DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS 737  
Second Edition  
2017 -mm-dd 
 
 
 Reference number  
DUS 737: 2017  
© UNBS 2017   
  
Production of pack aged meat products (processed ) — Hygienic 
requirements  
 DUS 737: 2017  
ii © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users  are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS  2017   
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm , without prior written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 41 4 333 2 50/1/2/3  
Fax: +256 41 4 286 12 3 
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  DUS 737:2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  v 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
4 Management system  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  3 
5 Factory construction, layout and conditions  ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
5.1 Location  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  3 
5.2 Design  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  3 
5.3 Roofs and ceilings  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 3 
5.4 Walls and doors  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 3 
5.5 Floors  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  4 
5.6 Lift cages and staircases  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  4 
5.7 Cables and pipes  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 4 
5.8 Illumination  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
5.9 Ventilation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  5 
5.10  Production areas  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 5 
6 Facilities for personal hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  6 
6.1 Hand -washing facilities ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
6.2 Footbaths  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
6.3 Comfort facilities  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 7 
6.4 Notices  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  7 
7 Storage facilities  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 8 
7.1 Chill, freezer and freezer storage facilities  ................................ ................................ .........................  8 
7.2 Storage facilities for meat and red meat offal  ................................ ................................ ....................  8 
7.3 Storage facilities for edible ingredients  ................................ ................................ ..............................  8 
7.4 Storage facilities for non -edible materials  ................................ ................................ ..........................  8 
7.5 Storage facilities for packing and packaging materials  ................................ ................................ .... 8 
7.6 Storage facilities for poisonous and other harmful materials  ................................ ..........................  9 
7.7 By-products  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  10 
7.8 Refuse  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  10 
8 Equipment for production  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  10 
8.1 Design and installation  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
8.2 Equipment for the packing medium  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 11 
8.3 Tables  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  11 
8.4 Cutting boards  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 11 
8.5 Utensils  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  12 
8.6 Containers (bins)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 12 
8.7 Compressed air, gases and steam  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 12 
9 Water and ice supply ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  12 
9.1 Potable water  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 12 
9.2 Ice ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  12 
9.3 Non-potable water  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  12 
10 Hygienic operating requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 13 
10.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  13 
10.2  Cleaning and disinfecting  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  13 
10.1  Facilities for clea ning and disinfecting portable equipment  ................................ ..........................  13 
10.2  Cleaning equipment, utensils and materials  ................................ ................................ ....................  14 DUS 737: 2017  
iv © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 10.3  Physical facilities  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  14 
10.4  Floors and drainage channels  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  14 
10.5  Walls of preparation, processing and packaging areas  ................................ ................................ . 14 
10.6  Preparation and processing systems  ................................ ................................ ...............................  15 
10.7  Removal of refuse and disposal of effluent and waste ................................ ................................ ... 15 
10.8  Vermin control  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 15 
10.9  Use of pesticides  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  15 
10.10  Animals  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  16 
11 Requirements for personnel  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  16 
11.1  Health  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  16 
11.2  Protective clothing ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  16 
11.3  Personal hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  17 
11.4  Visitors  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  17 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  18 
 
 DUS 737:2017  
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  v 
 Foreword  
Uganda N ational Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade , Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327 , of the Laws of Uganda , as amended .  UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of Intern ational Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT  Agreement  of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standa rds is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of key stakeholders 
including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda  Standards by the National Standards Council.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS/TC 2, Food and Agriculture, 
Subcommittee SC 12, Meat, poultry and processed product . 
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition ( US 737:2007 ), which has been technically revised.  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  DUS 737: 2017  
 
