Scope
- The standards apply specifically to two categories of ethnic food products:
- Dry Base Mixes for Soups and Sauces
- Sweet Preserves
General Objectives
- Ensure food safety and harmonize with international laws for better market access.
- Develop and promulgate standards to improve quality and export acceptance.
- Strengthen inter-agency cooperation to maximize use and promotion of ethnic foods.
- Facilitate adoption of standards in coordination with relevant government agencies.
Key Definitions
- Container: Any packaging that encloses the food, single or multiple units.
- Contaminants: Biological, chemical agents, or foreign matter unintentionally present, compromising safety.
- Food: Any substance for human consumption, including beverages and ingredients.
- Food Additives: Substances intentionally added for technological purposes affecting food characteristics.
- Food Standard: Regulatory guidelines defining identity, ingredients, quality factors, and labeling requirements.
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP): Quality assurance system ensuring consistent manufacturing and control.
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP): Preventive system identifying and controlling food safety hazards.
- Heat Processed Food: Food rendered safe and shelf-stable through heat treatment.
- Hermetically Sealed Container: A container sealed against microorganism entry after heat processing.
- Label and Labeling: Any descriptive matter on or accompanying the food container.
- Lot: Food produced under the same conditions identified by a code.
- Low-acid Food: Food with pH above 4.6 and water activity above 0.85.
- Packaging and Packaging Materials: Materials used to pack the finished product, primary in direct contact or secondary.
- Processed Food: Food altered physico-chemically or sensorially by processing methods.
- Pasteurization: Heating food at 100°C or below for specified times.
- pH: Acidity measure of food.
- Processing: Part of production from weighing raw materials to bulk product.
General Guidelines
- Ingredients must be clean, optimum quality, and fit for consumption.
- Food additives must comply with BFAD regulations.
- Preparation must follow BFAD regulations on cGMP or equivalent hygiene principles.
- Products should be free from objectionable matter to the extent possible.
- Microbiological safety ensured: absence of harmful microorganisms, parasites, and microbial toxins.
- Suitable packaging materials must be used for product packing.
- All containers must be labeled per BFAD labeling regulations.
- A manual detailing specific guidelines for ethnic food products is available from BFAD.
Repealing Clause
- All prior administrative issuances inconsistent with this order are amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.
Effectivity
- The order takes effect 15 days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
Adopted on June 30, 2005, by Secretary of Health Francisco T. Duque III, MD, MSc.