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The documents for the occupational safety training course in the consumer food industry help workers equip themselves with safety knowledge and prevent hazards during production and consumption.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF SOME LEGAL REGULATORY DOCUMENTS

I. The Law on Food Safety in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The Law on Food Safety was passed by the 12th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its 7th session on June 17, 2010. The Law on Food Safety took effect on July 1, 2011, replacing the Ordinance on Food Hygiene and Safety.

1.1. Purpose of the Law on Food Safety in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

This law regulates the rights and obligations of organizations and individuals in ensuring food safety;
It regulates the conditions for ensuring safety for food, food production, business, import, and export; food advertising and labeling;
It regulates food testing; risk analysis for food safety; prevention, control, and remedy of food safety incidents; information, education, and communication about food safety;
It regulates the state management responsibilities for food safety.

1.2 Main content of the Law: includes 11 chapters, 72 Articles

Chapter I: General provisions: includes 6 Articles (from Article 1 to Article 8)

Article 3: Principles of food safety management. The Law stipulates 6 principles in food safety management. Specifically as follows:

Ensuring food safety is the responsibility of all organizations and individuals producing and trading food.
Food production and business are conditional activities; organizations and individuals producing and trading food must be responsible for the safety of the food they produce and trade.
Food safety management must be based on corresponding technical regulations, provisions issued by competent state management agencies, and standards announced and applied by producing organizations and individuals.
Food safety management must be carried out throughout the process of food production and business based on risk analysis for food safety.
Food safety management must ensure clear division of tasks, decentralization, and inter-sectoral coordination.
Food safety management must meet the requirements of socio-economic development.

Article 5: Prohibited acts. The Law stipulates 13 groups of prohibited acts. Specifically, the prohibited acts are as follows:

Using ingredients not intended for food to process food.
Using food ingredients that have expired, have an unknown origin or source, or are not safe for food production and processing.
Using food additives, food processing aids that have expired, are not on the permitted list, or are on the permitted list but exceed the allowed limits; using chemicals of unknown origin, or chemicals prohibited in food production and business activities.
Using animals that died from disease, epidemics, or unknown causes, or were culled for food production and business.
Producing or trading:
- Food that violates legal regulations on goods labeling;
- Food that does not conform to the corresponding technical regulations;
- Spoiled food;
- Food containing toxic substances or contaminated with toxins, pollutants exceeding the permitted limits;
- Food with packaging or containers that are not safe or are broken, torn, or deformed during transportation, causing food contamination;
- Meat or products processed from meat that have not undergone veterinary inspection or have been inspected but failed to meet the requirements;
- Food not permitted for production or business to prevent and control epidemics;
- Food that has not been registered for declaration of conformity at a competent state agency in cases where such food is subject to registration;
- Food of unknown origin or source or that has expired.

Using means that cause food contamination, or means that have transported toxic substances and have not been properly cleaned to transport food ingredients and food.
Providing false or falsified food testing results.
Concealing, altering, or destroying the scene or evidence of a food safety incident or other intentional acts that hinder the detection and remedy of a food safety incident.
Persons with infectious diseases participating in food production and business.
Producing or trading food at establishments that do not have a certificate of eligibility for food safety as prescribed by law.
Advertising food falsely, causing confusion for consumers.
Posting or publishing false information about food safety that causes public outrage or damages production and business.
Illegally using roadsides, sidewalks, corridors, common yards, common walkways, or common auxiliary areas for processing, producing, or selling street food.

Chapter II: Rights and obligations of organizations and individuals in ensuring food safety: includes 3 Articles (from Article 7 to Article 9).

Article 7: Rights and obligations of organizations and individuals producing food.

Article 8: Rights and obligations of organizations and individuals trading food. The Law stipulates that organizations and individuals trading food have the responsibility to:

Comply with the conditions for ensuring food safety during business operations and be responsible for the safety of the food they trade.
Check the origin and source of food, food labels, and related documents on food safety; keep records of food; implement regulations on traceability of unsafe food as prescribed in Article 54 of this Law;
Provide truthful information about food safety; inform consumers about the conditions for ensuring safety during transportation, storage, preservation, and use of food;
Promptly provide information about the risk of food unsafety and prevention methods to consumers upon receiving warning information from producing or importing organizations or individuals;
Promptly stop business, inform producing or importing organizations or individuals and consumers upon discovering unsafe food;
Immediately report to the competent authority and promptly rectify the consequences upon discovering food poisoning or foodborne illness caused by their business;
Cooperate with producing or importing organizations or individuals, and competent state agencies in investigating food poisoning to rectify consequences, recall, or handle unsafe food;
Comply with legal regulations and decisions on inspection and examination by competent state agencies;
Compensate for damages as prescribed by law when unsafe food from their business causes harm.

