Guide to good hygienic practice for plastic packaging and complex flexible packaging (December 15, 2005)

This guide concerns packaging which is part of the food chain, but which, of course, cannot in itself be considered a food product. In this context, the aim of this guide is to meet the expectations of the food industry, to control the hygienic quality of packaging, to apply the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) method in line with the practices of packaging user customers Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, supporting the provisions already set out in Directive 93/43/EC, advocates the drawing up of guides to good hygiene practice. These are voluntary, open-ended documents designed by professionals in a given food sector to help them comply with food hygiene regulations, and which may today concern manufacturers of packaging intended for contact with foodstuffs. The methodological principles used to draw up the guide are based on:

• analysis of potential food risks,
• highlighting the levels and points at which risks may arise,
• the critical points determining food safety,
• the definition and implementation of effective verification and monitoring procedures at critical points
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• periodic control of the whole (hazard analysis, critical control points and verification and monitoring procedures)

The guide proposes general and specific hygiene provisions. General hygiene provisions help create motivation and a mindset to prevent a wide range of risks. These are the general hygiene rules applicable to the plastic packaging field of complex flexible packaging. The specific hygiene provisions are designed to control potential hazards associated with the packaging manufacturing process prior to final use. They are based on an HACCP study, which enables CCPs (Critical Control Points) to be determined. Each manufacturer is invited to adapt the provisions of the guide to its particular conditions, using the HACCP method.
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The aim of the guide is to encourage companies to formalize procedures according to their needs. The guide is an evolving, adaptable, incentive and educational document for interested packaging manufacturers. Professional organizations are responsible for updating the guide in consultation with the manufacturers concerned.