EUROPEAN REGULATION (EC) No 178/2002 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
of 28 January 2002
The general food law covers both ‘food’ and ‘feed’. This regulation describes the general principles and requirements of food law, which also established the European Food Safety Authority and the attendant responsibilities. It ensures food and feed safety among member states.
It aims not only to ensure food safety across member states but also seeks to save guard free movement of food, build consumer confidence, create same conditions for the food supply chain by ensuring a level playing field in the food and feed industry and avoids unfair competition in the Common market. To understand and facilitate implementation, a good grasp of key elements of the regulation is crucial. This is provided largely in the definitions.
i. the assurance of a high level of protection of human health and consumers' interest in relation to food and feed along the whole supply chain
ii. ensure the effective functioning of the EU internal market.
iii. establish common principles and responsibilities, which ensure a strong science base, efficient organisational arrangements and procedures underpin decision-making in all areas of food and feed provision, distribution and safety
iv. provide the general principles governing food and feed in general, and food and feed safety in particular, at Community and national levels
v. directly applies in all member states to all stages of production, processing and distribution of food and feed.
The laws, regulations and administrative provisions governing food in general, and food safety in particular, whether at Community or national level; it covers any stage of production, processing and distribution of food, and also of feed produced for, or fed to, food-producing animals.
No, domestic food is exempt from Regulation 178/2002/EC. It does not apply to primary production for private domestic use or to the domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption.
‘food’ (or ‘foodstuff’) means any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be, or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans.
‘Food’ includes drink, chewing gum and any substance, including water, intentionally incorporated into the food during its manufacture, preparation or treatment. It includes water after the point of compliance as defined in Article 6 of Directive 98/83/EC and without prejudice to the requirements of Directives 80/778/EEC and 98/83/EC.
Under the law, ‘Food’ does not include:
i. feed
ii. live animals unless they are prepared for placing on the market for human consumption
iii. plants prior to harvesting
iv. medicinal products within the meaning of Council Directives 65/65/EEC (1) and 92/73/EEC (2)
v. cosmetics within the meaning of Council Directive 76/ 768/EEC (3)
vi. tobacco and tobacco products within the meaning of Council Directive 89/622/EEC (4)
vii. narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971
viii. residues and contaminants.
Any undertaking, whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any of the activities related to any stage of production, processing and distribution of food
A natural or legal person responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the food business under their control.
Any substance or product, including additives, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be used for oral feeding to animals;
Any undertaking whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any operation of production, manufacture, processing, storage, transport or distribution of feed including any producer producing, processing or storing feed for feeding to animals on his own holding.
A natural or legal person responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the feed business under their control.
The handling and/or processing of food and its storage at the point of sale or delivery to the final consumer, and includes distribution terminals, catering operations, factory canteens, institutional catering, restaurants and other similar food service operations, shops, supermarket distribution centres and wholesale outlets.
Holding of food or feed for the purpose of sale, including offering for sale or any other form of transfer, whether free of charge or not, and the sale, distribution, and other forms of transfer them- selves.
A function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that effect, consequential to a hazard
A process consisting of three interconnected components: risk assessment, risk management and risk communication
A scientifically based process consisting of four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation
The process, distinct from risk assessment, of weighing policy alternatives in consultation with interested parties, considering risk assessment and other legitimate factors, and, if need be, selecting appropriate prevention and control options
The interactive exchange of information and opinions throughout the risk analysis process as regards hazards and risks, risk-related factors and risk perceptions, among risk assessors, risk managers, consumers, feed and food businesses, the academic community and other interested parties, including the explanation of risk assessment findings and the basis of risk management decisions
A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food or feed with the potential to cause an adverse health effect
The ability to trace and follow a food, feed, food-producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed, through all stages of production, processing and distribution.
Any stage, including import, from and including the primary production of a food, up to and including its storage, transport, sale or supply to the final consumer and, where relevant, the importation, production, manufacture, storage, transport, distribution, sale and supply of feed
The production, rearing or growing of primary products including harvesting, milking and farmed animal production prior to slaughter, and includes hunting and fishing and the harvesting of wild products
The ability to trace and follow a food, feed, food-producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed, through all stages of production, processing and distribution.