Circular No. 59/2014/TT-BCT stipulates food safety conditions for establishments producing and trading in vegetable oils.

CIRCULAR

Article stipulates food safety assurance conditions

for establishments producing and trading vegetable oils

________________

Pursuant to the Law AFood Safety Law number 55/2010/QH12 dated June 17, 2010;

Pursuant to Decree number 38/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 25, 2012 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law Ais an organization with legal personality designated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to conduct one or more testing and conformity assessment activities with technical standards and corresponding standards for food, food additives, food processing aids, food supplements, packaging materials, food containers.

Pursuant to Decree number 95/2012/NĐ-CP dated November 12, 2012 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

Based on the proposal of the Director of the Department of Science and Technology;

The Minister of Industry and Trade issues this Circular stipulating food safety assurance conditions for establishments producing and trading vegetable oils.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates food safety assurance conditions for establishments producing and trading vegetable oils under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Article 2. Applicability

1. This Circular applies to:

a) Establishments producing and trading vegetable oils;

b) State management agencies with competent authority and organizations, individuals involved in activities related to the production and trading of vegetable oils.

2. This Circular does not apply to:

a) Small-scale establishments producing and trading vegetable oils;

b) Catering service establishments and street food traders within the scope regulated by Circular number 30/2012/TT-BYT dated December 5, 2012 of the Ministry of Health on food safety assurance conditions for catering service establishments and street food traders.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Vegetable oil production establishment is an establishment implementing one, some, or all of the activities of preliminary processing, manufacturing (cleaning, drying, pressing, extraction, refining), packaging, storage to produce finished vegetable oil products.

2. Vegetable oil crude production establishment is an establishment producing vegetable oil but not performing the refining process and has not produced finished vegetable oil products.

3. Vegetable oil trading establishment is an establishment implementing activities such as introducing, storing, transporting, purchasing, and selling vegetable oil products.

4. Small-scale establishments producing and trading vegetable oils is an establishment operated by individuals, groups of individuals, households registered as individual businesses and the establishment is not granted a Business Registration Certificate or enterprise or Investment Certificate according to the law.

Article 4. General Provisions for Establishments Producing and Trading Vegetable Oils

All establishments producing and trading vegetable oils must comply with the provisions of Circular number 15/2012/TT-BYT dated September 12, 2012 of the Ministry of Health on general food safety assurance conditions for establishments producing and trading food products and the provisions of this Circular.

Chapter II

FOOD SAFETY ASSURANCE CONDITIONS

FOR PRODUCTION ESTABLISHMENTS

Article 5. Vegetable Oil Production Establishments

1. Production Site

a) Must be constructed according to the current planning approved by the competent state agency;

b) Must be far from pollution sources, harmful substances, and not be adversely affected by environmental factors around that impact the quality and safety of vegetable oil products;

c) Must have sufficient area to arrange production lines suitable for the designed capacity of the establishment, ensuring production stages, meeting technological requirements, and industrial hygiene measures.

2. Layout and Design of Factory Buildings

a) The layout of the production line floor plan must be suitable for wind direction to avoid adverse effects from pollution sources such as: exhaust gas from boilers, wastewater treatment plants, solid waste collection areas, various types of oil residues, sanitary facilities, and other pollution sources;

b) Factory buildings must be designed following a one-way flow from raw materials at the entrance to the final product, which is vegetable oil;

c) Separate areas between warehouses (raw materials, auxiliary materials, processing aids, product preservation); production (preliminary processing, cleaning raw materials, drying, pressing, extraction, refining, decanting or bottling, and finishing products, industrial hygiene system (CIP), mechanical power); solid waste collection areas, wastewater collection systems, oil residue areas, and ancillary facilities to prevent cross-contamination;

d) Internal traffic systems must be designed and built to ensure durability, stability, dust-free, elevated walkways must have guardrails or partitions for easy observation, ensuring workplace safety;

đ) Wastewater drainage systems (production wastewater, domestic wastewater, and rainwater) must be designed and built separately, covered, ensuring slope for drainage, preventing water accumulation.

3. Factory Building Structure

a) The production area floor must ensure easy drainage, made from durable, non-peeling, slip-resistant, and easily cleanable materials. Drainage systems in the production area must be covered;

b) Septic tanks and water collection pits must have odor traps, insect barriers, and limit microorganisms from entering the factory through sewage outlets;

c) Pipeline systems (vegetable oil conveyance, solvent recovery, equipment cleaning) must be designed and manufactured from appropriate materials, painted in different colors, and clearly marked for differentiation.

4. Ventilation System

a) Factory buildings must have ventilation doors ensuring air circulation, easy heat dissipation, and emission release during production;

b) Drying and extraction areas must be ventilated to ensure working environment temperature and labor safety as prescribed;

c) Pressing areas must have dust filtration and ventilation systems suitable for operation, not causing pollution to other production stages;

d) Refining areas must be designed to ensure good ventilation, heat dissipation, and rapid odor removal;

đ) Bottling and filling areas must always be dry, well-ventilated, and clean.

