KENYA DRAFT STANDARD         KS 05-1500: 2009 
                     ICS 67.020 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Code of practice for hygiene in the food 
and drink manufacturing industry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No copying of this standard without KEBS permission  except as permitted by copyright law 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION 
 
The following organizations were represented on the  Technical Committee:  
 
Institute of Packaging Kenya. 
Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. 
National Public Health Lab Services. 
Government Chemist. 
Kenya Institute of Food Science and Technology. 
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute .  
Consumer Information Network 
Green Fine Foods Ltd. 
Nestle (K) Ltd. 
Unilever Kenya Ltd. 
Mini Bakers Ltd. 
Proctor & Allan (E.A) Ltd. 
Coca-Cola East and Central Africa Ltd. 
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, K enya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Sugges tions for 
improvements to published standards, addressed to t he Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, ar e 
welcome. 
 
 
 
©Kenya Bureau of Standards, 1998 
 
Copyright.  Users  are reminded that by virtue of  section 6  of  the Copyright Act, Cap.130 of the La ws of Kenya, copyright subsists in all 
Kenya Standards and except as provided under  secti on 7 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Ken ya Bureau of  Standards may 
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior perm ission in writing from the 
Managing Director. 
 
Permission may be conditional on an appropriate roy alty payment. 
 
Care should  be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition  of the standard and th at it is updated whenever the 
standard is amended or revised. The number and date  of the standard should therefore be clearly identi fied.  
 
The use of material in print or in electronic form to be used commercially with or without payment or in commercial contracts is subject 
to payment of a royalty.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ISBN 9966-23-700-3  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 C O N T E N T S  
 
Clause                  Page 
 
Preface............................................ ................................................... .........................     2
 
  
 
Introduction ...................................... ................................................... ........................     3
  
 
CLAUSES        
 
0. Scope, field of application, terms and definitio ns..............................................….. ........  3 
 
1. Hygiene policy ................................. ................................................... ..........................    6 
 
2. Food safety .................................... ................................................... ........................ ...  7  
 
3. Personnel hygiene .............................. ................................................... ................... ...    11 
 
4. Cleaning ....................................... ................................................... .............................  14 
 
5. Pest control ................................... ................................................... ...........…..............    17 
 
6. Storage, distribution and transport ............ ................................................... ..…..........   19 
 
7. Zoning.......................................... ................................................... ..............… ............    21 
 
8. Services ....................................... ................................................... ............................    22 
 
9. Premises and structures ........................ ................................................... ......…........ .   26 
.. 
10. Plant and equipment ........................... ................................................... .........….........   31 
 
11. Product information and consumer awareness..... ................................................... .....  33 
 
12 Training........................................ ................................................... .............................  34 
 
13.  Recall Procedures............................. ................................................... ........................  35 
 
14.  Rework........................................ ................................................... .............................  35 
 
15.  measures for prevention of cross contamination ................................................... ......  36 
 
16.  Waste disposal................................ ................................................... .........................  37 
 
17.  Food defence and biovigilance................. ................................................... ................  38 
 
11.  Records ...................................... ................................................... ..............…........... .  38 
 
  
  KENYA STANDARD                                               KS 05-1500: 2009 
                     ICS 67.020 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Code of practice for hygiene in the food and 
drink manufacturing industry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS) 
 
Head  Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi-00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 60 5490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031 
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region    Lake Region         North Rift Regi on  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa-80100  P.O. Box 2949, Kisum u-40100       P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru-20100 
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40 Tel.: (+254 057 ) 23549, 22396       Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 21055 5  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448   Fax: (+254 057) 21814 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 2 
P R E F A C E  
 
This second edition of the Kenya Standard Code of P ractice has been revised by the Technical Committee  on Food 
Hygiene and it is in accordance with the procedures  of the Kenya Bureau of Standards. The first editio n of this 
standard was published in 1998. 
 
The Code stipulates the requirements of a food or d rink manufacturing industry which ensure that hygie ne, health 
and safety aspects of hygiene are taken into accoun t during production of foods and drinks. 
 
The aspects covered in this Code include need for e stablishing a company policy on hygiene, food safet y, personal 
hygiene, pest control, cleaning, storage, distribut ion and transport, among others.  The Code also det ails the 
requirements concerning zoning of areas, provision of adequate services, location of premises and stru ctures and 
equipments. 
 
In revising this Code due consideration has been gi ven to the hygiene requirements of the Public Healt h Act, Cap. 
242 and the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act , Cap. 254 of the Laws of Kenya and other existing codes for 
Good Manufacturing Practices, both local and foreig n. Compliance with this Code does not absolve manuf acturers 
from adhering to their legal requirements. 
 
 
This Code shall be applicable to all food and drink  manufacturing industries irrespective of their siz e and volume of 
production. 
 
The assistance derived from CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev.4- 2003 - Recommended International Code Of Practice 
General Principles Of Food Hygieneis and PAS 220:20 08 – Prerequisite programmes on food safety for foo d 
manufacturing is hereby acknowledged with thanks. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 3   
  
KENYA STANDARD 
 
  CODE OF PRACTICE FOR HYGIENE IN THE FOOD AND DRIN K 
MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRY  
  
 
 
1. INTRODUCTION  
 
 
This Code defines, in as far as is practicable, the  general, and where appropriate, the specific hygie ne 
requirements and controls, that are required by foo d companies to comply with good manufacturing 
practices, and is applicable to all the Food and Dr ink Manufacturing Companies. 
 
 
This Code is divided into eleven sections, each sec tion contains an introduction, the general requirem ent, 
specific requirements and where appropriate recomme ndations, for a specific aspect of hygiene. 
 
This code of practice for hygiene should be used in  conjunction with the Codex general principles of 
food hygiene, where appropriate, and the guidelines  on microbiological criteria. The document follows 
the food chain from primary production through to f inal consumption, highlighting the key hygiene 
controls at each stage. It recommends a HACCP-based  approach wherever possible to enhance food 
safety as described in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System and Guidelines for its 
Application (KS  ISO 22000). 
 
 
2. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION 
 
This Kenya Code of Practice sets out the general gu idelines for the hygiene requirements in the Food a nd 
Drink Manufacturing Industry.  It does not replace the legal requirements for the various sectors of t he Food 
and Drink Industry. 
 
This Code of Practice shall apply to all Food and D rink Manufacturing companies. 
 
 
3. NORMATIVE REFERENCES 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensabl e for the application of this code.  
 
i. KS ISO 22000 - Food safety management systems —R equirements for any 
organization in the food chain. 
ii. CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev.4- 2003 - Recommended International Code of Practice General 
Principles of Food Hygiene. 
iii. PAS 220:2008 Prerequisite programmes on food s afety for food manufacturing 
 
 
4. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 
 
4.1  Cleaning - the removal of soil, food residue, dirt, grease o r other objectionable matter. 
 
4.2   Contaminant - any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter,  or other substances not 
intentionally added to food which may compromise fo od safety or suitability. 
 
4.3 Contamination - the introduction or occurrence of a contaminant i n food or food environment. 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 44.4 Disinfection - the reduction, by means of chemical agents and/or  physical methods, of the 
number of micro-organisms in the environment, to a level that does not compromise food safety 
or suitability. 
 
4.5 Establishment - any building or area in which food is handled and  the surroundings under the 
control of the same management. 
 
4.6 Food hygiene - all conditions and measures necessary to ensure t he safety and suitability of 
food at all stages of the food chain. 
 
4.7 Hazard - a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or c ondition of, food with the potential to 
cause an adverse health effect. 
 
4.8 HACCP - a system which identifies, evaluates, and control s hazards which are significant for 
food safety. 
 
4.9 Food handler - any person who directly handles packaged or unpac kaged food, food 
equipment and utensils, or food contact surfaces an d is therefore expected to comply with food 
hygiene requirements 
 
4.10 Food safety - assurance that food will not cause harm to the co nsumer when it is prepared 
and/or eaten according to its intended use. 
 
4.11 Food suitability - assurance that food is acceptable for human consu mption according to its 
intended use. 
  
4.12 Materials - general term used to indicate raw materials, packag ing materials, ingredients, 
process aids, cleaning materials and lubricants. 
 
4.13 Product contact - all surfaces that are in contact with the product o r the primary package 
during normal operation. 
 
4.14 Material/product specification - detailed documented description or enumeration of 
parameters, including permissible variations and to lerances, which are required to achieve a 
defined level of acceptability or quality. 
 
4.15  Food grade - lubricants and heat transfer fluids formulated to b e suitable for use in food 
processes where there may be incidental contact bet ween the lubricant and the food. 
 
4.16 Cleaning in place (CIP)    - system that cleans solely by circulating and/or flo wing chemical 
detergent solutions and water rinses by mechanical means onto and over surfaces to be 
cleaned. 
 
4.17 Cleaning out of place (COP) - system where equipment is disassembled and cleaned in a tank 
or in an automatic washer by circulating a cleaning  solution and maintaining a minimum 
temperature throughout the cleaning cycle. 
 
4.18 Sanitizing - the process of cleaning, followed by disinfection. 
 
4.19 Sanitation - all actions dealing with cleaning or maintaining hy gienic conditions in an 
establishment, ranging from cleaning and/or sanitiz ing of specific equipment to periodic cleaning 
activities throughout the establishment (including building, structural, and grounds cleaning 
activities). 
 
4.20 Certificate of analysis (COA) - document provided by the supplier which indicates r esults of 
specific tests/analysis, including test methodology   performed on a defined lot of the supplier’s 
product. 
 
4.21 Zoning - demarcation of an area within an establishment wher e specific operating, hygiene or 
other practices may be applied to minimize the pote ntial for microbiological cross contamination 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 54.22 Label - printed matter that is part of the finished product  package conveying specific information 
about the contents of the package, the food ingredi ents and any storage and preparation 
requirements 
NOTE This includes, but is not limited to: a) the packag e itself, printed matter attached to the 
package, or a sticker used for over-labelling; b) m ulti packs which have an inner label on the 
individual product and an outer combined label for the whole contents. 
 
4.23 Product recall - removal of a non-conforming product from the market , trade and warehouses, 
distribution centres and/or customer warehouses bec ause it does not meet specified standards. 
 
4.23 First Expired First Out (FEFO) - stock rotation based on the principle of dispatchin g earliest 
expiration dates first. 
 
4.24 First In First Out (FIFO) - stock rotation based on the principle of dispatchin g earliest received 
products first 
 
4.25 Foreign matter - material that is not part or does not originate f rom the principal raw material 
that is being processed e.g. stones, sand particles , dirt, other mineral matter, foliage and 
fragments from other plants. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 61.   HYGIENE POLICY  
 
Introduction 
 
All food manufacturing companies must maintain hygi ene at an appropriate level.  This level will vary 
depending on the type of product or products produc ed but must be such, so as to ensure that the food 
produced is safe to eat.  Indeed this is a legal re quirement.  The requirements of this Code are ancil lary to 
this obligation and are included as a means of elim inating, in as far as possible, sources of possible  
contamination to food.  As contaminated food can be  a serious hazard to health it is necessary to have  a 
defined policy for hygiene and to comply with good manufacturing practices. 
 
1.1 General Requirement — The management of food manufacturing companies shal l define and document its 
policy and commitment to hygiene.  
 
1.2 Specific Requirement 
 
(i) Food manufacturing companies shall have a writt en policy for hygiene and good manufacturing 
practices.  (This may form part of a total policy s tatement.) 
 
(ii) The policy statement shall contain a commitmen t to maintain hygiene at an appropriately defined 
level to ensure the safety of the food produced and  to devote adequate resources to achieve this. 
 