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  1 
 Production of packaged meat products (processed) — Hygienic 
requirements   
1 Scope   
This Draft Uganda Standard specifies requirements for the production of packaged meat products processed 
in an es tablished meat processing factory . 
2 Normative references   
The following referenced documents referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited ap plies. For undated 
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
US 1659, Materials in Contact with Food — Requirements for Packaging materials  
US CAC/RCP 58, Code of hygiene practice for meat  
US EA S 12, Pota ble water — Specification  
US 1662 , Waste management — Requirements  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1  
acceptable  
acceptable to the authority administering this standard, or to the p arties concluding the purchase contract, as 
relevant  
3.2  
address  
address in the Republic of Uganda, that includes the street or road and plot number (if a number has been 
allocated), the name of the street or road and the name of the town, village or su burb, or in the case of a farm 
or a smallholding, includes the name of the farm or smallholding and of the magisterial district in which it is 
situated. In the case of imported foodstuffs, "address" means the address of the manufacturer or supplier or 
impo rter and includes the Post Office box number, telephone and email  
3.3  
adequate  
with regard to quality, of quality such as to ensure performance of the projected activity or function; with 
regard to quantity (or size), of such magnitude as will comfortab ly accommodate the maximum number of 
persons or operations (or size of unit) envisaged as being involved   
2 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 3.4 
edible offal  
 in the case of food animals other than poultry: blood, blood plasma, , cow -heels, , gut (casings), washed 
head, kidneys, omentum, , p luck (oesophagus, trachea, lungs, heart, pericardium, associated , pillars of the 
diaphragm and liver or part thereof (without the gall bladder)), rind and skin, spleen, tail, , tongue, cleaned 
tripe, trotters and udder (in the case of a heifer)  
b) in the  case of poultry: giblets (the heart, the clean and stripped gizzard, and the liver without the gall 
bladder)  
3.5  
effective material  
material that is capable of performing the required function(s) and that contains no substance known to be 
toxic to huma ns or capable of imparting any taste or odour to the product or of staining it, and that, in the case 
of an elastomeric or a plastics material, is based on a polymer of a grade recommended by the polymer 
manufacturer as being suitable for the specific purp ose(s)  
3.6  
extraneous matter  
objectionable matter or any material in the product that has not been derived from meat, edible offal or other 
edible ingredients used  
3.7  
inedible offal  
a) in the case of food animals other than poultry, with the exceptio n of bone, all parts of the animal not 
covered by the definitions of meat (see 3.8) and edible offal (see 3.4)  
b) in the case of poultry, the head, trachea, lungs, crop, intestines, gall bladder, oviducts, oil glands, shanks 
and feet  
3.8 
meat  
sound skel etal musculature, excluding the musculature of the lips, snout, scalp and ears, of healthy food 
animals, with or without connective tissue, blood vessels, lymphatic and nerve tissue, bone, fat, cartilage, 
scraped skin (pigs), and de -feathered skin (poultry ) that are naturally associated with such musculature in situ 
in the dressed carcass and head  
3.9 
Packaged meat product  
article of food prepared for human consumption from meat, with or without the addition of other ingredients, 
and which has not been can ned or quick -frozen but has been so processed or manufactured and so enclosed 
in wrapping material or packed in suitable containers or both, as to ensure freedom from contamination  
3.10 
Product  
particular meat product, indicated by the context, either pre pared or in the process of preparation  
3.11 
Suitable  
suitably complying with the requirements of the intended purpose  
3.12 
suitably prepared  
prepared for the intended purpose  
3.13 
factory  
any meat processing facility which may be small, medium and larg e DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  3 
 4 Management system  
Producers shall establish, implement and maintain an acceptable food safety management system, verified by 
the competent authority.  
5 Factory construction, layout and conditions  
5.1 Location  
The factory shall be located in a well-drained  and accessible environment .  
5.2 Design  
The factory and equipment shall be so designed and arranged as to permit :  
a) an orderly, uninterrupted flow of production without any cross flows that could have an adverse effect 
on the quality of the product ;  
b) the processing of raw materials without undue delay;  
c) proper maintenance of hygiene; and  
d) facilities to carry out functions such as quality control and process control.  
The factory buildings shall   
a) be designed and constructed as to prevent the entry a nd harbouring of insects, birds, rodents and 
other vermin.   
b) be of sound construction, in good repair and large enough to prevent crowding of equipment and 
employees.  
c) have adequate working space provided to facilitate acceptable operations.  
The factory g rounds shall be ; 
a) graded to ensure proper drainage, and   
b) maintained in a clean and hygienic state and shall be effectively fenced.  
5.3 Roofs and ceilings  
a) The roof shall be weatherproof. The roof and ceilings shall be at least 0.3m above any overhead 
equipment and in no case less than 3 m from the floor.   
b) Ceilings, and roofs where no ceilings are fitted, shall be faced with a smooth material that is light in 
colour, impervious to water and dust, capable of being cleaned without damage, and so constructed 
and finished as to minimize condensation, mould development, flaking of paint and the lodgement of 
dirt.   
c) A ceiling shall be provided where the packing media or unprotected cooked product are handled. A 
ceiling is not required where a canopy covers the en tire open product.  
5.4 Walls and doors  
a) Outer walls shall be weatherproof and impermeable to water.   
4 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 b) Interior wall surfaces shall be faced with a smooth, hard, water -impermeable, light -coloured material, 
to a height of at least 2 m from the floor.  
c) Where t he product might come into contact with the walls above this height, the facing shall be 
continued to that higher level.  
d) Walls above 2 m shall have a smooth, water -impermeable, washable, light -coloured surface.  
e) All ledges that occur in the wall construct ion shall be sloped at an angle of at least 45°.  
f) The walls shall be free from unnecessary projections.  
g) Window sills shall be at least 1 m above floor level.  
h) In the production areas and in freezer storage rooms, the wall -to-wall and wall -to-floor junctio ns shall 
be coved, the radii of the coving being at least 25 mm and 40 mm, respectively.  
i) Doors, excluding freezer storage room doors, through which the products are moved between 
processing areas shall be of adequate width.  
j) Doors and door frames shall be sheathed with, or made from, a suitable corrosion -resistant material 
that has high impact resistance and, unless they are provided with effective air screens , they shall, as 
far as is practicable, be of a self -closing type.  
k) Doors and door frames shall hav e smooth, seamless, water -impermeable, light coloured and readily 
cleanable surfaces.  
l) Chill room, freezer and freezer storage room doors shall be tight -fitting.  
5.5 Floors  
a) Floors shall be constructed of concrete or other material that is suitably water -impermeable, corrosion 
resistant and easy to clean, and that has an even surface that is smooth but not slippery, and is free 
from cracks and open joints.   
b) Floors and drainage channels shall be graded to have a fall of at least 1 in 60 and shall be draine d to 
internal drainage channels that are connected to external sewers via a suitable drain trap.   
c) Floors and drainage channels shall be in good condition and repair and gully traps shall have 
strainers in place. Internal drainage channels shall be of the open type with, where necessary, 
removable covers. Where necessary, duckboards of easily cleaned water -impermeable material shall 
be provided for workers.  
d) Installations that obstruct flow and cleaning shall not be present in drainage channels. The capacit y of 
drainage channels shall be sufficient to cope with peak loads.  
5.6 Lift cages and staircases  
a) Lift cages shall have a smooth, water -impermeable, and corrosion -resistant inside surface and lift 
shafts shall be properly drained and  accessible for clean ing.  
b) Staircases in rooms where food is processed or handled shall have solid risers, and shall be provided 
with solid balustrades of height at least 1 m above the nosing of each stead.  
5.7 Cables and pipes  
Cables and  pipes shall, where applicable, be  DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  5 
  
