flooding unless sufficient safeguards have been provided.
• The surrounding areas of the establishment shall be kept clean, maintained in good order and adequately drained to minimize any potential contamination from pests, water, debris etc.

Premises and rooms:

Construction, design and Layout – The construction, design & layout of food premises shall:

• permit adequate maintenance, cleaning and/or disinfection, prevent any potential contamination, and provide adequate working space for carrying out all tasks hygienically;
• to the extent that is practicable, neither permit the entry of pests nor provide harbourage for pests.
• be such that the movement patterns of materials, products and people, and the layout of equipment, is designed for protection against potential cross-contamination between and during operations by foodstuffs. 

Internal Structure & fittings:

This requirement applies to areas used for food handling, cleaning, sanitizing & personal hygiene. All interior structures (including floors, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, partitions, overhead fixtures, working surface, stairs, elevators, etc.) shall be soundly constructed of materials that are impervious to food particles, grease and water, with no toxic effect in intended use, shall be unable to provide pest harbourage, as far as practicable; and be easily and effectively cleaned and where appropriate, disinfected. Where appropriate, all junctions and corners should be rounded in kitchen areas to facilitate effective cleaning. Structures where glass breakage could result in the contamination of food, shall be constructed of alternative materials or be adequately protected.

In addition, following specific conditions are necessary to be met to protect the safety and suitability of food:

Walls and partitions

• shall be made of materials that are non-absorbent and washable
• walls shall have a smooth surface up to a height appropriate to the operation
• sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests;
• shall be free from flaking paint or plaster, finished and maintained to prevent the accumulation of dust, minimise condensation, and shedding of particles

Ceilings and overhead fixtures

• sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests;
• shall be free from flaking paint or plaster, finished and maintained to minimize the accumulation of dust, condensation, mould growth, and shedding of particles

floors

• shall be sloped appropriately, to allow adequate drainage and cleaning and non-slippery,
• shall be maintained in good repair
• shall withstand operations, cleaning materials and methods.

Windows

• shall be constructed to minimize the accumulation of dirt
• windows, roof vents or exhaust fans that open to the external environment shall be fitted with removable and cleanable insect-proof screens;
• where open windows would result in contamination, windows must remain closed and fixed during preparation of food.

Doors

• shall have smooth, non-absorbent surfaces
• shall be close-fitting and with suitable precautions to prevent entry of pests. In case of kitchens without doors, measures shall be taken to prevent entry of pests.

food contact surfaces (including working surfaces and surfaces of equipment)

• shall be in sound condition, and easy to maintain.
• shall be made of smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant, inert to detergents and disinfectants under normal operating conditions

Equipment & containers:

Equipment and containers that come in direct contact with food:

• shall be hygienically designed, constructed, located and, if necessary, installed to ensure that they can be adequately cleaned, if necessary, disinfected and maintained to avoid contamination of food.
• shall be made of impervious, non-toxic and corrosion resistant materials that do not transfer odour or flavour to food. They shall be durable, movable or capable of being disassembled to allow maintenance, cleaning, disinfection, monitoring for effective cleaning, pest control
• shall be kept in good order, repair and condition free from holes, cracks or crevices as to minimize any risk of contamination
• shall be able to withstand frequent cleaning and disinfection or operation
• shall be placed to achieve easy and effective cleaning of adjacent areas like floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces

Food control and monitoring equipment:

Equipment used to cook, heat treat, cool, store, freeze or serve food shall be designed to achieve the required food temperatures as rapidly as necessary to meet the food safety requirements, and maintain them effectively. Such equipment shall also be designed to allow temperatures to be monitored and controlled. Where necessary, such equipment should have effective means of controlling and monitoring humidity, air-flow and any other characteristic factor likely to have a detrimental effect on the safety or suitability of food.

Containers for chemicals and hazardous substances:

Containers for chemicals (eg. cleaning materials, lubricants, fuels, pest control chemicals etc.) or hazardous substances, shall be specifically identifiable and suitably constructed, closable, made of impervious material, be easy to clean, and where necessary to disinfect. Containers holding hazardous substances shall be closed when not in use, stored separately and lockable to prevent malicious or accidental contamination of food.