(iii) The policy statement must be signed by the pe rson or persons who have the ultimate responsibilit y 
and authority for defining the company's policy. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 72.   FOOD SAFETY 
 
Introduction 
 
By far the most frequent cause of food contaminatio n is the presence in food of food spoilage or patho genic 
(disease causing) micro-organisms and foreign bodie s.  The best known pathogenic micro-organisms are 
species of bacteria; however some moulds, viruses a nd protozoa are also pathogenic. 
 
It is the responsibility of all food manufacturers to take all reasonable precautions to prevent and c ontrol the 
risk of food contamination in locations or premises  directly under their control.  The most effective way to do 
this is to install documented system and procedures  for the prevention and control of the risk of food  
contamination. On their own, inspection and testing  of food products is insufficient to assure that fo od is free 
from contamination.  To assess what is required to assure the safety of food, the HACCP system of 
evaluation may be used. 
 
HACCP [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points]  is the intelligent application of the principles o f hazard 
Analysis and the identification of Critical Control  Points. 
 
Hazard analysis for a food manufacturer is the rati onal process of estimating the risks associated wit h the 
processing and marketing of a foodstuff.  Risks ass ociated with processing include contamination by mi cro-
organisms and foreign bodies.  The risk of microbio logical contamination of a food is generally greate st after 
the food has been processed and before it is packag ed.  When marketing a foodstuff, foods which must b e 
maintained at temperatures other than ambient are m ost susceptible to abuse during distribution and 
retailing. 
 
Critical Control Points in food processing operatio ns are the vital key points in the process that mus t be 
controlled to safeguard the health of the consumer.   Such points would include pasteurisation, cooking  and 
the exclusion of foreign bodies.  The maintenance o f the cold chain is also critical to assure the saf ety of 
chilled and frozen. 
 
In determining the level of prevention and control that is required to protect the consumer from food borne 
illness, food including food ingredients may be cat egorised as follows. 
 
High Risk —  Foods which are a potential source of pathogenic m icro-organisms and are either 
 
- Intended for consumption by the consumer without a cooking step, immediately prior to 
consumption, which is adequate to kill pathogenic m icro-organisms; 
 
- Intended for consumption by people with low immun ity, infants, geriatrics and hospital patients; 
 
-  Intended for use as an ingredient in the pharmac eutical/medical industry. 
 
Medium Risk    —  Foods which are a potential source of pathogenic micro-organisms and are intended for 
consumption by the consumer with a cooking step, im mediately prior to consumption, which is adequate t o 
kill pathogenic  micro-organisms; 
 
or 
 
Foods which do not belong to the other two categori es. 
 
Low Risk —  Foods not previously known to be a source of patho genic micro-organisms and in which 
harmful residues or chemicals have rarely been foun d. 
 
2.1 General Requirement   —  It shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer,  to identify and list the chemical, 
functional, organoleptic and micro-biological tests , the procedures used, and, frequencies that are re quired 
to identify, sanitation failures or food contaminat ion.  The manufacturer shall establish specificatio ns for raw 
materials, in process materials and finished produc t and shall take adequate precautions to ensure tha t food 
is free from contamination. Special precautions sha ll be taken in processing high risk foods.  All 
contaminated food shall be rejected, or treated or re-processed to eliminate the contamination where t his 
can be achieved. 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 8Purchasing of materials which impact food safety sh all be controlled to ensure that the suppliers used  
have the capability to meet the specified requireme nts. The conformance of incoming materials to 
specified purchase requirements shall be verified. Reference to be made to ISO 9001:2008  
 
 
 
2.2 Specific Requirements — Food  safety 
 
(i) It shall be the responsibility of the manufactu rer to identify, list, and establish appropriate ch emical, 
functional, microbiological and organoleptic specif ications for all raw materials (including additives , 
ingredients and processing aids) and in process mat erials. 
 
(ii) It shall be the responsibility of the manufact urer to establish appropriate chemical, functional,  
microbiological and organoleptic specifications for  finished products. 
 
(iii) It shall be the responsibility of the manufac turer to test, or have tested, raw materials, in pr ocess 
materials and finished product at a frequency comme nsurate with the risk to the safety of the 
finished product.  These tests shall be carried out  in accordance with defined procedures.  Supplier 
guarantees shall be adequate to eliminate or reduce  the testing requirement for raw materials. 
 
(iv) Environmental sampling and microbiological ana lysis of these samples shall be carried out, at a 
level commensurate with identifying the risk to the  safety of the finished product. 
 
(v) It shall be the responsibility of the manufactu rer to identify, monitor and record all critical pa rameters 
in the process to ensure that the finished product is  microbiologically safe.  Critical parameters sh all 
include any heat processing required to pasteurise or sterilise the product, hygiene and cleaning 
procedures, the strength of active ingredients and the temperature for each washing cycle and post 
heat treatment handling. 
 
Note:   Measuring instruments used to monitor critical para meters shall be calibrated at appropriate 
           intervals; to ensure that the accuracy o f the measurements instruments are within defined     
           limits. 
 
(vi) Records of all processes required to assure th e safety of food shall be inspected a least daily b y a 
suitably qualified person.  The records shall be si gned to show that the inspection has taken place.  
The purpose of this is to demonstrate that the proc ess has been carried out under the required 
conditions. 
 
(vii) In the event that microbiological results are  outside the defined microbiological criteria (i.e.  Action 
Limits) for raw materials, in process materials, fi nished product or the environment, timely action 
shall be taken to identify and rectify the cause so  as to prevent the manufacture of product outside 
the established microbiological specification. 
 
(viii) There shall be a written procedure defining what action is to be taken to ensure that finished 
product, produced during or after failure in the co ntrol of a critical parameter, is not released for sale 
or consumption until it is established that the pro duct is safe.   
 
(ix) Food contaminated by pathogenic organisms shal l be rejected, or treated, or processed, to 
eliminate the contamination where this is possible.   It shall not be blended with uncontaminated 
product, as a means of bringing the food within spe cification. 
 
(x) Packaging design and materials should provide a dequate protection for products to minimize 
contamination, prevent damage, and accommodate prop er labelling. Packaging materials or 
gases where used must be non-toxic and not pose a t hreat to the safety and suitability of food 
under the specified conditions of storage and use. Where appropriate, reusable packaging 
should be suitably durable, easy to clean and, wher e necessary, disinfect. 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 92.3  Specific requirement - Management of purchased  materials 
 
2.3.1  Selection and management of suppliers 
There shall be a defined process for the selection,  approval and monitoring of suppliers. The process 
used shall be justified by hazard assessment, inclu ding the potential risk to the final product, and s hall 
include: 
i. Assessment of the supplier’s ability to meet qua lity and food safety expectations, 
requirements and  specifications; 
ii. description of how suppliers are assessed; 
 
NOTE Examples of a description of how suppliers are asse ssed include: 
a) Audit of the supplying site prior to accepting m aterials for production; 
b) Appropriate third party certification. 
c) Monitoring the performance of the supplier to as sure continued approval status. 
 
NOTE Monitoring may include conformance to material or p roduct specifications, meeting COA 
requirements, satisfactory audit outcomes. 
 
2.3.2 Incoming material requirements (raw/ingredien ts/packaging) 
 
Delivery vehicles shall be checked prior to, and du ring, unloading to verify that the quality and safe ty of 
the material has been maintained during transit (e. g. seals are intact, free from infestation, tempera ture 
records exist). 
 
Materials shall be inspected, tested or covered by COA to verify conformance to specified requirements  
prior to acceptance or use. The method of verificat ion shall be documented. 
 
NOTE The inspection frequency and scope may be based on the hazard presented by the material and 
the risk assessment of the specific suppliers. 
 
Materials which do not conform to relevant specific ations shall be handled under a documented 
procedure which ensures they are prevented from uni ntended use. Access points to bulk material 
receiving lines shall be identified, capped and loc ked. Discharge into such systems shall take place o nly 
after approval and verification of the material to be received. 
 
 
2.4 Specific Requirements —  Foreign matter  
 
(i) It shall be the responsibility of the manufactu rer to take all necessary precautions to ensure tha t the 
food is free of foreign matter other than unavoidab le defects.  Precautions shall include, inspection 
of raw materials, keeping the production area free from extraneous material and the proper control 
of birds, rodents or insects. 
 
(ii) It shall be the responsibility of the manufact urer to establish procedures for maintaining unavoi dable 
defects at a minimum, at all stages of production.  The level of these defects in the food shall not  
present a health hazard. 
 
(iii) Where glass containers are used for packaging , the manufacturer shall establish suitable handlin g 
procedures, to eliminate the possible contamination  of the food by glass fragments or splinters. 
 
(iv) No glass containers, other than glass containe rs to be used for finished product packaging, shall  be 
brought into the production area.  These shall incl ude, ingredients in glass containers, measuring 
jugs, analytical equipment and glass thermometers o ther than those encased in metal. 
 
(v) Glass pipes, flow meters and glass equipment sh ould be avoided, but if used there shall be a 
documented procedure for routine inspection for cra cks and splinters. 
 
(vi) Glass windows if broken must be reported immed iately to the designated person, whose 
responsibility it is to identify and have destroyed  any food that could possibly have been 
contaminated by glass.  These windows must be repla ced as soon as possible but not during 
production unless adequate screens are installed. KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 10  
(vii) A metal detector shall be installed, where ap propriate, on all consumer lines, located so as to 
inspect the finished consumer pack or packs, where this is technically possible.  The detector shall 
be capable of detecting 2 mm spheres of ferrous and  2.5 mm spheres of non-ferrous material 
unless the composition of the food makes this impos sible.  The sensitivity of the search head shall 
be checked at least once per 8 hour shift by a desi gnated person/persons. 
 
Note: The response time of the detector shall be checked to ensure that the correct package is 
rejected. 
 
2.4 Specific Requirements   — High risk foods  
 
(i) High risk areas shall be physically separated e ither by partition location or other effective mean s 
from other areas of the factory.  High risk process ing areas are defined as all areas where high risk 
foods are exposed if the subsequent processing does  not contain a step which effectively destroys 
all harmful micro-organisms or areas where high ris k foods are exposed after they have undergone 
a processing step which effectively destroys harmfu l micro-organisms. 
 
(ii) Access to high risk processing areas shall be restricted to designated personnel, who shall wear 
readily identifiable protective clothing and footwe ar. 
 
(iii) Access to high risk areas shall be via a chan ging room only, where personnel entering the area 
shall change to readily identifiable protective clo thing including footwear. 
 
(iv) The air supply to high risk areas shall be fil tered to 2 microns and the area shall be kept under  
positive pressure.  HEPA filters may be used to fil ter the air. 
 
(v) No toilet facilities shall be located in high r isk areas. 
 
(vi) Wash hand basins shall be located in high risk  areas. 
 
(vi) In cases where employees develop chronic patho gen infection, such employees shall not be 
permitted to have access to high risk processing ar eas.   
 
2.5 Recommendation 
 
(i) Emphasis should be placed on prevention rather than detection. 
 
(ii) For each production line a tracking system for  microbiological contamination should be establishe d. 
 The reason is to track the location of possible so urces of contamination.  These sources can be 
established by environmental sampling and testing o f the samples for pathogenic and food spoilage 
micro-organisms combined with microbiological analy sis of the food at various critical stages in the 
production.  For an effective tracking system, an  appropriate minimum level of sampling and  testing 
should be established.  This level should be increa sed, as appropriate, if problems are encountered 
until effective actions have been taken to address the problems. 
 
(iii) High risk Raw materials should only be purcha sed from approved suppliers.  A list of such suppli ers 
should be maintained and their performance record s hould be monitored. 
 
(iv) In designing a food plant or replacing glass, it is recommended that transparent PVC or the 
equivalent be used in those areas where food is exp osed or where there is a risk of contamination 
of food, in the event of the glass being broken. 
 
(v) Metal detectors should be fitted with an automa tic rejection mechanism which rejects metal 
containing product into a locked inaccessible conta iner.  The reject mechanism, if present, shall be 
checked when the metal detector is being checked.  Where automatic rejection is not feasible, 
automatic stopping of the line is a suitable altern ative. 
 