a) fixed away from walls or ceilings and above the floor, and spaced in such a manner t hat the ceilings, 
walls, floor,  are easily cleaned and maintained in a hygienic condition.  
b) Overhead cables,  pipework and girders and other structures shall be kept to a mi nimum in order to  aid 
cleaning and, if present, shall be free from dust, rust, mould, flaking paint, cobwebs and other 
extraneous material.  
c) Cladding around steam pipes shall be suitable for use in a food factory, not be ragged and  covered 
with a suitable metal sheet  
d) Pipes in which the product is conveyed, shall have no dead ends or sharp corners.  
5.8 Illumination  
a) General illumination shall be such as to permit efficient operations during the manufacture, 
production, processing or treatment of the product .  
b) Artificial illumination, if used, shall be such that the perceived colour of the product is not significantly 
altered.  
c) Luminaires suspended over the work areas where the product is handled at any stage during 
preparation shall be of the safety type or otherwise be so protected as to prevent contamination of the 
product in the event of breakage of a luminaire or lamp.  
5.9 Ventilation  
a) The ventilation shall keep the air fresh and remove excess water vapour, and prevent the build -up of 
excessive heat, the  formation of condensate and the growth of mould on overhead structures.  
b) The air shall be free from noxious fumes, vapours, dust and contaminating aerosols.  
c) The air -flow shall be from the more hygienic to the less hygienic areas. Natural ventilation shal l be 
augmented, where necessary, by mechanical means.  
d) Windows that open for ventilation purposes shall be insect -screened.  
e) The screens shall be easily removable for cleaning, and shall be made of suitable corrosion -resistant 
material.  
5.10 Production are as  
a) Production areas shall be so designed, equipped and staffed as to allow free movement of workers 
and to facilitate the free movement and cleaning of movable equipment.  
b) Except where other statutory regulations apply, the deboning of red meat carcasses a nd the cutting 
up and preparation of meat shall, except where the nature of the process makes it impossible, be 
performed in work areas the temperature of which does not exceed 15 °C.  
c) The temperature of meat being deboned shall at no time exceed 7 °C exce pt when hot deboning is 
performed. These areas shall be physically separated from the heat processing areas of the factory.  
d) Areas where raw food is being handled shall be separated from areas where cooked food is being 
handled.  
  
6 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 e) Smoke units shall be main tained in a hygienic condition and they shall not be fired from the inside of 
the processing area of the factory.  
f) In the case of prefabricated smoke kilns where the smoke -generating equipment forms part of the kiln, 
the smoke generator shall not emit any s moke into the processing area  
g) the area adjacent to such a generator shall be so partitioned off from the processing area as to 
prevent contamination of the area with sawdust.   
h) Sawdust shall be contained in bins with lids on.  
i) Doors of smoke rooms and kilns  shall be tight -fitting.  
j) The inner surfaces of smoke units shall be finished with a smooth lining such as stainless metal, to 
facilitate the cleaning of the walls with steam and water.  
k) Trolleys, trays and equipment used in smoke units shall be corrosion -resistant and of hygienic design 
and shall be regularly cleaned.  
l) Smoke units shall comply with the regulations of the NEMA Act, 1995 and all relevant local authority 
regulations.  
6 Facilities for personal hygiene  
6.1 Hand -washing facilities  
Hand washin g facilities shall be provided at  entrances  and exit of the processing areas and toilets of the 
factory:  
 