Article 9: Rights and obligations of food consumers

Chapter III: Conditions for ensuring food safety: includes 19 Articles (from Article 10 to Article 18).
Chapter IV: Conditions for ensuring food safety in food production and business: includes 5 Sections, 15 Articles (from Article 19 to Article 33)
Chapter V: Certification of establishments eligible for food safety in food production and business: includes 4 Articles (from Article 34 to Article 37).
Chapter VI: Import and export of food: includes 2 Sections, 5 Articles (from Article 38 to Article 42).
Chapter VII: Food advertising and labeling: includes 2 Articles (from Article 43 to Article 44).
Chapter VIII: Food testing, risk analysis for food safety, prevention, control, and remedy of food safety incidents: includes 4 Sections, 11 Articles (from Article 45 to Article 55)
Chapter IX: Information, education, and communication about food safety: includes 5 Articles (from Article 56 to Article 60)
Chapter X: State management of food safety: includes 3 Sections, 10 Articles (from Article 61 to Article 70)
Chapter XI: Implementation provisions: includes 2 Articles, 71 and 72, stipulating the effective date and detailed provisions and implementation guidance.

II. Some documents guiding the Law on Food Safety

Decree 38/2012/ND-CP
Circular 15/2012/TT-BYT: Circular stipulating the general conditions for ensuring food safety for food production and business establishments.
Circular 16/2012/TT-BYT: Circular stipulating the food safety conditions for establishments producing and trading food, tools, and packaging materials containing food under the management of the Ministry of Health.

CHAPTER 2: HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CONTROL MEASURES SYSTEM

I. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Program

1. Concept of Good Manufacturing Practices in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Good manufacturing practice conditions are the measures and practices that must be followed to ensure the production of products that meet quality, hygiene, and safety requirements;
Good Manufacturing Practice is a production code and is applied to food production facilities. Based on this code, food production facilities develop specific regulations depending on the scale and technology level of each facility.

2. Basic content of good manufacturing practice conditions in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The basic content of good manufacturing practice conditions includes good control of all factors related to the quality and food safety of the product, from the design and construction of the factory, installation of equipment and processing tools, requirements for the design and construction of sanitary facilities and works, water supply and drainage requirements, and preparation for processing, to the processing, packaging, storage, and the people operating the food processing activities.

II. Benefits of applying HACCP in food production and business

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system (abbreviated as HACCP) was initiated and applied in the 1960s to provide 100% safe food for the NASA space program (the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Today, HACCP has developed into a very effective food safety management system, a powerful tool that enables manufacturers to control food safety, prevent food contamination, and protect human health.

An effective HACCP system achieves such a high level of safety that retailers and consumers now require food manufacturers to adhere to the HACCP system during food production and processing, and even in international food trade.

To apply the HACCP system, two mandatory conditions (also known as prerequisites) must be met: the implementation of a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) program and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP). Simply put, HACCP = GMP + GHP.

Establishing and applying the HACCP system for food production and business enterprises will bring the following benefits:

1. Benefits for consumers in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Reduces the risk of food poisoning and foodborne illnesses.
Increases confidence in the supply and consumption of food.
Improves the quality of life (health and socio-economic).

2. Benefits for businesses in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Enhances the quality reputation of their products, increases competitiveness, and the ability to capture and expand markets, especially for exported food.
The application of the HACCP system in food production and business is a basis for businesses to market their commitment to consumers in ensuring the food safety of their products. It builds trust with consumers and partners, thereby increasing product consumption.
Helps businesses improve their food safety management capacity, improve production processes and the environment, and reduce costs by reducing the number of spoiled and recalled products.
It serves as a basis for competent authorities to consider creating favorable conditions for businesses in declaring conformity or conformity with food safety regulations and reducing the frequency of inspections for establishments and periodic supervision of product batches.
It serves as a basis for ensuring favorable conditions for negotiating and signing domestic and export trade contracts.
It is the basis for preferential investment and training policies from the State as well as foreign partners.

III. Good Hygiene Practices (GHP)

1. Concept of Good Hygiene Practices in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Good Hygiene Practices are the hygiene regulations used to achieve the general hygiene requirements set out in good manufacturing practices.

2. Distinguishing between Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Hygiene Practices

Good Manufacturing Practices regulate general hygiene requirements and measures to prevent contaminants from entering food due to poor hygiene conditions, controlling all factors related to the food safety and hygiene quality of the product during the production and processing process, from receiving raw materials to the final product.
Good Hygiene Practices are the hygiene regulations (or cleaning procedures) and hygiene control procedures used to achieve the general hygiene requirements of good manufacturing practices.