(vi) Thermometers containing mercury should not be used or brought into processing areas. 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 11 3.   PERSONNEL HYGIENE 
 
Introduction 
 
People are a potential source of disease producing micro-organisms, as these micro-organisms live in 
certain parts of the body; mainly the hair, nose, m outh, throat, bowel and in sores.  They can easily be 
transferred to the hands as hands are in contact wi th all parts of the body during the course of the d ay.  Even 
blowing of the nose into a handkerchief can lead to  contamination of hands. 
 
Prevention of contamination of food by personnel de pends on everyone being aware of the potential risk s 
associated with bad hygiene practices and behaving in a manner that will prevent these risks.  Managem ent 
has the specific responsibility for developing a go od hygiene ethos in the workforce which can only be  
achieved by example, the provision of good personne l facilities and constant vigilance. 
 
To ensure the safety of food, therefore, it is nece ssary that employees, including temporary employees , are 
medically examined and certified as fit to work in a food company, are adequately trained in hygiene a nd 
hygiene practices and wear clean suitable protectiv e clothing.  These requirements relate to all emplo yees, 
particularly those entering the production area and  include, management staff, engineers, in addition to 
production workers.  Visitors and contractors must be required to wear suitable protective clothing wh en 
entering production areas, and must be effectively managed, to prevent them from being a source of 
contamination of the food. 
 
It is now generally accepted that medical screening  and stool testing are not reliable as procedures t o 
identify all potential carriers of pathogenic micro -organisms.  Hence all food handlers must be regard ed as a 
potential source of micro-organisms, and must be ad equately trained in good hygiene practices. 
 
3.1 General Requirements  —  Management shall ensure that all staff, are, medica lly fit, are adequately trained 
in good hygiene practices, behave in such a manner as not to contaminate the food, and wear clean 
protective clothing when entering or working in the  production area.  Adequate personnel facilities sh all be 
provided. 
 
3.2 Specific Requirements   — Medical  
 
(i) All staff members (including temporary staff) m ust be examined by a government medical 
practitioner prior to employment Additional medical s shall be carried out at intervals defined by the 
law.  
 
(ii) Staff members suffering from any disease in a communicable form (particularly gastrointestinal 
disorders, vomiting, diarrhoea etc.) or cuts, sores  and infected wounds shall not be permitted to 
work in areas where food is exposed or where they m ay come in contact with food. 
 
(iii) All staff, including supervisory staff shall be made aware of and shall be responsible for ensur ing 
that, the requirements of 3.2 (ii) are met. 
 
(iv) Cuts, sores and grazes shall be covered after treatment with a conspicuously coloured waterproof 
dressing, which contains a metal strip.  The colour  of the dressing should be different where 
possible, from the colour of the food produced. 
 
3.3 Specific Requirements — Training 
 
(i) All staff including management staff must be gi ven appropriate induction and on going training in 
hygiene.  This training shall be carried out by per sonnel who are competent in this field. 
 
(ii) Training records shall be kept. 
 
3.4 Specific Requirements — Protective clothing 
 
(i) All persons entering the processing areas inclu ding visitors and sub-contractors shall wear clean 
protective clothing. 
 
(ii) Particular attention shall be paid to maintena nce staff and contractors to ensure that they do no t KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 12 carry dirt on the clothing into production areas, p articularly where product is sensitive to  
contamination. 
 
(iii) Personal garments shall not be worn over prot ective clothing. 
 
(iv) Clean overalls and coats, and covering to cove r all hair including beards, shall be worn by all 
personnel entering or working in the production are a.  Coats or overalls shall be fitted with no 
external pockets above the waistline, to prevent th e contents from entering the product, and sh all 
be securely fastened; studs or 'velcro' should idea lly be used for this purpose. 
 
(v) Footwear must be clean and workers shall have s eparate footwear for use in the factory, to protect  
against the introduction of pathogenic micro-organi sms into the food such as salmonella and 
listeria. 
 
(vi) Protective clothing shall be maintained in a c lean condition, shall not be used outside the facto ry or 
factory grounds or worn to or from work, as protect ive clothing is required to protect the food from 
the individual. 
 
3.5 Specific Requirement —  Miscellaneous  
 
(i) No jewellery, except plain wedding rings and sl eeper earrings/studs shall be worn.  This includes 
watches, bangles, etc., as these can be a source of  mould and foreign bodies including glass. 
 
(ii) Personnel working in a food factory shall main tain a high level of personal hygiene, which shall 
include maintaining clean hands and nails, nails sh ort and free of nail varnish, not using excessive 
perfume and not indulging in unhygienic practices.  Hand and nails shall be washed before 
commencing or recommencing work and after using the  toilet. 
 
(iii) Smoking shall only be permitted in clearly de signated areas which shall not include production 
areas or toilets.  Chewing gum, eating sweets or fo od shall be prohibited in production areas and 
food shall not be brought into the production area.  
 
3.6 Specific Requirements —  Facilities  
 
(i) Personnel facilities shall be kept in good cond ition and shall be maintained clean and free from 
odours so as to create the correct hygiene ethos am ongst all personnel working in the factory.  This 
requirement is also necessary to prevent the establ ishment of sites for the harbourage or breeding 
of insects, rodents or birds. 
 
(ii) A suitable canteen or rest room shall be provi ded and it shall not lead directly into the process ing 
area. 
 
(iii) Adequate toilet facilities and associated han d washing facilities shall be provided.  The toilet s 
shall not lead directly into the processing area an d there shall be at least a lobby between the 
processing area and the toilet. Separate convenienc es shall be provided for members of each 
sex and each shall be maintained in a sanitary cond ition and kept in conditions of good repair at 
all times.  Toilets shall be furnished with sufficient toilet t issue, clean towels and soap. Signs 
shall be posted in appropriate places directing emp loyees to wash their hands with soap after 
using the toilet. 
  
(iv) The toilet facilities and external lobby shall  be separately ventilated to the external air in su ch a way 
as not to contaminate the factory air.  The doors t o the toilet and the lobby shall be self closing. 
 
(v) Wash hand basins in both toilet and processing areas shall be supplied with either warm or hot and  
cold water.  The taps shall be either, foot, knee o r electronically operated to prevent re-
contamination of hands after washing. 
 
(vi) Hand sanitising solutions or sanitising liquid  soap in appropriate dispensers, shall be provided at 
each hand washing point. 
 
(vii) To dry hands, paper towels with easily cleana ble waste receptacles for used towels, cabinet roll er ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 13 towels, or air hand driers shall be provided adjace nt to all wash hand basins (hand washing troughs 
or fountains).  However air hand driers shall not b e used in sensitive  production areas, to avoid the  
possible spread of aerosolised bacteria. 
 
3.7 Recommendations 
 
(i) The doors leading into the lobby and into toile ts should be fitted with a push plate on the outsid e and 
a handle on the inside. 
 
(ii) The lobby of the toilets should be adequate to  enable personnel using the toilets to hang up thei r 
protective clothing prior to entering the toilet.  This is to prevent the possible contamination of th e 
protective clothing. 
 
(iii) Lockers should ideally have sloped tops or th ey should be built into walls, to aid cleaning. 
 
(iv) There should be segregated areas for clean and  soiled protective clothing. 
 
(v) Precautions should be taken to ensure that clot hing does not remain damp in lockers or that stale 
food is not left in lockers as this can lead to the  growth of mould. 
 
(vi) Clocks should be located throughout the factor y. 
 
(vii) Lockers should, with the agreement of the emp loyees be inspected every three months to ensure 
that they are maintained in a clean condition and t o ensure that they are not a site for the 
harbourage of insects and rodents. 
 
(viii) A room with adequate first aid facilities sh ould be provided. 
 
(ix) Wash hand basins should be located close to wo rk stations and/or close to personnel entrances to 
the processing area.  The recommended number of was h hand basins required is 1 per 15 people 
in clean processing areas and 1 in 10 people in dir ty processing areas. 
 
(x) Showers should be provided but of little use if  not used.  Hence the shower area should be heated,  
if appropriate, and should have provision for perso nnel to undress in private. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 14 4.  CLEANING 
 
Introduction 
 
Food can be contaminated by dirty plant and equipme nt and by an unhygienic environment.  To prevent th is 
risk, cleaning is required.  Wet cleaning can be ac hieved by the removal of soil followed by commercia l 
sterilisation or alternatively by using a detergent  steriliser solution.  If steam or hot water is use d for 
commercial sterilisation great care must be exercis ed, as their use can cause condensation on overhead  
structures, leading to re-contamination of cleaned surfaces.  It must be noted that wet surfaces can a fford 
ideal conditions for microbial growth. 
 
Care must be taken with dry cleaning to ensure that  dust particles are not released into the plant 
environment as these carry micro-organisms.  For va cuum cleaners this may mean efficient separation of  
the air. 
 
It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ide ntify, document, establish and monitor an appropria te 
cleaning programme for all food contact surfaces an d for the environment in which the food is manufact ured. 
 
4.1 General Requirement — Plant, equipment and the environment in which food is processed, must be 
cleaned at regular intervals, to prevent it being a  source of contamination of the food. The cleaning tools 
and equipment shall be of hygienic design and maintained in a con dition which does not present a 
potential source of contamination.  
 
4.2 Specific Requirements 
 
(i) There shall be an established, documented, clea ning procedure for cleaning, all food contact 
surfaces including plant and equipment, walls, floo rs, windows, gullies, ancillary structures and 
cleaning equipment.  The cleaning programme shall i nclude dry cleaning, wet cleaning, commercial 
sterilisation and sterilisation as appropriate.  Th is programme shall also include cleaning at a high 
level and the cleaning of overhead surfaces.  
 
(ii) There shall be a cleaning programme for each r oom, group of rooms or each production area 
and for the exterior of the plant and outside struc tures.  This programme shall state the 
frequency with which each item (or groups of items)  of equipment is cleaned, the contact time 
and temperature and strength of cleaning solutions.   It shall also state the method and 
frequency of cleaning of walls, floors, windows, dr ains, etc.  Record of cleaning shall be 
maintained and there shall be evidence that the cle aning programme has been adhered to.  
 
(iii) A documented procedure shall also be in place  to check the efficiency of cleaning, by 
microbiological analysis of rinse water, swabbing o f surfaces, or other appropriate means. 
 
(iv) Plant and equipment shall be cleaned at least daily, or more often if required, to control the le vel of 
soil or the bacteriological load in the food.  This  shall not apply in food processes where it can be 
demonstrated that daily cleaning is not required.  It shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer to 
establish a procedure to monitor that all cleaning has been carried out at the appropriate defined 
intervals. 
 
(v) Sufficient tanks, suitable for the immersion of  loose pieces of equipment, shall be available for 
cleaning purposes.  Where these are used during the  production cycle for washing, they shall be 
located in an area separated from the production ar ea or the tanks shall be totally enclosed and 
designed so there is no risk of contamination of th e food by detergents.  The tanks shall be fitted 
with an outlet pipe to facilitate draining. 
 
(vii) Cleaning and sanitizing agents and chemicals shall be clearly identified, food grade, stored 
separately and used only in accordance with the man ufacturer’s instructions.   
 
(vii) As most detergents and sterilising materials are hazardous, personnel handling these materials 
shall be made aware of the danger and the appropria te treatment in the event of accidents.  Where 
required to ensure safety, safety goggles or face s hields and gloves shall be available and used 
when handling hazardous detergents and sterilising materials.  ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 15  
(viii) Where hazardous materials are being mixed or  dispensed an eye washing and shower facility shall  
be located close to the point of mixing or dispensi ng. 
 