a) an acceptable number of wash -hand basins, with an abundant supply of cold and hot or warm running 
potable water in the temperature range 40 °C to 50 °C; 
b) an ample supply of unscented liquid soap or acceptable detergent in active condition;  
c) disposable paper towels;  
d) receptacles for used towels; and  
e) taps operated by means other than the hands or elbows, for example knee -operated or foot -operated 
taps, o r push -button taps with pre -set volume control.  
f) Disinfectant hand dips, where provided, shall be of such a design that they can be adequately 
cleaned.  
g) Access to hand -washing facilities shall at all times be unobstructed.  
6.2 Footbaths  
a) Footbaths that co ntain a suitable disinfectant solution shall be provided at each entrance to the 
preparation, processing and packaging areas  
b) Footbaths shall be so constructed that they can be adequately drained and cleaned.  
c) The design of the surfaces of the footbaths an d surrounding surfaces shall be non -slippery and 
hygienic.  DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  7 
 6.3 Comfort facilities  
a) An acceptable number of suitable change -rooms, shower baths, wash -hand basins, toilets (separate 
for each sex) and, where appropriate, urinals, shall be provided within pra ctical distance from the 
factory processing areas.  
b) Shower baths shall connect direct to the change -rooms.  
c) Comfort facilities shall not open direct into a preparation, processing, packaging or storage area 
unless it is provided with a vestibule.  
d) The door s of such a vestibule shall be close -fitting and self -closing.  
e) The entry from such a vestibule into the preparation, processing, packing or storage areas shall be 
equipped with a footbath.  
f) Where the comfort facilities are connected with food handling or st orage areas by means of a 
vestibule only, the fall of the floor surfaces of the comfort facilities shall be such that no water from the 
floor surfaces can enter the food handling or storage areas.  
g) Toilets shall be completely separate from change -rooms, the  only permissible access being through a 
vestibule with close -fitting, self -closing doors.  
h) Toilet blocks shall have their own hand -washing facilities, separated from those provided in change -
rooms.  
i) An ample supply of toilet paper, hot and cold running wa ter, nailbrushes, unscented liquid soap or an 
acceptable detergent solution and disposable paper towels shall be available to employees.  
j) Receptacles shall be provided for used towels. Refuse bins of hygienic construction shall be provided. 
Notices shall b e posted that require employees to wash their hands with soap or detergent after they 
have used the toilet.  
k) Lockers or controlled clothes baskets shall be provided, and the layout and equipment shall be such 
as to permit proper cleaning and maintenance.  
l) The comfort facilities shall be kept clean and tidy and shall be adequately ventilated.  
m) Provision shall be made for proper drainage of the floor surfaces of the comfort facilities.  
n) Change -rooms and dressing -rooms shall not be used as living quarters or for  the preparation or 
consumption of meals.  
o) Staff dining -rooms shall be separate from the change -rooms or dressing -rooms.  
6.4 Notices  
a) notices shall be strategically displayed in the preparation, processing, and packaging  and storage 
areas, in the change -rooms and in the toilet facilities.  
b) notices shall require that hands be washed with soap or detergent and shall indicate that spitting, the 
use of chewing gum and the use of tobacco in any form , and the taking of refreshments or food are 
prohibited in thes e areas.  
c) Any other notices shall be provided appropriately (for example, during cleaning)   
8 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 7 Storage facilities  
7.1 Chill, freezer and freezer storage facilities  
a) Chill, freezer and freezer storage facilities shall operate efficiently and shall be hygienic ally 
maintained.  
b) Freezer storage rooms shall, as far as possible, be equipped with automatic temperature recording 
systems.  
c) Products shall not be stacked direct on the floors, agains t walls or against wall panels.  
d) Walls and floors shall have a smooth fin ish and shall be water -impermeable, and measures shall be 
taken to prevent the flaking off of surface material from ceilings and walls.  
e) Brick walls shall be plastered.  
 
7.2 Storage facilities for meat and red meat offal  
a) edible red meat offal for human co nsumption shall be stored only in chill rooms or freezer storage 
rooms that are used for the storage of carcasses.  
b) inedible offal, unless scalded and cleaned, and boxed and frozen, shall not be stored in any chill room 
or freezer storage room that contain s meat or edible offal.  
c) in storage, unprotected meat shall be kept separate from boxed or protected meat.  
d) raw materials other than meat and edible offal that require cold storage or freezer storage shall only 
be stored in the same room as meat and edible  offal if in a prepared and neatly packaged form in 
hygienic containers.  
e) No carcass or edible offal, whether wrapped or not, shall rest direct on the floor or against the walls.  
 
7.3 Storage facilities for edible ingredients  
a) Storage facilities for edible  ingredients that are used in the preparation of the frozen product shall be 
dry, free from dust and any other source of  contamination .  
b) Edible ingredients shall be stored in closed containers and away from the floor and the walls.  
7.4 Storage facilities for non -edible materials  
Non-edible materials shall be stored in a room separate from other storage rooms and from the production 
area of the factory.  
 
7.5 Storage facilities for packing and packaging materials  
a) Packaging materials shall be in accordance  with FDUS 1659 . 
b) Materials for the packing and packaging of the product shall be stored on racks/shelves at a distance 
of at least 250 mm from the floor or on pallets, and away from the walls, in clean, dustproof, vermin 
proof and dry storage rooms reserve d for the purpose.  
 DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  9 
 7.6 Storage facilities for poisonous and other harmful materials  
7.6.1  Storage facilities for pesticides or other poisonous and harmful materials  
 
7.6.1.1  Pesticides or other poisonous and harmful materials and the equipment for thei r application shall 
be stored in a well -ventilated room in which no foodstuff, food -handling equipment, packaging material or 
containers are stored and that is kept locked when not in use. Need to refrence the quality management 
systems for pesticides  
 
7.6.1.2 All dangerous materials shall be prominently and distinctly labelled and shall at no time come into 
contact with containers, packaging materials, raw materials or the product or product -contact surfaces.  
 
