Article 1 - Scope

(a)

primary responsibility for food safety rests with the food business operator;

(b)

it is necessary to ensure food safety throughout the food chain, starting with primary production;

(c)

it is important, for food that cannot be stored safely at ambient temperatures, particularly frozen food, to maintain the cold chain;

(d)

general implementation of procedures based on the HACCP principles, together with the application of good hygiene practice, should reinforce food business operators' responsibility;

(e)

guides to good practice are a valuable instrument to aid food business operators at all levels of the food chain with compliance with food hygiene rules and with the application of the HACCP principles;

(f)

it is necessary to establish microbiological criteria and temperature control requirements based on a scientific risk assessment;

(g)

it is necessary to ensure that imported foods are of at least the same hygiene standard as food produced in the Community, or are of an equivalent standard.

(a)

primary production for private domestic use;

(b)

the domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption;

(c)

the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer;

(d)

collection centres and tanneries which fall within the definition of food business only because they handle raw material for the production of gelatine or collagen.