(ix) All brooms and hand brushes used to clean in t he production area shall be made of material other 
than wood, shall have nylon bristles, ideally colou red to enable detection of detached bristles, shall  
be maintained clean and in good condition and when not in use shall be hung up with bristles facing 
downwards, to aid drying.  Brushes used for floors shall not be used on equipment surfaces. 
 
(x) Care shall be taken in using cleaning cloths an d scouring pads to ensure that they are not a sourc e 
of contamination i.e. being themselves contaminated  or being a source of foreign materials in the 
food. 
 
(xi) Equipment such as sampling utensils, manual ag itators, shall be cleaned before or after use, as 
appropriate 
 
(xii) Plant which operates under dry conditions sha ll be physically isolated from those parts of the p lant 
which are wet cleaned during the cleaning process. 
 
(xiii) Equipment that has been wet cleaned shall no t be used until the equipment is dry where dampness  
could contaminate the product, for example, powder conveying lines. 
 
(xiv) Where hot solutions are used for cleaning pla nt or equipment, there shall be adequate and suitab le 
venting to prevent, in as far as possible, condensa tion on overhead structures. 
 
(xv) Vacuum cleaners shall be emptied outside the p rocessing areas. 
 
(xvi) CIP systems shall be separated from active product lines. 
 
 
4.3 Recommendations 
 
(i) In deciding on a cleaning programme the risk of  contamination of the food shall be taken into 
account.  The rate of microbial growth depends on t he nature of the food, pH, temperature and 
water activity.   
 
Note: Under ideal conditions the number of micro-or ganisms in food can double every 20 minutes 
which means that one micro-organism can produce ove r 2 million micro-organisms in 7 
hours. 
 
(ii) Special attention should be paid in establishi ng a cleaning programme for powder conveying lines 
where the powder in hydroscopic, as build-up of dam p contaminated powder can occur which may 
only occasionally contaminate the product.  This ca n be difficult to detect. 
 
(iii) Vacuum cleaners, or dust extraction units, ca n also be a source of contamination and it is 
recommended that the contents are regularly analyse d microbiologically.   These analyses can be 
used to help monitor the level of pathogens in the environment of the factory.  The use of 
centralised vacuum systems is not recommended as th e pipework can be a potential source of 
contamination. 
 
(iv) If high pressure hoses are required in a clean ing programme these should be used at the start of 
the cleaning programme, as they can have the effect  of aerosolising micro-organisms.  
Recommended safe pressure range is 28 - 49 kg/cm 2 although some hygienists accept 70 kg/cm 2 
as an upper limit. 
 
(v) After cleaning, food contact surfaces should ha ve a TVC of less than one colony per square 
centimetre. 
 
(vi) Levels of chemical sanitisers that have been f ound to be effective for listeria according to EPA (US 
Environmental Protection Agency) testing methods ar e chlorine based 100 ppm, iodine 25 ppm, 
anionics 200 ppm and quaternatry ammonia 100 ppm.  These may have to be adjusted, in plant, to 
compensate for reduction factors such as dilution a nd oxidation.  Other agencies specify a KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 16 concentration of 200 ppm of chlorine in chemical sa nitiser and a contact  time of 2 minutes. 
 
 
(vii) Brushes used on equipment should be readily i dentifiable from brushes used on floors.  Different  
coloured bristles could be considered.  As listeria  tends to be carried into factories by footwear, 
brushes are a vector for transferring it onto the p lant, if the brushes are not properly controlled. 
 
(viii) Sampling utensils and manual agitators shoul d be stored in a suitable sterilant solution. A chl orous 
solution is not suitable for aluminium and certain grades of stainless steel, as it causes piting.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 17 5.    PEST CONTROL  
 
Introduction 
 
Pests pose a major threat to the safety and suitabi lity of food. Pest infestations can occur where the re 
are breeding sites and a supply of food. Good hygie ne practices should be employed to avoid creating 
an environment conducive to pests. Good sanitation,  inspection of incoming materials and good 
monitoring can minimize the likelihood of infestati on and thereby limit the need for pesticides. 
 
Rodents, bats, insects and birds carry with them mi cro-organisms which can cause disease and hence can  
be a major source of food contamination.  For pest infestation to occur,  sites for breeding and a sup ply of 
food must exist. In food factories and grounds thes e two conditions can exist, if proper controls are not 
exercised.  In 9 and other sections specific requir ements to help control pest infestation are dealt w ith.  In 
this section, the additional requirements that must  be met, to control pests, are outlined. 
 
5.1 General Requirements —  Rodents, bats, birds, domestic and other animals, and insects shall 
be excluded, in as far as is practicably possible, from the factory.  The grounds of the factory shall  be 
protected and maintained so as to avoid the establi shment of breeding sites for rodents and insects. 
 
Potential food sources should be stored in pest-pro of containers and/or stacked above the ground and 
away from walls. Areas both inside and outside food  premises should be kept clean. Where appropriate, 
refuse should be stored in covered, pest-proof cont ainers. 
 
Holes, drains and other places where pests are like ly to gain access should be kept sealed. Wire mesh 
screens, for example on open windows, doors and ven tilators, will reduce the problem of pest 
entry.Domestic and other animals, shall be excluded  from the factory ground, other than in the case of  
abattoirs or slaughter houses where they shall be a dequately penned.  
 
The establishment shall have a nominated person to manage pest control activities and/or deal with  
appointed expert contractors. 
 
Only pesticides approved and complying with the pes ticide products control board act shall be used. 
 
5.2 Specific Requirements 
 
(i) Fixed plant and equipment on floors shall be ei ther 0.3 metres from the ground and 0.5 metres from  
walls, or shall be adequately sealed to prevent the  build up of dirt behind or under the equipment. 
 
(ii) Air intake points and opening windows shall be  a least fitted with a fly screen.  (Mesh size No. 16 - 
1.2 mm gap.) 
 
(iii) Insect electrocuters shall be placed in all p rocessing areas, where food is exposed.  Ideally th ey 
shall be located not more than 2.4 metres from the floor, in an area free from droughts and not over 
areas where food could be exposed. They shall be pl aced away from natural light and shall be fitted 
with a catch tray, which shall be cleaned at define d appropriate intervals.  This shall not apply if 
there is a sound technical reason for not having in sect electrocuters such as a fire risk or a risk of  a 
dust explosion.  
 
(iv) UV tubes on insect electrocuters shall be repl aced at least every year and they shall be left on 
permanently, except when the plant is closed for a period in excess of 7 days.  Records shall be 
kept of these replacements. 
 
(v) A site drawing and register of all detectors an d baiting points shall be kept up-to-date and open baits 
shall not be used in processing areas. 
 
(vi) External doors shall be rodent proof (i.e. gap s not exceeding 6 mm) and shall be fitted with self  
closers or protected by an internal lobby with a se lf closing door.  Plastic or air curtains may be us ed 
as an alternative to secondary doors. 
 
(vii) Raw materials deliveries shall be inspected w here appropriate for the presence of infestation in  KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 18 accordance with defined written procedures. 
 
(viii) If evidence of infestation is found in or ar ound the factory premises, action shall be taken to  
remove or control the infestation.  Treatment with chemical, physical or biological age nts should 
be carried out without posing a threat to the safet y or suitability of food. Records of pesticide use 
shall be maintained to show the type, quantity and concentrations used; where, when and how 
applied, and the target pest.  
 
(ix) Insecticides and rodenticides if used shall be  used under such precautions and restrictions as to  
prevent the contamination of food or packing materi als with illegal residues.  Insecticides and 
rodenticides which look similar to the food being m anufactured, or are in similar containers to those 
used for packaging, shall not be used. 
 
(x) Birds shall be excluded from all production and  storage areas and adequate steps must be taken to 
ensure that this is effective; subject to the legal  requirements for the preservation of wild life.  
 
(xi) The factory shall be inspected at least every three months, for evidence of infestation by insect s or 
rodents, and for the presence of birds, or wild or domestic animals.  The inspection shall be carried 
out by trained personnel. 
 
 
5.3 Recommendations 
 
(i) To rodent proof door, bristle strips can be use d. 
 
(ii) Inspections are recommended at intervals of si x weeks. 
 
(iii) Fly screens should be made of stainless steel  or nylon. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 19 6.   STORAGE, WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSPO RT 
 
Introduction 
 
Storage, distribution and transport must be such as  to prevent damage, contamination or deterioration of the 
food or materials which come into contact with the food. 
 
6.1 General Requirements — The manufacturer shall provide adequate storage fac ilities to prevent damage or 
deterioration of the food. Stores and storage vesse ls shall be maintained in a hygienic condition and where 
controlled conditions are required, these shall be provided and the conditions shall be continuously 
monitored.  The manufacturer shall provide adequate  unloading facilities and all incoming material sha ll be 
inspected to  ensure that, damaged goods which coul d cause spillages, or materials containing evidence  of 
rodent or insect infestation, is not brought into t he plant or factory, without taking adequate precau tions.  
Adequate loading facilities shall also be provided.  
 
Vehicles, conveyances and containers used for the t ransport or distribution of food shall be, easy to clean, 
clean, free from odours and weatherproof, and in th e case of vehicles with refrigeration, the refriger ation unit 
shall be adequate, to maintain the food at the requ ired temperature. 
 
Conveyances and containers for transporting food sh ould be kept in an appropriate state of cleanliness , 
repair and condition. Where the same conveyance or container is used for transporting different foods,  
or non-foods, effective cleaning and, where necessa ry, disinfection should take place between loads. 
 
6.2 Specific Requirements — Storage and Warehousing  
 
(i) There shall be adequate storage for raw materia ls, in process materials, where applicable,  
packaging material and finished product.   
 
(ii) Unprocessed food shall not be stored in the sa me store as processed food.  
 
(iii) Food which requires special storage condition s, such as controlled atmosphere, temperature or 
relative humidity, shall be stored under the approp riate conditions, and records of the storage 
conditions shall be maintained. 
 
(iv) Stores shall be rodent, insect and bird proofe d and shall be maintained in a hygienic condition. 
 
(v) There shall be at least a 0.5 metre passageway around the walls or partitions of all stores, to 
prevent the establishment of breeding sites for rod ents and to aid hygienic inspections, except in the  
case of racks.  Where racks are used against walls there shall be at least a 0.3 metres clearance 
between the floor and the bottom of the rack. 
 
(vi) The height of stacking shall be limited so tha t crushing or distortion does not occur on the lowe r 
layers, sufficient to damage the product or packagi ng.  The top layer of stored product shall not 
make contact with the overhead structures, as this could facilitate access by crawling insects. 
 
(vii) Storage tanks, bins and silos used for storag e of food shall be constructed of suitable material s.  
They shall be fitted with suitable close fitting co vers, which shall be kept in place at all times and  if 
vented, the venting shall be designed and maintaine d so as not to contaminate the contents.  The 
inlet valves and pipework shall be maintained in a hygienic condition and precautions shall be taken 
to ensure that access to the pipework by rodents, b irds and insects is prevented. 
 
(viii) All goods received shall be inspected in acc ordance with documented procedures, to ensure that 
damaged goods which could cause spillages are not b rought into the warehouse without taking 
appropriate action to prevent the danger of spillag es.  They shall be inspected for evidence of 
rodent or insect infestation and if present shall n ot be taken into the store until appropriate define d 
action is taken. 
 
(ix) A separate, secure (locked or otherwise access  controlled) storage area shall be provided for 
cleaning materials, chemicals and other hazardous s ubstances. 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 20 (x) A separate area or other means of segregating m aterials identified as non-conforming shall be 
provided. 
(xi) Specified stock rotation systems (FIFO/FEFO) s hall be observed. 
(xii) Gasoline/gas or diesel powered fork lift truc ks shall not be used in food ingredient or product 
storage areas. 
 