5. Steam, Heat, and Compressed Air Supply Systems

a) Boilers must be designed and manufactured from appropriate materials, located in separate areas isolated from production areas, regularly inspected and tested according to current regulations;

b) Steam and compressed air supply pipeline systems must be designed and manufactured from appropriate materials, installed safely, marked or labeled for differentiation from other pipeline systems, regularly inspected according to current regulations.

6. Solid Waste Collection, Treatment, Wastewater, and Exhaust Gas Systems

a) For solid waste

- Oil residues after pressing and extraction must be collected in designated areas with suitable size for the production line's design capacity, cleaned regularly not exceeding 48 hours per time to prevent cross-contamination during production.

- Paper, labels, bottle caps, cans, boxes, damaged lids, and other solid waste generated during production must be collected and stored in appropriate containers placed in easily observable locations for convenient collection, handling, and to avoid negative impacts on the production process;

- Waste from auxiliary areas and domestic waste must be collected, sorted, and accumulated in designated areas for handling;

- Must be treated by organizations or individuals permitted by competent state management agencies to operate in environmental treatment fields;

b) For production wastewater and domestic wastewater

- The wastewater treatment area must be separated from the production area and located at the downwind end;

- The capacity and technology of wastewater treatment must be suitable for the peak discharge flow of the production facility and ensure that treated wastewater meets environmental standards;

c) Exhaust gases from the production area and the steam boiler system must be treated to prevent adverse effects on other production areas;

d) For hazardous waste

- Must be collected, stored, transported, and handled separately in accordance with current regulations;

- Must be managed and treated by organizations or individuals permitted by competent state management agencies to operate in hazardous waste treatment fields;

7. Storage System

a) General requirements for warehouses (raw materials, crude vegetable oil storage, food additive storage, processing aid storage, supplies, packaging materials, finished products) must:

- Ensure sufficient capacity according to the design capacity of the production line;

- Have regular maintenance and cleaning schedules as prescribed by the facility;

- Meet storage conditions as directed or regulated by the manufacturer;

- Prevent intrusion by insects, rodents, and other harmful agents;

- Provide information to identify each type of raw material, crude vegetable oil, food additives, processing aids, supplies, packaging materials, and finished products stored in the warehouse, and maintain records of entries and exits for each warehouse;

b) Chemical warehouses must comply with the storage requirements and conditions as specified by the manufacturer and current regulations regarding chemical storage;

c) Finished Product Warehouses

In addition to complying with the provisions of point a Clause 7 of this Article, finished product warehouses must:

- Ensure appropriate humidity and temperature levels suitable for each type of vegetable oil, avoiding direct sunlight exposure to the products;

- Have complete information including: product name, production batch, production date, shift production, and other information as prescribed by the facility;

- Have a separate area for temporarily storing products that do not meet quality standards while awaiting processing;

8. Crude Vegetable Oil Production Area

a) Raw materials must be stored in warehouses or silos to ensure the safety and quality of raw materials;

b) Chemicals used for raw material preservation and vegetable oil production must belong to the permitted list under current regulations, without adversely affecting the quality and safety of the final product;

c) Cleaning and Preliminary Processing Stage

- Raw materials must be controlled for pesticide residues, toxic mold, heavy metals before being used in production; only raw materials meeting quality and food safety standards may be used;

- Raw materials must be free of soil, rocks, sand, metal, and other impurities before entering pressing or extraction processes;

d) Pressing, Extraction, and Raw Vegetable Oil Recovery Stage must ensure no contamination by insects, dust, cross-contamination from oil cake, and other sources of contamination, and control solvent residue levels;

9. Finished Vegetable Oil Production Area

a) The refining stage must ensure separation of harmful substances dissolved in crude oil, ensuring food safety, without altering nutritional components and oil quality;

b) Packaging or Filling Stage

- Packaging or filling areas must be separated from other production areas; equipment must be inspected before each production run or shift to ensure optimal operation;

- The packaging or filling process must be monitored by equipment or workers to ensure accurate quantity, quality, and food safety of the product;

c) Final Product Completion Stage

- Finished vegetable oils must be labeled and batched according to shifts or production cycles; each batch must be tested for quality, sensory characteristics, packaging, and labeling before warehousing to ensure product quality and food safety before distribution and market circulation;

- Finished vegetable oils must be stored at temperatures suitable for their characteristics as prescribed by the production facility, avoiding direct sunlight exposure to the products;

10. Internal Transportation

a) The facility owner must specify in writing the transportation means, methods, storage conditions, and food safety management during internal vegetable oil transportation;

b) Vegetable oils must not be transported together with materials, raw materials, chemicals that could cause cross-contamination and negatively impact product quality and food safety;

11. Quality Control System for Raw Materials and Products

a) The quality control area must be separately arranged, facilitating quality control during production; equipped with minimum machinery, equipment, and tools for measuring and testing basic quality indicators for key raw materials and finished products. Microbiological testing units must be sterile and isolated from other testing units;

b) If there is no quality control room, the facility must have a contractual agreement with a capable and appropriately specialized unit for analyzing and controlling basic indicators of key raw materials and finished products;

c) There must be a sample storage area, sample record files, and ensure compliance with sample retention and disposal procedures according to the preservation requirements of each type of sample;

12. Record Management

a) Possess complete management files (contracts, invoices, certificates, quality testing reports, declaration of conformity to technical regulations or food safety standards, and other related documents) for raw materials, auxiliary materials, food additives, processing aids, materials, packaging, chemicals used for traceability, quality control, and food safety;

b) Possess complete food safety management files as prescribed (Certificate of Food Safety Conditions, Receipt of Declaration of Conformity to Technical Regulations or Confirmation of Declaration of Compliance with Food Safety Standards) for vegetable oil products produced at the facility.