IV. Human conditions in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The owner of the establishment and those directly involved in food production and processing must meet the conditions regarding knowledge, health, and practice of food safety.

Regarding knowledge: People directly involved in food production and processing must study food safety and hygiene knowledge as required and have a certificate of training in food safety and hygiene knowledge issued by a competent authority. They must receive supplementary and updated knowledge on food safety annually.
Regarding health: People directly involved in production and processing must have a health check-up (and must have a certificate of health eligibility as required by the Ministry of Health) before recruitment and periodic health check-ups at least once a year. For areas with ongoing diarrheal epidemics as announced by the Ministry of Health, people directly producing food must have stool cultures to detect pathogens causing intestinal diseases (cholera, bacillary dysentery, and typhoid).
- Those currently suffering from infectious diseases on the list specified by the Ministry of Health are not allowed to participate directly in the food production or processing process (Tuberculosis, dysentery, typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, boils, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, viral hepatitis, purulent rhinitis, purulent pharyngitis, skin diseases, dermatological diseases, healthy carriers of intestinal pathogens). Health examinations must be conducted at medical facilities from the district level upwards.
- The owner of the food production and business establishment is responsible for creating conditions for people directly involved in production and processing to participate in training and annual health check-ups.
Regarding practice
1. People directly involved in food production and processing must comply with the following requirements:
  - Direct producers and processors must practice good personal hygiene to ensure food safety:
    - Wear separate protective clothing, aprons, masks, and hairnets when producing and processing food.
    - Keep fingernails short, clean, and do not wear jewelry when in direct contact with ready-to-eat food.
    - Do not eat, drink, smoke, or spit in the food production area; Do not wear jewelry or watches when producing, processing, and in direct contact with food.
  - Practice good food processing to ensure food safety:
    - Use safe food ingredients: with clear origin (preferably certified as safe for use), do not use food additives or processing aids not permitted by the Ministry of Health, and keep records of the origin of food ingredients and other documents on the entire production and processing process.
    - Regularly clean tools, production and processing areas, and canteens, and collect waste…
    - Do not allow pets into the food production and processing area.
2. Direct producers and processors must all adhere to “Good Hand Practices”:
  - Wash hands after: using the toilet, touching raw food, blowing your nose, touching trash, scratching an itch, picking your ears, picking your nose, or touching parts of your body, clothes, smoking, touching animals, and after each break.
  - Wash hands before touching food.
  - Dry hands after washing with a single-use paper towel, clean cotton towel, or air dryer, do not wipe on clothes, skirts, or aprons.
  - Wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water.
  - Do not have long fingernails; if there are cuts on the hands or fingers, they should be bandaged with a waterproof dressing and gloves should be worn when in contact with food.

V. Production facility in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

1. Safety techniques in microbiology factories in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Safety engineering – a system of technical and organizational measures and a system of means capable of preventing the impact of dangerous factors in production activities that can lead to injury.
All dangerous factors in production, according to their nature of impact on humans, can be divided into physical, chemical, biological, and psycho-physiological factors.
The first group includes: moving machinery and mechanisms, unprotected moving parts of equipment, moving materials, finished products, increased surface temperature of equipment, parts, raw materials, voltage in electrical circuits, short circuits that can pass through the human body, increased static electricity, increased pressure specified in vessels operating under pressure…
The second group is related to toxic substances that can cause injury when entering the human body through the respiratory tract, skin, and digestive tract.
The third group includes biological substances, microorganisms, and some bioactive products.
The fourth group combines physical and neuropsychological overload factors. Physical overload can include dynamic, static, and hypo-dynamic overload.
Neuropsychological loads arise from excessive mental fatigue, monotonous activity, and high emotional states.
All the factors mentioned above are, to some extent, related to enterprises in the microbiological industry.
Safety precautions. It is necessary to implement preventive measures in microbiological industry enterprises related to the large number of production processes occurring under high sterilization conditions of technological equipment, pipelines, and nutrient media in equipment with excess pressure or in pipelines with flammable liquids (alcohol, acetone, etc.), which, if their concentration in the air increases, can lead to fire and explosion.
The concentration of explosive substances can primarily form within the production area, inside equipment, and tanks. As a rule, flammable liquids are stored in insulated tanks, preferably underground. While filling and emptying them, it is necessary to carefully follow the rules and operating standards. Special attention should be paid to the content of the explosive mixture formed in equipment that has been emptied of flammable liquids, as the formation of an ignition source in the equipment can lead to an accidental explosion. Therefore, all containers must be carefully washed and then checked for the amount of remaining vapor.
Compressed air is not allowed to be used to create overpressure for flammable liquids from one piece of equipment to another, as the quantitative ratio between air and vapor as well as dust inside the equipment can lead to the formation of an explosive concentration. To create overpressure in this case, it is best to use inert gas. Use diaphragm or sealless pumps to pump flammable liquids to eliminate leakage. Areas where equipment for separating bioactive products, refining alcohol, and acetone are located should be equipped with a light and sound signaling system to warn of dangerous concentrations of flammable substances in the air.
To prevent the formation of electric sparks and heating sources in explosive and flammable areas, all electrical outlets, electrical opening devices, and automatic means must be of an explosion-proof and waterproof type.