6.3 Specific Requirements   — Transport and distribution 
 
(i) All vehicles, conveyances and containers used f or the transport of food shall be inspected before 
loading, to ensure that they are clean and weatherp roof.  Where appropriate, the refrigeration unit 
shall be inspected, to ensure that it is in working  condition and that there is adequate fuel in the  
units’ fuel tank.  
 
(ii) The internal surfaces of the vehicle body shal l be impervious and easy to clean and the vehicle b ody 
shall be sealed, to prevent the entry of pests, exh aust fumes and other sources of contamination. 
 
(iii) In the case of an insulated, container or veh icle body, the outside cladding shall be weatherpro of, so 
as to prevent loss of the insulation properties due  to moisture entering the insulation. 
 
(iv) Care shall be taken when loading food into ref rigerated transport to ensure that there is adequat e 
air circulation around the food and that the food o n loading is at the correct temperature, as 
refrigeration units on transport vehicles have not the capacity to cool product. 
 
(v) Food shall not be transported in the same conta iner or unit as non food items unless it can be 
demonstrated the non food items present no risk of contaminating the food. 
 
(vi) Tankers and bulk units used for the transport of food, where the food comes into direct contact w ith 
the internal surfaces, shall be cleaned at appropri ate intervals.  These tankers and bulk unit shall 
not be used for the transportation of non food item s . 
 
(vii) CIP (Cleaning in Place) washing units or wash ing units which contain a re-circulation system for  
washing food tankers or bulk units shall not be use d to wash tankers or bulk units which contained 
non food products. 
 
(viii) Loading or unloading and transportation of f ood or materials including packaging which will com e 
into contact with food shall not take place under c onditions which could cause deterioration, 
contamination or damage.  
 
 
6.4 Recommendations 
 
(i) Covered facilities should be provided for loadi ng and unloading vehicles, so that these operations  
can be carried out independently of weather conditi ons. 
 
(ii) Refrigerated transport should be fitted with a  temperature recorder and records of the temperatur e 
of the container or vehicle during transportation s hould be maintained. 
 
(iii) Where the same refrigerated transport is used  for deliveries to several points care should be ta ken 
to ensure that the temperature in the food section is maintained at the correct level. 
 
  (iv) Battery operated forklifts should be used in  food processing areas. 
 
(vi) Where appropriate, particularly in bulk transp ort, containers and conveyances should be 
designated and marked for food use only and be used  only for that purpose. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 21 7.    ZONING  
 
Introduction 
 
Unprocessed food can cause contamination of process ed food either by direct contact or by micro-
organisms being carried from the unprocessed food t o the processed food by air, water or personnel.  F ood 
can also be contaminated by the same means from are as such as micro-biological laboratories, effluent 
plants and chemical contamination can occur from st eam boilers, refrigeration plants, detergents, etc.   Thus 
it is necessary to physically separate areas, withi n a food factory, to prevent potential contaminatio n of the 
food, and to adequately control the access of perso nnel to production and laboratory areas. 
 
7.1 General Requirements —  The manufacturer shall take effective action to pr otect the food produced for 
those operations which may cause contamination with  undesirable micro-organisms, chemicals, filth or o ther 
extraneous material.  The manufacturer shall contro l access to areas where food is sensitive to 
contamination and shall take adequate precautions t o ensure, that personnel entering food processing 
areas, are not a source of contamination from other  areas.  (Refer also to 2.4.) 
 
7.2 Specific Requirements 
 
(i) Production areas where processed foods are expo sed shall be physically separated where possible 
from areas where unprocessed or partially processed  food is stored, prepared or handled.  Where 
this is not possible, due care shall be taken to en sure that the final product is not contaminated by 
food which has not been fully processed.  [Refer al so to the requirements in 2.4 for High Risk 
Foods.] 
 
(ii) Separate storage areas shall be provided, for processed and unprocessed foods . 
 
(iii) Access to processing areas and particularly a reas where food is exposed shall be restricted.  Th e 
level of restriction required, will depend on the r isk of contamination of the food. 
 
(iv) Microbiological laboratories shall be physical ly separated from production areas and protective 
clothing used in the microbiological laboratory sha ll not be worn in food processing areas. 
 
7.3 Recommendations 
 
(i) The manufacturer should identify areas and oper ations from which there is a risk of contamination 
of the food with undesirable micro-organisms, odour s, chemicals, filth and other extraneous 
materials.  These areas should be physically separa ted either by partition, location or other effectiv e 
means and access to these areas should be adequatel y controlled, to prevent contamination of 
food. 
 
(ii) Personnel working or entering the processing a reas should not enter the micro-biological 
laboratories. 
 
(iii) Personnel should not go from areas where raw materials are handled into areas where finished 
product is exposed; if essential, adequate precauti ons should be taken to ensure that micro-
organisms are not carried on their person. 
 
(iv) For High Risk processing areas access should b e through a changing room, where personnel 
entering the area are required to change their foot wear and protective clothing and to wash their 
hands; or via an air lock fitted with a foot and bo ot bath, hand washing facilities and changing 
facilities. 
 
(v) A separate area for rework and non-conforming p roducts should be identified and marked. 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 22 8.   SERVICES  
 
Introduction 
 
In a food factory contamination of food can be caus ed by inadequate or poorly designed or maintained 
services.  Micro-organisms can be carried on dust p articles in the air, or can be contained in water.  Steam 
can also be a source of chemical contamination and condensation.  Services ducting can be used by 
rodents and insects to gain entry to the plant and inadequate control of waste and effluent can lead t o the 
establishment of breeding sites for rodents, birds and insects. 
 
8.1 General Requirements —  Adequate services shall be provided by the manufac turer and they shall be 
designed, maintained, controlled and monitored so a s to avoid the risk of contamination of the food, a t all 
stages of production. 
 
8.2 Specific Requirements —  Constructional  
 
(i) Electrical equipment shall be appropriate, e.g.  in a wet area or an area where washing takes place , 
electrical equipment must comply with the requireme nts for this type of use. 
 
(ii) Cladding used for pipework shall be suitable f or use in a food area and shall be covered with 
aluminium or a suitable alternative. 
 
(iii) Appropriate materials shall be used for servi ces and services lines.  The materials shall not 
contaminate the services being carried and shall be  inert to attack by cleaning agents, where 
appropriate. 
 
(iv) Extraction units shall be provided for equipme nt which gives off fumes or steam and shall be 
adequate to prevent the build up of condensation or  fumes in the processing areas. 
 
(v) Equipment which requires drainage shall be pipe d directly to drain. 
 
(vi) There shall be a water seal on all drains and drains shall discharge directly into a piped sewer which 
itself shall be water sealed. 
 
(vii) Service entry and exit points shall be adequa tely sealed.  The sealing shall be smooth and speci al 
precautions shall be taken to ensure that service e ntry and exit points do not provide access for 
rodents. 
 
(viii) Adequate services shall be provided and shal l be properly installed and maintained. 
 
8.3 Specific Requirements —  Ventilation/air quality 
 
(i) Forced ventilation, if present, shall be design ed so that air flows in the opposite direction to p roduct 
flows.  Air intake points shall be at least 1 metre  above internal floor levels and 1 metre above 
outside surfaces. 
 
(ii) Ventilation throughout the factory must be suf ficient to prevent condensations on walls, ceilings  and 
overhead structures under normal operating conditio ns. 
 
(iii) Air intake points shall be at least fitted wi th a fly screen and should be fitted with dust filt ers.  They 
shall be located so as to avoid the intake of air c ontaminated by micro-organisms, dust, aerosols, 
chemicals, smoke, etc.  Where appropriate air shall  be filtered to the required class. 
 
(iv) The temperature in various sections of the fac tory shall comply with any relevant legislation and  
shall be controlled where necessary to protect the quality of the food. 
 
(v) Where necessary to protect the quality of the f ood, relative humidity shall be controlled. 
 
(vi) Where the control of air, temperature, relativ e humidity or relative pressure is deemed  necessary to 
protect the quality of the food, these parameters s hall be measured and recorded.   Cooling of  
unwrapped foods should be carried out in an area su pplied with mould free air. ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 23  
(vii) Where appropriate, to control the risk of foo d contamination the microbial quality of the air sh all be 
monitored. 
 
8.4 Specific Requirements —  Compressed Air and Gases 
 
(i) Compressed air which comes into contact with fo od shall be dry to prevent the build up of micro-
organisms in the air lines and shall be free from m icro-organisms, chemicals, dirt and filth which 
could contaminate the food. 
 
(ii) Where appropriate non-return valves shall be f itted in the air lines to prevent the entry of food  into 
the lines. 
 
(iii) Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning  purposes in processing areas as used in this way  
will cause dirt to spread around the factory. 
 
(iv) Compressed air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and o xygen shall be filtered through a micron filter loc ated 
close to the point of use, if the gas comes in cont act with food. 
 
8.5 Specific Requirements —  Water  
 
(i) Storage tanks, reservoirs, etc. for water shall  be covered so as to prevent the contamination of t he 
water by birds, rodents, organic and inorganic matt er and shall be inspected weekly.  The air vents 
to these tanks and reservoirs shall be insect and r odent proof. 
 
(ii) Vacuum brakers shall be included in the water system in all locations where back-siphoning of 
contaminated water could occur. 
 
(iii) Flexible hoses, if used, shall be suitable fo r food use, shall not be immersed in liquids unless  
designed for this purpose and if immersed shall be in the cleaning programme.  When not in use 
they shall be properly stored on a reel or equivale nt. 
 
(iv) Potable water shall comply with KS 05-459, Spe cification for drinking water. 
 
(v) Non potable water can be used provided, that it  cannot contaminate the food, that the non potable 
water lines are colour coded or labelled every two metres and that there is no interconnection 
between the potable and non potable water supply.  Non potable water shall not be used for cooling 
cans. 
 
(vi) Where water is used as an ingredient or proces sing aid, it shall be potable and shall have 
appropriate chemical, microbiological and organolep tic specification. 
 
(vii) If water is dechlorinated to prevent chloroph enol taints, appropriate precautions shall be taken  in 
handling the water and storage time shall be mainta ined at a minimum. 
 
8.6 Specific Requirements —  Steam  
 
(i) Steam which comes into direct contact with food  or with water shall only contain additives that ar e 
permitted for use by law or Good Manufacturing Prac tices and the total solids in the boiler shall be 
controlled so as to avoid carry over of boiler soli ds. 
 
(ii) Boilers should be properly operated and mainta ined. 
 
(iii) Boiler chemicals shall be stored in a separat e, secure (locked or otherwise access controlled) a rea 
when not in immediate use. 
 
8.7 Specific Requirements — Waste; storage and disposal 
 
(i) Skips or containers for waste, offal and other waste material shall be covered and emptied at leas t 
once per week, or more frequently as is consistent with minimising the risk of infestation. 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 24 (ii) Skips or containers for waste shall be located  as far as practicable from processing areas and ai r 
intake areas and shall be sited on a self drainage concrete, tarmacadam or an equivalent surface. 
 
(iii) Combustible waste, if incinerated shall be bu rned in an incinerator of an approved design locate d at 
adequate distance from the factory, so as to avoid a fire hazard or contamination of the factory air 
supply. 
 
(iv) Waste containers shall be provided in appropri ate locations in the factory.  Only such containers  
shall be used for the disposal of waste.  The conta iners shall be such that they cannot be mistaken 
for food containers and shall be emptied daily.  Pa ckaging material whether damaged or not shall 
not be used as a waste receptacle.  
 
8.8 Specific Requirements — Liquid waste disposal 
 
(i) All floor drains shall be fitted with effective  traps and shall be covered with a suitable grid.  They 
shall be maintained in a clean condition and shall be sanitized at appropriate intervals to prevent th e 
risk of contamination of the food. 
 
(ii) Sewerage lines shall be adequate in size and s hall be cleaned when necessary by rods or other 
appropriate means.  Ideally this should be done usi ng manholes located outside the factory. 
 