7.6.2  Storage facilities for cleaning and dis infecting materials  
 
7.6.2.1  Cleaning and disinfecting materials and the equipment for their application shall be stored in a 
room in which no foodstuff, food -handling equipment, packaging material or containers are stored and 
shall at no time come into c ontact with containers, packaging materials, raw materials or the product.  
7.6.2.2  All cleaning and disinfecting materials shall be prominently and distinctly labelled.  
7.6.3  Storage facilities for utensils and spare parts  
 
7.6.3.1  Utensils and spare par ts that, when in use, come into contact with the product shall, when not in 
use, be kept in a disinfectant solution or stored in a hygienic manner in a dry area that is free from dust 
and any other source of contamination, and that is vermin -proof.  
 
7.6.3 .2 Spare parts for machinery that could cause contamination of the product shall be kept in a 
separate storage area away from the processing areas.  
 
7.6.4  Fuel storage area  
Any storage area or tanks for the storage of fuels such as coal or hydrocarbons s hall be designed, 
protected, controlled and maintained in such a manner as to prevent the product from being polluted 
during the storage and manipulation of these fuels.  
 
7.6.5  Storage facilities for lubricants  
 
Lubricants shall be stored away from the p roduction area and in such a manner that they do not cause 
contamination of the product.  
  
7.6.6  Storage facilities for finished products  
 
7.6.6.1  Finished products awaiting dispatch shall be stacked away from the floors and walls in well 
ventilated, acce ptably dust -free, dry and clean rooms.  
 
7.6.6.2  The storage area for finished products shall be physically separated from areas where steam is 
generated.  
 
7.6.6.3  The finished product shall be protected against elements of the environment or any other co ndition 
that could adversely affect the product.  
  
10 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 7.6.6.4  Finished products found not to comply with the requirements of this standard shall be stacked 
apart from finished products that do comply with the requirements, and shall be clearly identified.  
 
7.7 By-products  
7.7.1  Any processing of by -products and non -meat products that are not intended for human consumption 
shall be conducted in buildings that are physically separated from the factory in such a way that there is 
no possibility of contamination  of the product.  
 
7.7.2  Equipment and utensils used in by -product plants shall be identified and shall not be used in areas 
where food for human consumption is processed.  
 
7.8 Refuse  
A separate, suitable refuse facility shall be provided on the premises.   
8 Equipment for production  
8.1 Design and installation  
8.1.1  Processing areas shall be so designed, equipped and staffed as to allow free movement of workers, 
to facilitate cleaning and the maintenance of both hygiene and product quality.  
 
8.1.2  All plant, equipment and utensils that come into contact with the product shall be smooth -surfaced, 
light-coloured and of a suitable corrosion -resistant material (other than wood or other absorbent or porous 
material), which may have an acceptable plastics -coated surface suitable for use with food, but shall 
preferably be stainless steel.  
8.1.3 They shall be of hygienic design with no open joints or crevices and shall be so constructed as to 
facilitate their cleaning and disinfecting.  
8.1.4  Plant and equipment  shall be so designed as to facilitate the cleaning and disinfecting of the areas 
under them.  
8.1.5 Open ends and curled edges shall be satisfactorily sealed to prevent the accumulation of organic 
material and dirt.  
8.1.6 Where necessary, as in the case of equipment that cannot be cleaned in situ, it shall be possible to 
dismantle the equipment for cleaning and disinfecting. Surfaces with which the product comes into contact 
shall not be painted.  
8.1.7 All parts of stationary equipment or of equipment tha t is not readily movable shall be installed away 
from the walls and ceilings at distances sufficient to allow access for cleaning and inspection.  
 
8.1.8 All permanently mounted equipment shall be either installed high enough above the floor to allow 
access  for cleaning and inspection, or shall be completely sealed to the floor.  
 
8.1.9 Equipment shall preferably not be sunk into the floor but, if this is unavoidable, the installation of the 
equipment shall be such that the equipment is accessible for proper  cleaning.  
 
8.1.10 Sunken areas shall be well drained.  DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  11 
  
8.1.11 Copper, lead and their alloys, and other metals or materials detrimental to health, shall not be used 
in the construction of equipment that comes into contact with raw materials or the unprot ected product at 
any stage of its processing.  
 
8.1.12 Equipment and utensils used for inedible materials or for waste shall be identified as such and shall 
not be used for edible products.  
 
8.1.13 Equipment used in areas outside the food handling areas, such as in the toilet or ablution facilities, 
shall not be used in the areas for the processing of food for human consumption.  
8.1.14  moving parts that may come in contact with meat during processing shall use food grade lubricant s 
 
