Circular No. 21 establishing the guidelines for the compilation of non compulsory manuals of food hygiene practice.

The Circular refers to Directive No. 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on food hygiene and to the report of the twentieth session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Geneva on 28 June 1993, with regard to the application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. The manuals should focus on four different objectives: (1) identify the potential hazards associated with food production; (2) apply the general principles of the EC Directive to specific food sectors; (3) give technical information (supplementary and specific of the sector concerned) in order to enable the application of control systems and verification procedures; (4) assess hazards and establish the steps to be taken in order to assist the operators of the sector concerned. Furthermore, the circular gives practical and detailed advices for the compilation and structure of the manuals. The Ministry of Health has the power to approve the manuals and to provide for their amendments and withdrawal.