Production water, before being discharged into the drainage system, needs to be neutralized, and cleaned of oil, grease, resin, and other toxic compounds in cleaning equipment.
When installing light sources and electrical equipment, it is necessary to comply with the electrical equipment regulations for each area, taking into account the type of workshop.
It is necessary to have very careful preventive measures for operating machine parts that heat up due to friction (e.g., agitator drives, gears, bearings…). It is necessary to make them from non-sparking materials such as aluminum, copper, plastic…
The best measure is to use rubber mats to protect stairs.
In microbiological production, special attention should be paid to the separation of static electricity charges, which can ignite explosive mixtures when transporting flammable-explosive liquids and gases through ungrounded pipelines, when emptying and filling liquids in tanks and equipment; when moving dust-air mixtures in the pipelines of pneumatic conveyors and in equipment for drying, grinding, sieving; when liquids are sprayed from nozzles under pressure. It should be known that the higher the velocity of liquid and gas movement through pipes, the greater the charge value, so it is necessary to maintain a limited transport speed for gas and liquid.
Grounding equipment, pipelines, containers, filling and emptying mechanisms, as well as hoppers, cyclones, dryers, air and dust ducts, which can accumulate high electrostatic potential, is the most common method of electrostatic protection.
Operational safety in the production of bioactive substances. The basic condition for ensuring operational safety is to carefully observe the technological operating procedure of all stages. The operating procedure includes methods to ensure maximum operational safety on specific equipment, when studying the operating rules of dangerous substances and the conditions for conducting processes that eliminate the possibility of explosion, fire, injury, and poisoning. For the equipment to work well, the workshops need to be bright and spacious, with a passage width in front of the equipment of no less than 2 m, to arrange technological equipment along the outer wall with windows. For hygiene reasons, it is necessary to cover the wall surface with tiles; the floor must be flat, waterproof, and have a slope. To reduce heat loss and avoid burns, all equipment and pipelines must be covered with an insulating layer, the surface temperature of the insulation at workplaces should not exceed 45°C. It is not allowed to place pipelines for explosive, volatile solutions together with heat and compressed air lines.
For safety, pipelines should be painted in colors to identify the group of substances being transported: water – green, steam – red, air – blue, gas (including liquefied gas) – yellow, acid – orange, alkali – purple, liquid – brown, other substances (nutrient media, culture fluid, enzyme solutions…) – gray, fire hoses – red.
Production enterprises contain a large amount of equipment used in the chemical and food industries as well as a significant amount of non-standard equipment produced in the enterprise. Therefore, it is necessary to provide careful guidance to operating workers, to study the structure and operating principles of the equipment in detail; technology and safety engineering rules for conducting operations.
Safety engineering instruction manuals are drafted separately for each type of equipment and technology and need to be studied carefully in accordance with the job position of every member.
Vessels operating under pressure. In microbiological industry enterprises, various types of vessels operating under pressure are commonly used.
These include technological reactors, sterilizers, inoculation equipment, fermenters, concentrators, vacuum concentrators, autoclaves, distillation and extraction equipment… as well as energy equipment (heat exchangers), refrigeration equipment, air compressors…
Vessels operating under pressure are a closed container or a device used to carry out chemical and thermal processes, for storing and transporting compressed, liquefied, and dissolved gases under pressure. Because vessels operating under pressure are classified as unsafe equipment, their design, manufacture, and operation must pay attention to safety technical requirements.
Depending on the working pressure value, all vessels are divided into two groups. The first group includes vessels working under a pressure higher than 0.07 MPa (excluding hydrostatic pressure) and are subject to equipment and safe operation regulations. The second group includes vessels working with a pressure of less than 0.07 MPa. The safety technical rules for them are drafted in the form of industry and production hygiene regulations.
Vessels intended for operation under pressure must have a manual with the following content: name of the manufacturing plant, industry of production, date of manufacture, calculated and limit pressure values, and other parameters.
Only individuals trained in operating methods and instructed in safety technical rules are allowed to operate equipment working under pressure.
The air discharged from the equipment (inoculation equipment, fermenters…) contains a large amount of microorganisms and toxic substances, so it must be filtered before being released into the atmosphere.
Compressor stations. Air compressors are usually placed separately in single-story buildings, designed according to the requirements of “Fire Prevention Standards for the Design of Industrial Enterprises and Residential Areas” and “Hygiene Standards for the Design of Industrial Enterprises.”
The air temperature after each compression stage in the heating sections must not exceed 180°C. Equipment with a capacity greater than 10 m³/min is equipped with a cooler and a moisture separator.
Air compressors with a capacity of less than 10 m³/min with a pressure of less than 0.8 MPa can be placed on the lower floors of multi-story buildings, but not under living quarters, offices, and similar rooms. In this case, they must be separated from the production areas by a fire-resistant wall. Air compressors with a capacity of less than 20 m³/min are separated from adjacent rooms.