Article 6. Utensils, equipment, and containers for vegetable oil

1. Utensils and containers for vegetable oil shall comply with the provisions set forth in Circular No. 34/2011/TT-BYT dated August 30, 2011, issued by the Ministry of Health on national technical standards for hygiene and safety of direct food contact packaging and utensils.

2. Neutralization equipment (free fatty acid separation) must be capable of controlling temperature and stirring speed to thoroughly separate soap residues, ensuring the quality of vegetable oil as prescribed.

3. Sedimentation equipment must have sufficient capacity and be designed and manufactured appropriately to control the sedimentation process of each product type.

4. Equipment for filling or pouring and sealing finished vegetable oil products must be arranged to prevent foreign objects or insects from entering the product.

5. Production equipment and tools must be regularly maintained, inspected, repaired, or replaced when damaged or showing signs of damage.

6. Measuring, testing equipment, and devices with strict safety requirements must be calibrated and tested according to regulations.

7. There must be a system to alert when processing parameters (temperature, pressure) exceed prescribed limits.

8. Waste and hazardous chemical storage containers must be specially designed to be easily recognizable, structurally appropriate, made from durable materials that resist damage, and lockable to prevent contamination.

9. Maintenance and repair work on machinery must only be carried out outside production areas or during production stoppages. In cases where repairs or maintenance are conducted on-site after completion, thorough cleaning of the equipment and surrounding area must be performed.

10. Lubricating oils for parts of equipment and machinery directly contacting the product must be types approved for use in food production.

Article 7. Facility owners, direct producers, and visitors

1. Facility owners and direct producers must hold valid Food Safety Knowledge Certificates issued by authorized agencies or units designated by competent authorities.

2. Facility owners must organize regular health check-ups for facility owners and direct producers at least once a year at district or higher-level healthcare facilities. Health records of all individuals must be fully stored at the facility.

3. Only hire individuals who meet the health standards prescribed by the Ministry of Health for those directly involved in food production and processing.

4. Direct producers who become ill must report to the authority to arrange alternative work or medical leave according to regulations and can only resume work upon obtaining a recovery certificate and meeting health standards for food production and processing from authorized health authorities.

5. Those involved in production and processing must ensure personal hygiene before starting work and change into appropriate protective clothing based on their job positions.

6. Visitors to the facility must change into protective clothing and strictly follow the facility's personal hygiene regulations.

Chapter III

FOOD SAFETY ASSURANCE CONDITIONS

FOR BUSINESS FACILITIES DEALING WITH PRODUCTS

Article 8. Business Premises for Edible Oil

1. The display, storage, and containment areas must always be dry, clean, ensuring that the characteristics of the products are not altered, and free from harmful chemical contamination, impurities, or microorganisms that may affect the health of users.

2. Adhere to the stacking height guidance provided by the manufacturer.

3. Establish a hygiene procedure for the premises and maintain hygiene logs as prescribed by the business owner.

Article 9. Equipment and Facilities for Edible Oil Business

The business premises must have adequate equipment and facilities to ensure compliance with temperature, humidity, lighting, and other conditions required by the manufacturer for each type of product throughout the storage and sale processes of edible oil.

Article 10. Record Management

The business premises for edible oil must retain complete records and legal documents proving the origin and quality of the products to serve traceability, quality management, and food safety.

Article 11. Transportation of Edible Oil

1. Transport vehicles must ensure protection against insect intrusion, contamination from other sources, and ease of cleaning.

2. During transportation, different types of edible oil products must be classified and arranged separately to maintain the storage conditions required by the manufacturer throughout the transportation process.

3. Edible oil products shall not be transported alongside hazardous goods or those that could cause cross-contamination affecting the quality and safety of the products.

4. Transport vehicles and containers used during transportation must be regularly cleaned and sanitized.

5. The business premises must establish internal regulations regarding food safety conditions during the transportation of edible oil products.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 12. Implementation Organization

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade assigns the Ministry of Science and Technology to lead and coordinate with relevant units to disseminate and guide the implementation of this Circular.

2. Provincial/Municipal Departments of Industry and Trade are responsible for guiding and implementing this Circular at their respective localities.

3. Based on management requirements and actual circumstances, the Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for proposing necessary supplements and amendments to this Circular to the Ministry of Industry and Trade when needed.

Article 13. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from February 6, 2015./.