(iii) Manholes within the factory should be avoided  but if essential shall be doubly sealed. 
 
(iv) If effluent is being treated on site or close to the site, the effluent plant should be located a s far as 
possible down wind from the air intake points of th e factory. 
 
(v) The effluent plant must be adequate in size to handle the maximum anticipated loading both in 
terms of hydraulic and BOD loading and must be adeq uately controlled to meet the specified 
requirements for treated effluent and to avoid the risk of pollution. 
 
8.9 Specific Requirements —  Electrical lighting 
 
(i) All light fittings shall be of the safety type in a ll areas other than office space remote from the fa ctory  
.  
(ii) Light fixtures shall be protected to ensure th at materials, product or equipment are not 
contaminated 
   in the case of breakages 
 
(ii) Where appropriate, white light shall be used, e.g. where the colour of the food is a critical qua lity 
parameter and has to be monitored. 
 
(iii) There should adequate lighting to hand-washin g areas, dressing and locker rooms, toilets and to all 
areas where food or food ingredients are examined, processed or stored and where equipment and 
utensils are cleaned. 
 
 
8.10 Specific Requirements Wash — Hand basins and sterilisers  
 
 
(i) Wash hand basins, troughs or washing fountains shall be provided in all production areas 
convenient to personnel entry points and adjacent t o work stations, where their absence would 
present a risk to the safety of the food.  They sha ll be provided in all areas where food is handled. 
 
(ii) Wash hand basins, troughs or washing fountains  shall be supplied either with warm water or 
cold and hot water and the taps shall be elbow, kne e, foot or electronically operated 
 
(iii) Hand sanitizing solutions or sanitizing liqui d soap shall be provided at each hand washing point . 
(iv) Knife Sterilisers if used or required by law s hall be maintained at 82 oC minimum when in use. 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 25  
8.11 Recommendations 
 
(i) Potable water should be chlorinated in-house to  ensure a minimum residual free chlorine level of 
0.1 to 0.2 ppm at the point of use or treated with a suitable source of UV light or the  equivalent.   
Chlorinated water should be stored for a minimum of  20 minutes to allow adequate contact time for 
the chlorine. 
 
(ii) Methods of treatment should be fitted with a v isual or audible alarm system which will be activat ed 
in the event of failure of the system.  This alarm system should be checked at defined intervals and 
records of the checks kept. 
 
(iii) The residual free chloride level of potable w ater should be checked regularly at the points most  
likely to be low in chlorine, e.g. the end of the l ongest pipe run from the source of supply, water 
storage tank or chlorination plant.  At least one c heck should be carried out daily.  Where the qualit y 
of water is critical to the safety of food, e.g. co oling water for cans, checks should be carried out 
daily for the residual free chlorine level. 
 
(iv) If UV light is used to ensure the safety of po table water the intensity of the light source shoul d be 
checked at regular intervals and records of such ch ecks kept. 
 
(v) The microbiological quality of potable water sh ould be checked monthly or weekly for the presence 
of coliforms.  The results shall conform to KS 05-4 59, Specification for drinking water. 
 
(vi) Aerosolised water (e.g. cooling towers, refrig eration plant cooling units and ventilation systems ) can 
be a source of Legionella, and can result in Legion naires‘ disease in susceptible people. Hence 
precautions should be taken in such systems which o perate between 20°C and 55°C to prevent the 
build up of Legionella.  Temperature in excess of 6 0°C or effective biocides can be used as 
methods of control. 
 
(vii) Where natural light is used in food processin g areas the windows or skylights should be ideally 
north facing. 
 
(viii) Plant service should not interrupt the smoot h finish of walls, ceiling or floor. 
 
(ix) Measures should be taken to ensure that there are adequate facilities for fire fighting and  
equipment is serviceable. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 26  
9.   PREMISES AND STRUCTURES  
 
Introduction 
 
In siting a food plant it is necessary to ensure th at the area is free from flooding and that the air is clean and 
free from excessive levels of yeast and mould and f rom odours.  It is essential that conditions, both in the 
grounds and in the factory premises that would lead  to air or foot borne filth, or the harbourage or b reeding 
of micro-organisms, insects, rodents or birds, be e liminated or controlled. 
 
The factory and structures must be suitable in size , construction and design to facilitate maintenance  and 
clearing.  They must be maintained in a clean condi tion and be adequate for the purpose for which they  are 
used.  A well designed building can greatly reduce the cost of cleaning. 
 
9.1 General Requirements  —  The grounds and factory premises shall be mainta ined and kept free of 
conditions that could lead to the contamination of food or the breeding or harbourage of micro-organis ms, 
insects, rodents and/or birds.  
 
9.2 Specific Requirements — Grounds  
 
(i) Equipment pallets, engineering materials, etc. stored in the grounds shall be stored so as not to 
provide sites for harbourage or breeding of insects , rodents, etc.  They shall be stored neatly in a 
clearly defined area. 
 
(ii) Litter, waste and refuse shall be stored in su itable containers ( see  8.7 ). 
 
(iii) Yards, road, etc. within the factory shall be  surfaced to avoid excessive dust. 
 
(iv) Stagnant water shall be eliminated.  Stagnant water can be present in gutters, open drains, potho les 
and pools and can be caused by inadequate drainage or incorrectly sloped surfaces. 
 
(v) Unused buildings, outhouses, service buildings,  etc. shall be kept clean and tidy to prevent the 
establishment of sites for the harbourage and breed ing of rodents and insects. 
 
(vi) Precautions shall be taken to ensure that cont amination from trucks and other vehicles is not 
brought into the factory either by fork truck or by  foot. 
 
(vii) In rural areas, cattle grids or another appro priate system shall be used to prevent cattle from 
entering the factory grounds. 
 
(viii) Animals shall not be permitted in the factor y grounds, other than when they are used as a raw 
material. 
 
(ix) Access to the factory grounds shall be protect ed by a perimeter fence or wall. 
 
(x) The grounds shall be kept free of uncut weeds a nd grass, litter, waste and miscellaneous materials . 
 
(xi) Precautions shall be taken to prevent, in as f ar as possible, birds from nesting or perching in t he 
grounds of the plant — (Regulations in relation to the preservation of wild life shall be complied 
with.) 
 
(xii) Yards, outside structures, pathways shall be maintained in a clean condition and in particular s hall 
be kept free of excreta, from birds and animals, to  avoid foot borne filth and harmful micro-
organisms, such as salmonella, being carried into t he plant. 
 
9.3 Specific Requirements — Roofs and outside structures  
 
(i) Roofs, valleys and gutters shall be maintained to prevent the damage to food or materials used in 
the preparation or presentation of food by rain wat er and to prevent walls and floors from becoming 
damp or wet due to rain. ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 27 (ii) Roofs, valleys and gutters shall be kept clear  of debris, including insects, dead birds, etc., an d shall 
be inspected at appropriate defined intervals. 
 
(iii) Outside structures shall be kept clear of deb ris, bird droppings, etc. as these can lead to the 
contamination of food.  
 
9.4 Specific Requirements —  Walls 
 
(i) Walls shall be free from cobwebs, dampness, con densation and mould. 
 
(ii) Junctions between walls, and walls, floors and  ceilings shall be closed and ideally should be cov ed. 
 
(iii) The joints on panelled walls shall be sealed.  
 
(iv) Wall surfaces likely to come into contact with  product shall be suitably protected and if sheeted , the 
sheeting shall be sealed.  The surfaces shall be cl eaned at least daily. 
 
(v) Horizontal ledges and sills should be avoided a nd if present shall be kept free from dust and any 
miscellaneous items. 
 
(vi) Openings for conveyors, services, vents, etc. shall be smooth and shall be sealed. 
 
(vii) Where appropriate walls shall be protected fr om damage by moving equipment; galvanised guard 
rails or the equivalent shall be used. 
 
(viii) Walls shall be properly maintained, this sha ll include the absence of flaking paint,   the repl acement 
of damaged tiles, the proper grouting of tiles and the sealing of cracks and joints on internal wall 
surfaces. 
 
(ix) Fixtures, signs, switch boxes, etc. should be avoided on internal wall surfaces and where present  in 
processing areas shall be sealed to avoid sites for  the accumulation of dirt. 
 
(x) Walls shall be maintained in a clean condition.  
 
9.5 Specific Requirements — Floors 
 
(i) Floors shall be constructed of durable water re sistant material, i.e. concrete, floor tiles or app roved 
synthetic materials. 
 
(ii) Floors shall be resistant to attack by product  spillages, cleaning agents and cleaning solutions.  
 
(iii) Floors shall be maintained in good condition,  free from cracks, holes or corrosion. 
 
(iv) Floors shall be smooth to aid cleaning subject  to the requirement of being safe to walk on when w et, 
dry or greasy. 
 
(v) Wet areas shall be provided with adequate facil ities for drainage and the floors shall be adequate ly 
sloped to drains, so as to avoid the presence of po ols of liquid forming. 
 
(vi) Channels, if used, shall be easily accessible for cleaning and shall be cleaned daily.  Where 
appropriate for safety or other reasons they shall be covered with removable grids which shall 
be removed and cleaned daily  
 
(vii) Concrete floors shall be suitably constructed  or sealed to prevent the build-up of dirt or the r elease 
of dust. 
 
(viii) Duckboards should be avoided, but if essenti al shall be easily cleanable and made of metal or 
suitable plastics.  Wooden duckboards shall not be used. 
 
(ix) Mezzanine floors, bridges to mezzanine floors and bridges over equipment shall be  completely 
sealed and shall include side walls and walls aroun d openings, where the absence of these  
requirements could lead to the contamination of mac hinery or products passing or sited below.  KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 28 Adequate provision shall be made for cleaning. 
 
(x) Floors shall be kept clean, free from litter, t he accumulation of water, oil, etc. and processing areas 
shall be cleaned at least daily.  In sensitive prod uction areas the floors shall be cleaned with a 
sterilisation agent. 
 
9.6 Specific Requirements — Ceilings and overheads 
 
(i) Ceilings shall be smooth, impervious and easy t o clean. 
 
(ii) Girders, overhead pipework services and struct ures should be kept to a minimum to aid cleaning, 
and if present shall be free of dust, rust, mould, flaking paint, cobwebs and extraneous material. 
 
(iii) False ceilings are ideal for enclosing servic es, roof structures, etc.  If present they shall be  smooth 
and impervious, adequately supported and if appropr iate shall be provided with catwalks or other 
means to facilitate cleaning and enable maintenance  to be carried out in the space above the 
ceiling. 
 
(iv) Where there is no access to the space above th e ceiling, the ceiling shall be totally sealed. 
 
(v) Skylights if present shall be clean and free of  condensation and shall not open. 
 
(vi) False ceilings shall not be made with asbestos  or made from material likely to disintegrate. 
 
(vii) Openings in ceilings for conveyors, vents, pi ping, etc. shall be properly sealed and shall be sm ooth. 
 
(viii) Canopies over equipment, air vents and air v ent covers and screens shall be kept free of dust a nd 
clean. 
 
(ix) Ceilings shall be kept free from condensation to prevent the growth of mould and water dropping o n 
the food.  This can be achieved by correct air circ ulation, insulation and the venting of moist air. 
 
(x) There shall be in place, a high cleaning progra mme for the total factory, with special emphasis on  
the production areas. 
 
(xi) Where there is internal access to outside roof s and structures, access shall be controlled to pre vent 
food borne filth from being brought into the plant.   The access door shall be locked, unless fire 
regulations require otherwise, and personnel exitin g on to roofs shall change their footwear on re-
entering the plant. 
 
9.7 Specific Requirements — Doors and windows 
 
(i) Doors, windows and window frames must be mainta ined in good condition and free from mould, 
flaking paint, etc. and shall be kept clean. 
 
(ii) Windows which are opened shall be fitted with a fly screen. 
 