Each compressor station must have special rooms for the secure storage of easily worn materials and tools… It is forbidden to store kerosene, gasoline, and other flammable materials in the room of the compressor station. Strangers are forbidden to enter the room of the compressor station.
The ceiling separating the rooms of the compressor station has no attic, is easy to dismantle, the ratio of the area of windows, doors, and skylights is 0.05 m² per 1 m² of the room. Each compressor is equipped with a safety system, ensuring a light and sound signaling system when the cooling water supply stops, when the compressed air temperature rises above the permissible temperature, and to ensure the machine stops automatically when the oil pressure drops. The casings of compressors, coolers, and water and oil separators must be grounded. Compressors with a capacity greater than 50 m³/min must be additionally equipped with devices for automatic adjustment of the intake pressure.
Safety valves must meet the requirements of the equipment regulations and safe operation of vessels working under pressure, and the pressure must be checked daily under 1.2 MPa.
Lubrication of compressors must comply with current standards. When the pressure rises above the permissible pressure, operation must be stopped immediately; when the oil pressure in the lubrication system drops below the permissible pressure and the oil cooling system in the lubrication system is below the permissible pressure, it will lead to damage to the cooling system, strange noises, and increased vibration.
Only workers over 18 years old who have passed a medical examination and have a certificate of right to use compression equipment are allowed to work at the station.
Filters for cleaning and recovering gas, dust. Particularly dangerous in microbiological industry enterprises is the air in production rooms contaminated with toxic waste, which needs to be discharged from warehouses, nutrient media production workshops from dry components, separation and extraction areas, drying, packaging, standardization, and finished product storage warehouses.
Air contamination occurs in rooms where various types of equipment for inoculation, fermentation, drying, grinding, etc., are concentrated (these types of equipment must be sealed).
To clean the air of industrial contaminants, gas-dust collection devices are often used. Equipment for cleaning flammable gases or explosive substances is equipped in accordance with safety laws, taking into account the assurance of continuous cleaning in production and the operating cycle of the main equipment. Discharging gas into the atmosphere is prohibited.
When a malfunction of the above equipment is detected, it must be stopped for repair. An emergency situation occurs when the equipment operates not in accordance with the parameters of air cleaning in terms of volume, temperature, pressure, chemical-physical composition, and dispersion, exceeding the limits in the production instructions; also when violating the regulations for discharging the collected product, violating the loosening, washing, or blowing regime of the pipes; when the bag filter is punctured, worn, damaged, and loses the filtering ability of the filters.
If the wet method is used to clean the gas, an emergency situation will occur when the water supply is destroyed, the water is unevenly distributed throughout the filter volume, the content of solid suspended substances is high, and the absorbent fills the filter layer.
Gas-dust collection equipment is equipped with automatic inspection instruments. All equipment of this type must be grounded.
Centrifuges and separators. The assembly of this equipment should be carried out taking into account the assurance of convenient and safe service conditions, with space to the parts of the machine, for periodic inspection, replacement of parts, and cleaning. Pipelines, oil lines, and electrical cables are arranged for convenient operation. The equipment is equipped with an interlock to eliminate the possibility of starting the machine before it has completely stopped.
The main shaft of the centrifuge (separator) must be connected to the drive via a coupling or a V-belt drive, whose unit resistance is not more than 10^5 W·cm. Lubrication of the drive belt with glycerin and soot in a ratio of 100:40 is often used to ensure the conductive surface of the belt. Lubrication with wax or resin is not allowed. To eliminate static electricity, centrifuges and separators are grounded with parts having a resistance of no more than 4 W.
During centrifugation, the inner chamber of the casing must be separated from the environment and must contain inert gas under a pressure greater than 0.09 kPa and less than 9.6 kPa.
When the machine is operating, it is necessary to regularly check the number of revolutions per unit of time and feed the material evenly into the rotating drum, check the technical condition and lubrication of the bearings. Uneven feeding will cause “wobble,” which can lead to the machine breaking. Machine failure can lead to serious accidents, so when the slightest difference is detected, it is necessary to quickly stop operation and fix all detected defects.
Normal operation of the machine depends on the uniformity and level of feeding. Normal feeding into the machine is about 50-60%.
Breaking the balance of the rotor, strange noises, large vibrations, and leaks in the gaskets are not allowed. The machine should not be started if there is liquid in the drum. The liquid is fed only when the drum has reached the rated number of revolutions.
Only after the machine has completely stopped can the dismantling of the pipeline and the drum begin. Dryers, granulators, grinders. In the microbiological industry, a large number of dryers with different structures are currently being used. During the drying, granulating, and grinding process, a significant amount of small powder-like particles are released, which together with the air create a flammable, explosive mixture. If the dust contains a significant amount of flammable vapors or when sparks accidentally appear, it can also ignite and cause an explosion. The application of preventive measures to eliminate ignition will be very important, such as eliminating the installation of electrical equipment inside the dryer, inside the air ducts. In exceptional necessary cases, electrical equipment is equipped in an explosion-proof form.
