Milk-and-Dairy-Products-in-Human-Nutrition-FAO

Chapter 6 – Safety and quality 263
Box 6.5
Codex code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products
The Codex code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products defines hygienic practices
to be applied during the production, processing and handling of milk and milk
products and is an important text for producers of milk and milk products. The code
proposes a preventive approach with the application of good hygiene practices from
production of raw materials (including animal feeds) to the point of consumption. It
takes into consideration (as much as feasible) the various production and processing
procedures as well as the differing characteristics of milk from various milking animals
used by member countries. It focuses on acceptable food-safety outcomes achieved
through the use of one or more validated food-safety control measures (FAO and
WHO, 2004c).
To achieve a continuum of controls along the chain, the Code recommends that:
• producers should ensure that good agricultural, hygiene and animal husbandry
practices are employed at the farm level;
• manufacturers should utilize good manufacturing and hygiene practices, and
communicate with milk suppliers any additional measures to be met during
primary production;
• distributors, transporters and retailers should assure that milk and milk products
in their possession are handled and stored properly and according to the manufacturer’s
instructions; and
• consumers should accept the responsibility of ensuring that milk and milk products
in their possession are handled and stored properly and according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
In addition to the application of good hygiene practices, specific guidelines are
included for the primary production of milk and management of control measures
during and after processing. Additional information is provided on microbiostatic and
microbiocidal control measures.
countries, the continuing move to greater volumes of milk from each farm, larger
processing facilities and more complex multi-ingredient products (e.g. composite
food gels) means that it is increasingly difficult to trace any alleged fault back to the
responsible ingredient and then to the farm, to the cow or its feed (Creamer et al.,
2002). At the opposite end of the spectrum, tracing products within the informal,
highly dispersed production presents difficulties because of the very large number
of small-scale producers involved. While the urgency to trace and recall product is
particularly acute when product is suspected of being unsafe, effective traceability
is an accepted best practice along the dairy chain. Despite the inherent difficulties
in milk and animal traceability, the establishment of practical protocols and procedures
is an important priority for the dairy industry. If there is no traceability
system, or it is weak, it will be difficult to take corrective action when problems
are detected.