(iii) Doors leading into production areas which are  used other than as an emergency exit shall be fitt ed 
with a self closing device, air curtains or plastic  strips. 
 
(iv) Doors, windows and window frames shall be tigh t fitting.  
 
(v) External doors shall be kept closed.  If this i s impracticable, due to frequent use, then overlapp ing 
plastic strip curtains, rubber swing doors or an ap propriate alternative shall be used. 
 
(vi) Internal window sills shall have a slope of 45 ° or in the case of existing premises, window sills , if 
horizontal, shall be kept free of dust and extraneo us material.  
 
(vii) External doors shall be constructed so as to prevent the entry of rain water into the factory. 
 
(viii) Wooden doors should be avoided and if used s hould be flush doors to prevent the accumulation of  ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 29 dirt, and they shall be coated with a non toxic, ea sily cleanable material. 
 
9.8 Specific Requirements — Furnishings 
 
(i) Furnishings shall be solidly constructed and in  good repair. 
 
(ii) They shall be clean both inside and outside. 
 
(iii) They shall ideally be constructed of metal or  plastic.  If wood or a wood based product is used in 
their construction, they shall have a finish which is non toxic and easy to clean. 
 
(iv) They shall be ventilated where necessary. 
 
(v) The top of furnishings shall be kept free of du st and extraneous material and where appropriate 
should be sloped. 
 
9.9 Specific Requirement — Lifts  
 
(i) Lifts shall be maintained in a hygienic conditi on and precautions shall be taken to ensure that th e 
well of the lift is maintained, free from condition s that could present a risk of contamination to the  
food. 
 
9.10 Specific Requirement — Temporary/mobile premises and vending machines 
 
(i) Premises and structures covered here include ma rket stalls, mobile sales and street vending 
vehicles, temporary premises in which food is handl ed such as tents and marquees. 
 
(ii) Such premises and structures should be sited, designed and constructed to avoid, as far as 
reasonably practicable, contaminating food and harb ouring pests. 
 
(iii) In applying these specific conditions and req uirements, any food hygiene hazards associated 
with such facilities should be adequately controlle d to ensure the safety and suitability 
of food.  
 
9.11 Recommendations 
 
(i) Kerbs if used around wet areas should be coved on both sides and ideally should have a rounded 
top. 
 
(ii) Care should be taken in designing ceiling heig hts as low ceilings can lead to condensation and hi gh 
ceilings are difficult to maintain. 
 
(iii) Access to outside roofs and structures from i nside the plant should be avoided as roofs often 
contain bird droppings which can be contaminated wi th salmonella or other food poisoning micro-
organisms. 
 
(iv) Windows in processing areas should be doubly g lazed or double windows should be installed to 
prevent condensation and they should be mounted flu sh to the internal wall surface to avoid ledges. 
 
(v) Shatter proof material should be used instead o f glass in areas where broken glass could 
contaminate the food. 
 
(vi) Personnel entrances to processing areas should  have two doors with a lobby between, which 
should contain hand washing facilities and storage for clean protective clothing. 
 
(vii) Wall tiles are not recommended, as the area b ehind the tiles can be used for breeding by insects  if 
there is a failure of the tile grouting.  Tiled wal ls should only be used where they are specified in 
regulations. 
 
(viii) There should be a wide path at least one met re wide around the factory so as to reduce the chan ce 
of rodent infestation and it should be kept clean a nd clear of materials. KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 30  
(ix) In landscaping the area around a factory, care  should be taken, and trees, particularly deciduous  
trees should be avoided as rotting leaves can be a source of mould and trees can give harbourage 
to birds. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 31  
 
 
10.   PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 
 
Introduction 
 
Plant and equipment must be easy to clean and ideal ly new plant should be designed so that corners are  
eliminated by coving and all parts are accessible f or cleaning and inspection.  As the cost of cleanin g can be 
significant, poorly designed plant and equipment ca n increase the cost of cleaning.  Plant and equipme nt 
must be inert to attack by the foodstuff, water and  cleaning agents. 
 
10.1 General Requirement —  All processing equipment must be designed, construc ted, installed, and 
maintained so as not to be a source of food contami nation.  All food contact surfaces must comply 
with Public Health Act, Cap. 242 of the Laws of Ken ya and Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances 
Act Cap. 254. 
 
10.2 Specific Requirements 
 
(i) Product contact surfaces shall be smooth, imper vious, non-toxic, non-absorbent, must be inert to 
attack by the food processed or the cleaning agents  used, must be corrosion resistant and suitable 
for food use. 
 
(ii) Dissimilar metal shall not be used where elect rolytic corrosion can take place. 
 
(iii) Dead ends in pipework shall not be present as  these cannot be adequately cleaned. 
 
(iv) Storage and blending vessels shall be fitted w ith suitable close fitting covers which must be kep t in 
place at all times. 
 
(v) Plant and equipment shall be inspected at appro priate intervals for the presence of cracks and if 
found they shall be repaired.  Micro-organisms can grow in cracks and not be killed by normal 
cleaning procedures. 
 
(vi) Bearings inside and outside the product zones shall not be excessively lubricated and leaking oil  
seals shall be repaired. 
 
(vii) Where required motors shall be fitted with oi l catch trays.  This shall apply to all motors wher e oil 
leaks could enter the food unless food grade lubric ants are used. 
 
(viii) Sieves and filters must be regularly checked  and shall be included in the cleaning programme, 
where applicable. 
 
(ix) Pumps used for food shall be regularly strippe d down.  The frequency of stripping down shall be 
stated in the cleaning programme. 
 
(x) Where appropriate pipework shall be of sterilis able quality and open ended pipes shall be fitted w ith 
caps or other means to prevent contamination. Where  appropriate open ended pipes shall be self 
draining. 
 
(xi) Feed conveyors to and from filling machines an d closing machines shall have suitable covers to 
protect the open food containers and product from o verhead contamination, where this is 
appropriate. 
 
(xii) Food conveyors lubricated with, soap solution s or food grade lubricants shall be fitted with a c atch 
tray. 
 
(xiii) Reasonable access under, inside and around p lant and equipment shall be  provided for servicing 
and cleaning.  Plant and equipment may be mounted d irectly on walls  or floors provided it is 
adequately sealed to prevent the establishment of s ites for the breeding and harbourage of insects 
and rodents. KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 32  
(xiv) Containers used for the transport of unpacked  food within the factory shall be controlled, to pr event 
it being used for the transport of raw product and without an adequate cleaning being then used for 
processed product thus causing cross contamination.  
 
(xv) Equipment used to cook, heat treat, cool, stor e or freeze food should be designed to achieve the 
required food temperatures as rapidly as necessary in the interests of food safety and suitability, 
and maintain them effectively. Such equipment shoul d also be designed to allow temperatures 
to be monitored and controlled. Where necessary, su ch equipment should have effective means 
of controlling and monitoring humidity, air-flow an d any other characteristic likely to have a 
detrimental effect on the safety or suitability of food. These requirements are intended to ensure 
that: 
• harmful or undesirable micro-organisms or their to xins are eliminated or reduced to safe 
levels or their survival and growth are effectively  controlled; 
• Where appropriate, critical limits established in HACCP-based plans can be monitored; 
and  
• Temperatures and other conditions necessary to foo d safety and suitability can be 
rapidly achieved and maintained.  
 
(xvi) Containers for waste, by-products and inedibl e or dangerous substances, should be specifically 
identifiable, suitably constructed and, where appro priate, made of impervious material. 
Containers used to hold dangerous substances should  be identified and, where appropriate, be 
lockable to prevent malicious or accidental contami nation of food. 
 
(xvii) Preventive maintenance programme shall be in place and shall include all devices such as 
screens and filters (including air filters), magnet s, metal detectors and X-ray detectors used to 
monitor and/or control food safety hazards.  
 
(xviii) Corrective maintenance shall be carried out in such  a way that production on adjoining lines or 
equipment is not at risk of contamination. Maintena nce requests which impact product safety 
shall be given priority. Temporary fixes shall not put product safety at risk. A request for 
replacement by a permanent repair shall be included  in the maintenance schedule. 
 
(xix) Lubricants and heat transfer fluids shall be food g rade where there is a risk of direct or indirect 
contact with the product. 
 
10.3 Recommendations 
 
(i) Conveyors, conveying food, open food containers  whether full or empty and caps, lids or closures 
should be covered to prevent contamination of the f ood or materials in contact with food.  The 
covers and conveyors should be designed to facilita te cleaning. 
 
(ii) Covers and the top of plant and equipment shou ld not be flat.  This aids cleaning and prevents 
materials being left on top of the plant. 
 
(iii) Nuts, screws, bolts, etc.  if used should be of the self locking type and suitable precautions s hould 
be taken to ensure that they do not interrupt the s mooth finish of the plant or equipment. 
 
(iv) When plant or equipment is being purchased due  consideration should be given to ensure that it is  
of a hygienic design. 
 
(v) Containers used for the transport of unpacked f ood within the factory should be colour coded with 
different colours for containers used for raw and p rocessed product. 
 
(vi) A separate set of maintenance tools should be reserved for use in high risk processing areas.  
 
(vi) The procedure for releasing maintained equipment ba ck to production shall include clean up, 
sanitizing, where specified in process sanitation p rocedures, and pre-use inspection. 
Maintenance personnel shall be trained in the produ ct hazards associated with their activities.  
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 33  
 
 
11.  PRODUCT INFORMATION AND CONSUMER AWARENESS 
 
Introduction: 
 
Insufficient product information, and/or inadequate  knowledge of general food hygiene, can lead to 
products being mishandled at later stages in the fo od chain. Such mishandling can result in illness, o r 
products becoming unsuitable for consumption, even where adequate hygiene control measures have 
been taken earlier in the food chain. 
 
11.1 General requirements 
 
Products should bear appropriate information to ens ure that adequate and accessible information is 
available to the next person in the food chain to e nable them to handle, store, process, prepare and 
display the product safely and correctly; 
 
The stakeholders shall ensure that consumers shall have enough knowledge of food hygiene to enable 
them understand the importance of product informati on, make informed choices appropriate to the 
individual and prevent contamination and growth or survival of food borne pathogens by storing, 
preparing and using it correctly. Information for i ndustry or trade users should be clearly distinguis hable 
from consumer information, particularly on food lab els. 
 
11.2 Specific requirements; 
 
(i) Lot Identification - Lot identification is essential in product recall a nd also helps effective stock 
rotation. Each container of food should be permanen tly marked to identify the producer and the 
lot. Kenya Standard for the labelling of Prepackage d Foods (KS 40). 
 
(ii)  Product Information - All food products should be accompanied by or bear adequate information 
to enable the next person in the food chain to hand le, display, store and prepare and use the 
product safely and correctly. 
 
(iii) Labelling - Prepackaged foods should be labelled with clear ins tructions to enable the next 
person in the food chain to handle, display, store and use the product safely. Labelling should 
conform to the requirements of EAS 38:2000 East Afr ican Standard Labeling Of Prepackaged 
Foods — Specification . 
 
Recommendation. 
 
Health education programmes should cover general fo od hygiene. Such programmes should enable 
consumers to understand the importance of any produ ct information and to follow any instructions 
accompanying products, and make informed choices.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 34 12. TRAINING 
 
Introduction: 
 
Training is fundamentally important to any food hyg iene system. Inadequate hygiene training, and/or 
instruction and supervision of all  people involved in food related activities pose a p otential threat to the 
safety of food and its suitability for consumption.  
Those engaged in food operations who come directly or indirectly into contact with food should be 
trained, and/or instructed in food hygiene to a lev el appropriate to the operations they are to perfor m.  
 