Overheating, excessive friction, and spark generation in bearings and fan blades are not allowed.
When heating the dryer, steam or hot water should be used.
When the fan stops operating, the heating of the machine must be automatically turned off; after a short time, the fan needs to continue to rotate to accumulate heat.
In machines, friction often occurs between the processed materials and the surface of the contacting parts, so dryers, pellet mills, and grinders are static electricity generating devices. Therefore, all metal parts of the equipment must be grounded. The greatest accumulation of charge will occur in the ungrounded metal parts of the filters. If a certain metal part cannot be grounded, other parts made of insulating materials must be substituted.
To avoid explosions and punctures of the machine walls, devices for equalizing instantaneous pressure are often used. When equalizing pressure, the static pressure of the explosion-proof valve is not more than 9.6 kPa.
Rotary dryers operating with a fluidized bed dryer have an independent blowing pipe, which is extended outside for a length of less than 2.5 m.
The equipment system needs to have sturdy fixed supports to receive the reactive load in case of an explosion.
Grinders. Impact centrifugal grinders are placed in separate rooms, with a free space around them with a width of more than 1.5 m. Feeding and discharging are allowed to be mechanized, and to prevent dust from flying out, it must be of a sealed design.
All grinders are additionally equipped with an exhaust fan, which is turned on before the grinder is turned on, and turned off after the machine stops. Before grinding the product, the grinder is checked in no-load mode.
The discs of the grinder are not allowed to rotate beyond the specified limit.
They must also be carefully grounded.
Safety measures when using continuous mechanical transport devices (conveyors). The basic requirements for the safe operation of conveyors are: complete separation of rotating and moving parts (transmission mechanism).
The separating parts must be assembled so that all operating parts can be observed and oiled without having to remove the screen. The conveyors are equipped with an emergency power cut-off, with a “stop” button in case the machines stop slowly. All buttons are placed along the conveyor at a distance of 10 m. The conveyor starting devices have sound and light communication signals.
For safe passage over conveyors, transfer bridges are often installed.
Inclined conveyors are equipped with special braking devices to eliminate the possibility of downward movement due to their own weight or the weight of the load.
Conveyors placed at a height of 0.5 to 2 m must have a barrier at all entry points. The safest moving speed of conveyors is not more than 0.2 m/s. During operation, it is necessary to monitor the normality of the rotating parts and to oil the operating parts.
Bucket elevators are used to move bulk materials vertically or at a slight angle and must have a sealed casing with observation doors. At the loading and unloading points, a local exhaust fan should be installed. The starter is equipped with a special signal communication system.
The design and assembly of screw conveyors and bucket elevators must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the issued standards.
Screw conveyors. For the safe operation of screw conveyors, all drive mechanisms (gears, transmissions, belt drives) must have a protective screen. Do not operate the screw conveyor with the cover removed. It is not allowed to carry out repairs during the operation of the screw conveyor, open the cover, or push stuck material by hand in the trough.
Pneumatic transport. When operating pneumatic transport equipment, a mixture of organic dust and air can form, creating an explosive hazard in hoppers and pipelines.
For different mixtures, it is necessary to monitor the specified permissible concentration limits.
When loose organic materials (soybean meal, bagasse, bran…) move through pipes, static electricity is generated due to friction between them and the equipment walls, which needs to be dissipated; otherwise, the charge will accumulate and can cause sparks, leading to an explosion.
To eliminate static electricity, all metal parts of the machine, storage area, material pipelines, air blowers, and compressors must be grounded. Reversing transport mechanisms must be grounded.
Safety techniques when cultivating microorganisms on solid media. In some enterprises, when cultivating mold and bacterial strains on porous solid media, trays are still used. This production method pollutes the air with organic dust generated from spores in the nutrient medium, semi-finished products, and finished products.
When preparing the culture medium, inoculating the medium, cultivating, transporting, unloading, grinding, drying, and packaging, a large amount of microorganisms and their spores enter the air in the production rooms. Without a sealed mechanism, strong air exchange, and an exhaust system, the dust content can reach 100 to 150 mg/1m³ of air, which can lead to explosions and fires.
All of this has a negative impact on the health of workers.
A spore content in the air of about 20,000 per 1 m³ can cause workers to suffer from mucosal diseases, skin diseases, and diseases of internal organs. Therefore, it is necessary to have measures to ensure work safety. The cultivation of the culture medium needs to be mechanized and conducted in sealed equipment under sterile conditions.
In production workshops, it is necessary to regularly check the state of the production environment, the tightness of equipment, pipelines, means of transport, ventilation systems, and exhaust systems.