8.2 Equipment for the packing medium  
a) Pipes, valves, joints, pumps or any equipment that comes into contact with the packing medium, shall 
be of a hygienic design, with no dead ends, sharp bends or uneven joints.  
b) Pipelines shall be easily dismantled for cleaning.  
c) Mixing equipm ent, stirrers, mesh screens and storage tanks shall be of stainless steel.  
d) Storage tanks shall be provided with suitable covers.  
e) Water used in the mixing tanks shall only be supplied by means of permanently fixed water pipes.  
f) Water hoses shall not be us ed to supply water as an ingredient for the product.  
8.3 Tables  
a) Table frames shall be of a design and construction that will not allow the development of unhygienic 
conditions and bacterial build -up. 
b) The frames shall be made of smooth, corrosion -resistan t metal or shall have been so coated as to 
protect them from corrosion.  
c) Table tops shall be of seamless stainless metal or other seamless, corrosion -resistant, smooth 
material that is impermeable to water and dust and that possesses similar surface charac teristics.  
d) They shall be of hygienic construction and shall be either removable for cleaning, or so secured to 
their frames as to allow cleaning and disinfecting.  
e) Where metal tops are folded at the edges, the folds shall be so soldered or welded, or seal ed with an 
acceptable mastic sealant as to prevent the accumulation of organic matter and dirt.  
f) All table tops shall allow rapid and effective drainage, and shall be free from cracks and crevices.  
g) All joints in tables shall have been made watertight.  
8.4 Cutting boards  
a) If cutting boards are used, they shall be of hygienic construction and shall be made of acceptable 
light-coloured  material (other than wood or other absorbent or porous material), suitable for use with 
food.  
b) Cutting boards shall be easily  removable.   
12 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 c) Treated and seasoned wood cutting boards may be used provided that they are kept under good 
maintenance conditions.  
8.5 Utensils  
a) Utensils shall be made of stainless metal or of rigid plastics material and shall be of hygienic design.  
b) They s hall be provided with acceptable handles.  
c) Knives and other utensils shall not have handles of wood or other porous or absorbent material.  
8.6 Containers (bins)  
a) All containers that contain food materials, other than those that contain the finished product , shall at 
all times be kept on shelves or stands of corrosion -resistant water -impermeable material at a height of 
at least 250 mm above floor level.  
b) Containers that contain food materials shall not be stacked one upon the other in such a way  that the 
contents of one container can be contaminated by the bottom of another container.  
c) Containers shall be of hygienic design and shall either be light -coloured or shall have a bright metal 
finish.  
8.7 Compressed air, gases and steam  
Compressed air, gases and st eam used in direct or indirect contact with food or with food -contact 
surfaces shall contain no substances that could be hazardous to health or that could contaminate the 
food.  
9 Water and ice supply  
9.1 Potable water  
Every factory shall have an adequat e supply of clean potable water that complies with the chemical and 
microbiological requirements of US EAS 12 .  
9.2 Ice  
a) The purity of ice shall be such that the water derived from it (by melting the ice under aseptic 
conditions at a temperature not higher  than 10 °C) immediately after the ice has been manufactured, 
complies with the requirements of 9.1.  
b) All surfaces of ice -making equipment that come into contact with the ice shall be of suitable corrosion -
resistant material.  
c) The ice -making equipment shal l be of hygienic construction throughout.  
d) Whenever ice is transferred, stored or transported, it shall be effectively protected from contamination.  
9.3 Non-potable water  
a) Non-potable water shall be carried in completely separate lines with no cross -conne ction with, or back  
siphon age  into, the system that carries potable water.  
 DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  13 
 b) Non-potable water lines shall be identified as such and the water shall be considered unsafe and shall 
not be used for drinking or for use in food or in food -handling areas or al lowed to come into contact 
with food -contact surfaces or for hand -washing purposes.  
10 Hygienic operating requirements  
10.1 General  
The hygienic operations shall be done in accordance with US CAC/RCP 58  
a) no operation or condition that could be detrimenta l to the manufacture, processing, treatment or 
storage of the product shall be permitted in the factory or in its grounds.  
b) the factory and its grounds shall convey an orderly, neat and hygienic image.  
c) uncooked meat or meat products shall not, in the cour se of handling, processing and storage, be 
unnecessarily exposed to conditions that affect them adversely.  
d) Care shall be taken to ensure that there is no contact between raw materials and finished products.   
e) uncleaned and unprepared meat  shall not be pre pared or stored in areas where unprotected meat is 
handled or stored.  
f) raw food shall not be handled or stored in areas where cooked food is handled or stored.  
g) effective measures shall be taken to inhibit mould growth and to prevent dust, dirt, flaking pai nt, and 
other loose or extraneous material from being present in the processing areas or in the storage, 
freezer storage and refrigeration rooms.  
h) smoke from factory chimneys or from smoke rooms shall not be allowed to enter the factory building 
in a quant ity or way that is offensive, injurious or dangerous to health or that can contaminate the 
product at any stage during processing.   
i) vehicles that emit exhaust fumes shall not be used in any area where the unprotected product is 
exposed.  
10.2 Cleaning and d isinfecting  
10.1 Facilities for cleaning and disinfecting portable equipment  
a) facilities with proper drainage shall be provided for the cleaning and disinfecting of portable 
equipment.  
b) such facilities shall be located in a separate room or in a designate d area in the preparation, 
processing and packaging areas where there is an ample supply of cold potable water under 
adequate pressure that complies with the requirements of 9.1 and, where necessary, hot water or 
saturated steam under adequate pressure.  
c) the room or area to be used shall be such that there will be no risk of contamination of the product or 
product  contact surfaces.  
d) the floor of the room or area shall be smooth -surfaced and graded to facilitate proper disposal of 
waste liquids from the clea ning process.  
e) the direction of drainage flow shall be away from the handling areas.  
f) disinfecting facilities for gloves and knives shall be available at convenient and acceptable points.   
14 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 10.2 Cleaning equipment, utensils and materials  
a) an adequate suppl y of cleaning and disinfecting materials, saturated steam, hot and cold running 
water (that complies with the requirements of 9.1), hosepipes, spray nozzles, brushes, scrapers and 
other equipment necessary for the proper cleaning of the plant, equipment an d utensils shall be 
available and shall be used regularly.   
b) wire, steel wool or metal scouring wool shall not be used for cleaning surfaces that come into contact 
with the product. Steam used in direct contact with the product and with product -contact sur faces shall 
not contain any substances that could be hazardous to health or that could contaminate the product.  
c) cleaning and disinfecting materials and equipment shall not be stored in a room where food -handling 
equipment is stored and shall at no time co me into contact with raw materials, the products or their 
containers or packages.   
d) cleaning equipment, utensils and materials used in a particular area shall be identified.   
e) cleaning equipment, utensils and materials used in areas other than areas where food for human 
consumption is handled, such as toilets and ablution facilities or by -product plants, shall not be used 
in areas where food for human consumption is processed.  
 