Facilities/Utilities:

Water Supply

• Adequate supply of potable water (for example volume, temperature and pressure) shall be available to meet operational and needs.
• Potable water shall be used for cooking, pre preparation, steaming food, making ice cube and drinking purposes.
• Potable water quality shall be as specified in the latest edition of BIS standard on drinking water (IS 10500). Potable water shall be analysed at least semi-annually to confirm that it meets the requirements of this standard.
• Where it is necessary to store water, storage facilities shall be adequately designed, made of food grade material and maintained to prevent contamination.
• Where water filters are used, they shall be regularly changed or effectively maintained
• Recycled water used in food preparation or for cleaning of food contact surfaces shall not present risk of contamination. It should be of the same standard as potable water
• Non potable water (for use in, for example, steam production, fire-fighting & refrigeration equipment and other similar purposes where it will not contaminate food) shall have a separate system. Non-potable water systems shall be identified and shall not connect with, or allow reflux into, potable water systems. 

Waste disposal and drainage

• Containers for holding waste shall be in adequate size, made of impervious material, leak-proof, clearly identified, easy to clean, and where necessary to disinfect shall be provided in the premises for collection of waste material.
• It shall be kept closed, preferably foot operated.
• Drains shall be designed to meet expected flow loads, constructed so as to prevent accumulation or back flow of waste water. Drains should be located so that they can be easily and effectively cleaned and inspected.
• Drainage shall be equipped with appropriate traps to effectively capture contaminants.
• Disposal of waste shall be done in a hygienic way in accordance with local rules which are enforced from time to time.
• Wherever existing, refuse stores are to be designed and managed in such a way as to enable them to be kept clean and free form animals and pests. 

Cleaning

• Adequate facilities, suitably designated shall be provided for cleaning food, utensils and equipment.
• These facilities are to be constructed of corrosion resistant materials, be easy to clean and shall have an adequate supply of hot and cold potable water, where appropriate.
• Utensil and equipment cleaning and sanitizing facilities should be separated from food processing, storage, distribution and handling areas to prevent contamination.

Personnel hygiene and employee facilities

Personnel hygiene facilities shall be available to ensure that an appropriate degree of personal hygiene can be maintained and to avoid contaminating food. Such facilities shall be suitably located & designated.

Adequate numbers, size and means of hygienically washing, drying and where required sanitizing hands (including wash basins and a supply of hot and cold or suitable temperature controlled water and/or sanitizer) shall be provided. Where necessary, the facilities designated for hand washing should be separate from facilities for washing food.

An adequate number of toilets of appropriate hygienic design, each with handwashing, drying and, where required, sanitizing facilities; shall be available and connected to an effective drainage system. Adequate changing facilities for personnel shall be provided. Toilets and change rooms shall not open directly into rooms in which food is handled and shall be maintained in a clean condition.

Rest & refreshments areas, where provided and designated areas for storage and consumption of food by personnel shall be situated away from the food preparation area so that the potential for cross-contamination is minimized.

Temperature control:

Depending on the nature of the food operations undertaken, adequate facilities shall be available for heating, cooling, cooking, , thawing , refrigerating and freezing food, for storing refrigerated or frozen foods, monitoring, food temperatures and when necessary, controlling ambient temperatures to ensure the safety and suitability of food.

Air quality and ventilation 

Food premises shall have adequate natural or mechanical ventilation to effectively remove fumes, smoke, dust, condensation, steam and vapours from the premises. Where temperature and/or humidity are deemed critical to ensure safety and suitability of food, a control system shall be put in place and monitored.

Ventilation systems shall be designed and constructed so that air does not flow from contaminated areas to clean areas and can be adequately maintained and cleaned. Sanitary conveniences are to have adequate natural or mechanical ventilation.

Lighting

Adequate natural or artificial lighting shall be provided to enable the personnel to operate in a hygienic manner. Where necessary, lighting should not be such that the resulting colour is misleading. The intensity (that is, the lux level) should be adequate to the nature of the operation.

Lighting fixtures shall be protected to ensure that food is not contaminated in case of breakages.

Storage facilities 

Where necessary, adequate facilities for the storage of food, ingredients, packaging, non-food chemicals and hazardous substances (e.g. cleaning materials, lubricants, fuels) shall be provided. The food storage facilities shall be designed and constructed to:

• provide protection from dust, condensation, waste, pest access and harbourage and other sources of contamination.
• be dry, well ventilated and enable monitoring and control of temperature and humidity in storage areas where specified.
• be easy to maintain and clean. All materials and products shall be stored off the floor and with sufficient space to allow inspection and pest control activities to be carried out.

Separate secure storage facilities for non-food chemicals and hazardous substances shall be provided. Such facilities shall be located where there is no possibility for cross-contamination of food or food contact surfaces.

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