2. Production site in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Built according to the current planning approved by the competent state authority.
Must be far from sources of pollution, toxic hazards, and other contaminants from the surrounding environment that adversely affect the quality and food safety of the product.
Have sufficient area to arrange the production line suitable for the designed capacity of the facility, ensuring that the production stages meet technological requirements and apply industrial hygiene measures.

3. Workshop design and layout in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The layout of the production line must be suitable for the wind direction to avoid adverse effects from pollution sources such as boiler emissions, wastewater treatment plants, solid waste collection points, sanitation areas, and other pollution sources.
Separation between areas: warehouses (raw materials, auxiliary materials, processing aids, product preservation); production (preliminary processing, cleaning and processing of raw materials, saccharification, yeast propagation, fermentation, sedimentation, filtration, filling, and product finishing); industrial cleaning system (CIP); mechanical and power; solid waste collection and wastewater collection and treatment system; auxiliary works to avoid cross-contamination.
The internal road system must be designed and built to be durable, sturdy, and not generate dust; overhead pathways must have handrails or observable partitions to ensure labor safety.
The drainage system (domestic wastewater, production wastewater, rainwater) must be designed and built separately, covered, ensure a slope for drainage, and prevent localized water stagnation.

4. Workshop structure in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The raw material grinding and milling area must ensure that it does not generate dust into the surrounding environment and does not affect other production stages.
The cooking area must be provided with sufficient light and good ventilation to ensure the working environment temperature is as specified.
The yeast propagation area must ensure hygienic conditions, be suitable for technological requirements, and convenient for cleaning and disinfection.
Fermentation area:
- The floor of the fermentation area must be made of durable, anti-slip, non-peeling material with a slope.
- If the fermentation equipment is placed in a workshop, the walls and ceiling of the workshop must be waterproof, easy to clean, and not prone to mold;
- If the yeast propagation process is carried out at the production site: the propagation area must be designed to be sterile, equipped with a sterilization system, and have a control regime for the equipment to ensure the quality of the yeast culture. The use of automatic doors is encouraged to better control sterile conditions in the propagation area;
- If the yeast propagation stage is not carried out at the production site, there must be equipment to ensure the safety and quality of the culture to avoid contamination during the inoculation process.
Filtering and filling area:
- Must be arranged separately, ensuring sterility, preventing insects and cross-contamination from surrounding pollution sources;
- The workshop floor must be made of durable, anti-slip, non-peeling material and ensure good drainage. The sewer system must have covers.

5. Ventilation system in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The workshop must have ventilation doors to ensure air circulation, and easy dissipation of heat and gas generated during the production process;
The raw material grinding and milling area must have a ventilation and dust filtration system installed to ensure it does not pollute other production stages;
The cooking area must be designed to be well-ventilated, quickly dissipating heat, moisture, and odors, ensuring the working environment temperature and occupational safety as regulated.