10.3 Physical facilities  
a) factory and grounds shall be maintained in a clean an d hygienic state.  
b) all plant, equipment and utensils shall be maintained in a state of good repair and shall be kept  clean.   
c) the entire manufacturing and processing or treatment system, including utensils, shall be cleaned at 
each change of operations. At the end of operations, the entire system shall be both cleaned and 
disinfected.  
d) Immediately before the start of manufacturing operations, plant and utensils shall be rinsed with 
potable water that complies with the requirements of 9.1 and, if necessary, a  detergent or disinfectant 
shall be used.  
e) adequate precautions shall be taken to prevent the product from being contaminated during the 
cleaning or disinfection of the processing areas and equipment.  
f) detergents and disinfectants used shall be suitable fo r the purposes intended.  
 
10.4 Floors and drainage channels  
a) During production periods, the floor and the drainage channels shall be kept clean.  
b) Thorough cleaning of floors and drainage channels shall take place at the end of each day's 
operations and as  often as is necessary during the working day to maintain hygienic conditions.  
c) The product shall be protected from being splashed with water during the cleaning, rinsing, sweeping 
and flushing of the floors and equipment  
10.5 Walls of preparation, process ing and packaging areas  
The inside surfaces of walls shall be thoroughly washed immediately after each day's operations and as 
often as is necessary during the working day to maintain hygienic conditions.  
 DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  15 
 10.6 Preparation and processing systems  
a) The pro duct shall be prepared, packaged and processed under strictly hygienic conditions.   
b) Equipment used for preparation, filling and closing shall be properly cleaned to prevent soiling and 
contamination of the product.   
c) Saws, deboning knives, steels and cutt ing boards shall be of hygienic design and shall, after use, be 
immediately cleaned, disinfected and stored in a hygienic way  
d) Saws, knives and other utensils that are kept in disinfectant solution shall be thoroughly rinsed with 
potable water before being re-used.  
e) The hot water disinfectors shall be kept in a clean, hygienic condition.   
f) When the factory is in operation, equipment and utensils shall not be removed from the work area, 
except for repair, cleaning or replacement.  
10.7 Removal of refuse and di sposal of effluent and waste  
Waste disposal and management shall be done in accordance with FDUS 1662 . 
a) litter, waste and overflow shall not be allowed to accumulate or give rise to unhygienic conditions and 
shall be removed promptly from the processing ar ea and disposed of in an efficient and sanitary way.   
b) containers of waste that are awaiting removal from the factory premises shall be physically separated 
from the processing areas.  
c) the separate refuse room or other refuse facility shall be cleaned and d isinfected at least once a day.   
d) establishments shall have an efficient effluent and waste disposal system that shall, at all times, be 
maintained in good order and repair.  
e) all effluent lines (including sewer systems) shall be large enough to carry peak loads and shall be so 
constructed as to avoid contamination of potable wat er supplies or the environment.  
f) hazardous substances shall be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way.  
10.8 Vermin control  
All buildings in which raw materials, packaging materials, and ingredients are stored, or in which the 
product is manufactured or stored, shall be kept free from insects, birds, rodents and other vermin and 
shall be rodent  proof. Potential breeding sites for vermin shall be eliminated.  
 
10.9 Use of pes ticides  
a) pesticides shall not be used in work areas while preparation, processing and packaging are in 
operation.  
b) before pesticides are applied, precautionary measures shall be taken to prevent contamination of the 
product.  
c) work surfaces shall be kept fr ee from pesticide residues.  
d) pesticides shall at no time come into contact with containers, raw materials or the product or with 
product -contact surfaces.   
16 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 e) pesticides shall only be handled by authorized and properly trained personnel or by persons under 
strict supervision of trained personnel.  
f) containers with pesticide bait or open bait shall not be present in any area or room where the exposed 
product or ingredients are present or are handled.  
10.10  Animals  
Animals, including birds, shall not be allowed  in any part of the factory.  
11 Requirements for personnel  
11.1 Health  
11.1.1  Before being engaged, employees shall pass an appropriate medical examination to ensure that 
they are free from communicable diseases, and thereafter they shall pass an annual medical examination. 
In the case of any absence owing to illness for more than one day, the employee shall, before resuming 
duty, report the nature of the illness to the factory hygiene officer who shall, should he deem it necessary, 
take the appropriate s teps to obtain a medical opinion on the employee's fitness for work. An appropriate 
medical record of each employee shall be kept.  
 