General requirements 
 
All personnel should be aware of their role and res ponsibility in protecting food from contamination o r 
deterioration. Food handlers should have the necess ary knowledge and skills to enable them handle 
food hygienically. 
Managers and supervisors of food processes shall ha ve the necessary knowledge of food hygiene 
principles and practices to be able to judge potent ial risks and take the necessary action to remedy 
deficiencies. 
 
 
Specific requirements - Instruction and Supervision  
 
(i) Periodic assessments of the effectiveness of tr aining and instruction programmes shall be made, 
as well as routine supervision and checks to ensure  that procedures are being carried out 
effectively. 
 
(ii) Refresher Training - Training programmes shoul d be routinely reviewed and updated where 
necessary. Systems should be in place to ensure tha t food handlers remain aware of all 
procedures necessary to maintain the safety and sui tability of food.  
 
(iii) Those who handle strong cleaning chemicals or  other potentially hazardous chemicals should be 
trained in safe handling techniques.  
 
Recommendations   
 
Factors to take into account in assessing the level  of training required include: 
 
(i) The nature of the food, in particular its abili ty to sustain growth of pathogenic or spoilage micr o-
organisms; 
(ii) The manner in which the food is handled and pa cked, including the probability of contamination; 
(iii) The extent and nature of processing or further prep aration before final consumption; 
(iv) The conditions under which the food will be stored;  and 
(v) The expected length of time before consumption. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 35 13.  R ECALL PROCEDURES 
 
Introduction 
 
Managers should ensure effective procedures are in place to deal with any food safety hazard and to 
enable the complete, rapid recall of any implicated  lot of the finished food from the market. 
 
General requirement 
 
Where a product has been withdrawn because of an im mediate health hazard, other products which are 
produced under similar conditions, and which may pr esent a similar hazard to public health, should be 
evaluated for safety and may need to be withdrawn. The need for public warnings should be considered. 
 
Specific requirements 
 
(i) Systems shall be in place to ensure that products f ailing to meet required food safety standards can b e 
identified, located and removed from all necessary points of the supply chain.  
  
(ii) A list of key contacts in the event of a recal l shall be maintained.  
 
(iii) Recalled products should be held under superv ision until they are destroyed, used for purposes 
other than human consumption, determined to be safe  for human consumption, or reprocessed in 
a manner to ensure their safety. 
 
 
 
 
14. REWORK 
 
General requirements 
 
Rework shall be stored, handled and used in such a way that product safety, quality, traceability and 
regulatory compliance are maintained. 
 
Specific requirements 
 
(i) Stored rework shall be protected from exposure to microbiological, chemical or extraneous matter 
contamination. 
(ii) Segregation requirements for rework (e.g. alle rgen) shall be documented and met. 
(iii) Rework shall be clearly identified and/or lab elled to allow traceability. Traceability records f or 
rework shall be maintained. 
(iv) The rework classification or the reason for re work designation shall be recorded (e.g. product 
name, production date, shift, line of origin, shelf  life). 
 
Recommendation  (Rework Usage ) 
 
(i) Where rework is incorporated into a product as an ”in-process” step, the acceptable quantity, type  
and conditions of rework use shall be specified. Th e process step and method of addition, including 
any necessary pre-processing stages, shall be defin ed. 
 
(ii) Where rework activities involve removing a pro duct from filled or wrapped packages, controls shal l 
be put in place to ensure the removal and segregati on of packaging materials and to avoid 
contamination of the product with extraneous matter . 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 36 15. MEASURES FOR PREVENTION OF CROSS CONTAMINATION 
 
General requirements - Programmes shall be in place to prevent, control an d detect contamination. 
Measures to prevent physical, allergen and microbio logical contamination shall be included. 
 
Specific requirements 
 
1.  Microbiological cross contamination - Areas where potential for microbiological cross 
contamination exists (airborne or from traffic patt erns) shall be identified and a segregation (zoning ) plan 
implemented. A hazard assessment shall be carried o ut to determine potential contamination sources, 
susceptibility of the product and control measures suitable for these areas as follows: 
 
(i) Separation of raw from finished or ready to eat  (RTE) products; 
(ii) Structural segregation – physical barriers/wal ls/ separate buildings; 
(iii) Access controls with requirements to change i nto required work wear; 
(iv) Traffic patterns or equipment segregation – pe ople, materials, equipment and tools (including 
use of dedicated tools); 
(v) Air pressure differentials. 
 
2. Allergen management - Allergens present in the product, either by design or by potential 
manufacturing cross contact, shall be declared. The  declaration shall be on the label for consumer 
products, and on the label or the accompanying docu mentation for products intended for further 
processing. Products shall be protected from uninte nded allergen cross contact by cleaning and line 
change-over practices and/or product sequencing. 
 
NOTE Manufacturing cross contact may arise from either: 
(i) Traces of product from the previous production run which cannot be adequately cleaned from the 
product line due to technical limitations; 
(ii) When contact is likely to occur, in the normal  manufacturing process, with products or ingredient s 
that are produced on separate lines, or in the same  or adjacent processing areas. 
 
Rework containing allergen(s) shall be used only: 
a) In products which contain the same allergen(s) b y design; or 
b) Through a process which is demonstrated to remov e or destroy the allergenic material. 
 
NOTE 1 For general rework requirements see Clause 14.  
 
3. Physical contamination - Where  glass and/or brittle material are used, periodic i nspection 
requirements and defined procedures in case of brea kage shall be put in place. Glass breakage records 
shall be maintained. Based on hazard assessment, me asures shall be put in place to prevent, control or  
detect potential contamination. 
 
NOTE 1 Examples of such measures include: 
(i) Adequate covers over equipment or containers fo r exposed materials or products; 
(ii) Use of screens, magnets, sieves or filters; 
(iii) Use of detection/ rejection devices such as m etal detectors or X-ray. 
 
NOTE 2 Sources of potential contamination include wooden p allets and tools, rubber seals, personal 
protective clothing and equipment, etc.  
 
Recommendation 
 
1. Glass and brittle material (such as hard plastic co mponents in equipment) should be avoided where 
possible. 
2. Food handling employees should receive specific tra ining in allergen awareness and associated 
manufacturing practices. 
 
 
 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 37 16.  WASTE DISPOSAL 
 
Introduction 
 
Waste products can be a source of contamination for  raw materials, intermediate and final products. 
Therefore, suitable provision must be made for the removal and storage of waste. Waste must not be 
allowed to accumulate in food handling, food storag e, and other working areas and the adjoining 
environment except so far as is unavoidable for the  proper functioning of the business. Waste stores 
must be kept appropriately clean.  
 
General requirements 
 
Systems shall be in place to ensure that waste mate rials are identified, collected, removed and dispos ed 
of in a manner which prevents contamination of prod ucts or production areas. 
 
Specific requirement. 
 
1. Containers for waste and inedible or hazardous s ubstances 
 
Containers for waste and inedible or hazardous subs tances shall be: 
(i) Clearly identified for their intended purpose; 
(i) Located in a designated area; 
(ii) Constructed of impervious material which can b e readily cleaned and sanitized; 
(iii) Closed when not in immediate use; 
(iv) Locked where the waste may pose a risk to the product. 
 
2.  Waste management and removal 
 
(i) Provision shall be made for the segregation, st orage and removal of waste. 
(ii) Accumulation of waste shall not be allowed in food handling or storage areas. 
(iii) Removal frequencies shall be managed to avoid  accumulations, with a minimum daily removal. 
(iv) Labelled materials, products or printed packag ing designated as waste shall be disfigured or 
destroyed to ensure that trademarks cannot be reuse d. 
(v) Removal and destruction shall be carried out by  approved disposal contractors. The 
organization shall retain records of destruction. 
 
3. Drains and drainage 
 
(i) Drains shall be designed, constructed and locat ed so that the risk of contamination of materials 
or products is avoided. 
(ii) Drains shall have capacity sufficient to remov e expected flow loads. Drains shall not pass over 
processing lines. 
(iii) Drainage direction shall not flow from a cont aminated area to a clean area.  
 
Recommendation 
 
1. Waste stores must be kept appropriately clean. 
2. Sanitation systems should be monitored for effectiv eness, periodically verified by means such as 
audit pre-operational inspections or, where appropr iate, microbiological sampling of environment 
and food contact surfaces and regularly reviewed an d adapted to reflect changed circumstances. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 05-1500: 1998   ©KEBS 
    
 38 17. FOOD DEFENCE, BIOVIGILANCE AND BIOTERRORISM 
 
General requirements 
 
Each establishment shall assess the hazard to produ cts posed by potential acts of sabotage, vandalism 
or terrorism and shall put in place proportional pr otective measures. 
 
Specific requirement. 
 
(i)  Access controls/security - Potentially sensitive areas within the establishmen t shall be identified, 
mapped and subjected to access control. Where feasi ble, access should be physically restricted by use 
of locks, electronic card key, security personnel ( guards) or alternative systems. 
 
 
 
18.   RECORDS 
 
Introduction 
 
It is essential that records are maintained of all actions taken to assure the safety of food.  These records 
can be used to demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken to assure the safety of the food.  I n 
addition they can be used as an aid to effective ma nagement of product safety. 
 
11.1 Specific Requirement — The manufacturer shall establish and maintain proce dures for identification, 
collection, indexing, filing, storage, maintenance and disposition of hygiene records. 
 
11.2 Specific Requirements 
 
(i) Records shall be maintained of all actions, tes t results and other relevant information required t o 
ensure that hygiene is maintained at an appropriate  level to assure the safety of the food produced. 
 
(ii) These records shall be indexed, filed, stored and maintained for a period that exceeds the shelf- life 
of the product and procedures shall exist for the d isposition of out of date records. 
 
(iii) Records shall include 
 
- A record of all critical parameters and tests car ried out to assure the safety of the finished 
product, and the results of these tests, including microbiological results.  (Hazard Analysis 
and Critical Control Point system - HACCP.) 
 
- The calibration status and procedures used to cal ibrate all devices used to assure the 
safety of the finished product. 
 
- Records showing that all staff members have been appropriately screened as suitable to 
work in a food premises by a medical examiner and t hey are trained in the principles of 
hygiene. 
 
- Records showing that the cleaning programme has b een adhered to and that the strengths, 
temperatures and contact time of cleaning solutions  complies with the specified 
requirements 
 
- Records showing that the factory has been inspect ed for evidence of infection by rodents, 
birds, animals or insects, at least three  monthly intervals, by a suitably qualified person. 
 
- Records showing that incoming materials, where ap propriate, have been inspected for the 
presence of rodents or insects and that distributio n vehicles have been inspected. 
 
- Records showing that water storage vessels are in spected on a weekly basis for the 
presence of birds, rodents, etc., daily records of residual free chlorine levels and records of 
other water analysis. 
 ©KEBS   KS 05-1500: 1998   
 
 39 - Records showing that a hygiene/housekeeping inspe ction has been carried out at defined 
intervals using a written checklist. 
 
(iv) Where appropriate to ensure the safety of food , the following records shall also be maintained. 
 
- Chemical, functional, microbiological and organol eptic specifications for raw materials, in 
process materials and finished product. 
 
- Records of environmental tests. 
 
- Records showing that the tubes in insect electroc uters are replaced at appropriate intervals. 
 
- Records of controlled conditions such as temperat ure, relative humidity, controlled 
atmosphere and positive and negative air pressures and air quality during production, 
storage and distribution.  
 
- Appropriate records for the effluent plant to sho w that treated effluent complies with 
specified requirements. 
 
- Records showing that glass pipes, flow meter and glass equipment has been routinely 
inspected for cracks, splinters, etc. 
 
- Records showing that air filters have been inspec ted and replaced at appropriate intervals. 
 
- Records of sensitivity checks on metal detectors.  
 
(v) Where it is found, that hygiene is not being ma intained at the defined level, records shall be 
maintained of the corrective action taken, to bring  it under control. 
 
(vi) All records shall be signed by an appropriate person or persons and dated.