11.1.2  Any medical certificate submitted by a factory employee shall be available for inspection by the 
authority administe ring this standard.  
 
11.1.3  No employee who is a carrier of, or is suffering from, any communicable disease, especially a 
carrier of Salmonella or Shigella organisms, or one who shows symptoms of, or is suffering from, gastro -
enteritis or an enterobacteri al infection or a disorder or condition that causes discharge of fluid from any 
part of the skin or body, shall be allowed to come into contact with the product. Any such employee shall 
immediately report to the factory management.  
 
11.1.4  No employee who  is known to be infected with a disease that is capable of being transmitted 
through food shall be permitted to work in any part of the factory in a capacity in which there is a likelihood 
of the employee's contaminating the product with pathogenic organis ms.  
 
11.1.5  No employee having a body  cut or injury shall be allowed to come into contact with the product 
unless the cut or injury has been so treated or dressed that the discharge of body fluid has been 
prevented, and the wound and its dressing have bee n so covered as to ensure that infection of employees 
and contamination of the product are no longer possible.  
 
11.2 Protective clothing  
11.2.1  All employees that are engaged in the handling, preparation and processing of the product up to 
and including the packaging stage (but excluding employees that operate within freezer storage rooms 
and chill rooms), shall wear clean, light -coloured, protective clothing, waterproof aprons, waterproof 
slipovers or boots, and clean, washable or disposable headgear tha t completely covers their hair. Woollen 
caps and thermal protective clothing (where applicable) may be worn in freezer storage rooms and chill 
rooms only.  
 
11.2.2  Overalls shall completely cover the personal clothing of the employees. Sleeves shall not ex tend 
below the elbows, except when covered by plastics sleevelets or when worn in freezer storage rooms and 
chill rooms. Waterproof protective clothing shall be of a plastics or rubber material or a similar acceptable DUS 737: 2 017 
© UNBS  2017  – All rights reserved  17 
 material. All protective clothing shal l be of hygienic design, shall have no external pockets, shall be in 
good repair and shall not constitute a source of contamination to the product.  
 
11.2.3  Protective clothing, other than waterproof aprons, sleeveless  and gloves, shall not be stored in 
work areas; when not in use, it shall be kept in change -rooms and shall not be removed from the premises 
except for laund ering under hygienic conditions .  
 
11.2.4  Waterproof aprons, sleeve lets  and gloves shall be cleaned at each time of removal and as 
frequ ently as necessary, and shall be hung on hooks or pegs at exits from production areas during 
intervals between work and during visits to the toilet.  
 
11.2. 5 Gloves shall be thoroughly cleaned and then disinfected by the use of chlorinated water or other 
acceptable solution or procedure. Waterproof aprons, sleevelets and gloves shall not be removed from 
the work areas except for repairs and for cleaning under hygienic conditions.  
 
11.3 Personal hygiene  
11.3.1  Before starting work, after each absence from the factory production area, at regular intervals 
during production, and at any time when necessary, employees shall wash their hands with warm water 
and acceptable unscented liquid soap or detergent and rinse them in clean, running water (see 6.1, 6.2 
and 9.1).  
11.3.2 They may then dip their hands in an acceptable disinfectant solution, after which they shall rinse 
their hands in clean running water, if so required by the usage directions of the hand dip. Neither varnish 
nor lacquer shall be used on finge rnails, and fingernails shall be kept short and clean.  
11.3. 3 Neither employees' personal effects nor their food shall be present in any area where the product 
and its ingredients and packaging materials are handled and stored. Containers used in the prep aration, 
processing or packaging of the product shall not be used for any other purpose.  
 
11.3. 4 The use of chewing gum and the use of tobacco in any form shall not be permitted within areas 
where the product and its ingredients and packaging materials ar e handled or stored. Spitting shall not be 
allowed anywhere within the factory premises. Notices to this effect shall be posted strategically (see 6.4 ).  
 
11.3.5 Jewellery shall not be worn by employees who handle raw material and the unprotected product  
 
11.4 Visitors  
Any person, including employees, who visit or enter the production areas of the factory during operational 
hours, shall , comply with all hygiene requirements and shall wear clean, protective clothing that shall be 
provided by the factory.  
  
18 © UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] US 737:2007, Hygienic requirements for the production of packaged meat products (processed or 
manufactured ) 
 DUS 737: 201 7 
© UNBS 2017  – All rights reserved  19 
 Certification marking  
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Cert ification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is governed by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licensed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda  National Bureau of Standards and in conjunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervisio n, control and testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of li censing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 DUS 737: 2017    
 
ICS 67.120.10  
Price based on nn pages  
© UNBS 2017 – All rights reserved