6. Production water supply system

Must ensure a sufficient supply of water that meets standards.
Have a complete system of pumps, water treatment, tanks or reservoirs, and pipeline systems always in good working condition; periodically inspected to avoid backflow or blockage of pipelines.
Water supply pipelines must be separate, with distinct markings for easy identification, easy to clean, and ensure the safety of the clean water source, avoiding contamination.
Tanks or reservoirs, sedimentation tanks, and filtration tanks must be suitable for the water supply treatment technology; cleaning must be performed as regulated or when necessary.
In case of a water quality incident, production must be stopped immediately and the products produced during the incident must be isolated.
Have a backup generator and water pump in case of a power outage or water pump failure to meet the continuous production requirements of the facility.
Water after treatment that meets the standard for beer brewing must be stored in separate equipment, ensuring no leaching, contamination, or microbial contamination from other sources.

7. Steam, heat, and compressed air supply system in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The boiler must be designed and manufactured from suitable materials, located in an area separate from the production area, and must be periodically inspected and audited according to current regulations.
The steam and compressed air supply pipeline system must be designed and manufactured from suitable materials, installed safely, with markings or indicators to distinguish it from other pipeline systems, and must be periodically inspected according to current regulations.

8. Waste and wastewater collection and treatment system in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Solid waste:
- Must be collected and contained in suitable bins or containers placed in easily observable locations for convenient collection, treatment, and to not adversely affect the production process;
- Containers for scrap materials must be clearly marked or have a sign to distinguish them from containers for raw materials, semi-finished products, or finished products; made of waterproof, corrosion-resistant material; ensure they are sealed, convenient for cleaning (if reused) or disposal (if used once);
- Spent grain must be cleaned up, periodically no more than every 48 hours;
- Paper, labels, broken bottles, old or damaged caps that can be recovered for reuse must be collected, sorted at the source, and stored in bags or containers distinguished according to the facility’s regulations before being transported to the treatment site;
- Solid waste must be treated by an organization or individual authorized by a competent state management agency to operate in the field of environmental treatment.
Production wastewater and domestic wastewater:
- The wastewater treatment area must be located separately from the production area;
- The treatment capacity and technology must be suitable for the discharge flow at the peak capacity of the production facility to ensure that the treated wastewater meets the prescribed environmental standards;
- Untreated wastewater must not be discharged directly into the surrounding environment; drainage channels in the production area must ensure flow from clean to less clean areas and ensure complete drainage when the flow stops;
- Manholes must have covers, and drains in the processing area must be cleaned after each production day; drains and manholes must be periodically cleared according to regulations;
- If the beer production facility is built in an industrial park, the wastewater must be discharged into the centralized drainage system of the industrial park according to the current regulations on environmental management of industrial parks.
Emissions from the production area and boiler system must be treated to avoid adverse effects on other production areas.
Hazardous waste:
- Hazardous waste must be collected, stored, transported, and treated separately according to current regulations;
- Must be managed and treated by an organization or individual authorized by a competent state management agency to operate in the field of environmental treatment for hazardous waste.

9. Warehouse system in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

Ensure sufficient capacity according to the designed capacity of the production line;General requirements for warehouses (raw materials, food additives, processing aids, supplies, packaging, finished products) must:
Have a periodic maintenance and cleaning schedule according to the facility’s regulations;
Finished product warehouse. In addition to implementing the regulations in point a, Clause 7 of this Article, it must:
Ensure the maintenance of temperature and humidity conditions suitable for the technical requirements for storing each type of beer according to the production facility’s regulations;
Have complete information about: product name, production batch, production date, production shift, and other information according to the facility’s regulations;
Have a separate area for temporarily storing non-conforming products while awaiting processing.

10. Quality control system for raw materials and products

The quality control area is arranged separately, convenient for quality control during the production process; equipped with a system of machinery, equipment, and minimum tools to measure and check the basic quality indicators for main raw materials and finished products. The microbiology testing department must ensure sterility and be separate from other testing departments.
In case there is no quality control room, the facility must have a contract with a testing and analysis unit with appropriate capacity and expertise to control the basic indicators of main raw materials and finished products.
Have a sample storage area, sample storage records, and implement a sample storage and disposal regime according to the storage requirements of each type of sample.

11. Internal transport in the safety documents for the consumer food industry

The facility owner specifies (in writing) the means, methods, storage conditions, and food safety management of the beer product during internal transport.
Do not transport beer with supplies, raw materials, or chemicals that may cause cross-contamination affecting the quality and food safety of the product.

12. Records management

Have management records (contracts, invoices, vouchers, quality inspection certificates, declarations of conformity or declarations of food safety compliance, receipt of declaration of conformity or confirmation of declaration of food safety compliance, and other related documents) for raw materials, food additives, auxiliary materials, processing aids, and packaging for traceability, quality control, and food safety.
Have complete food safety management records as required (Certificate of food safety eligibility, Receipt of declaration of conformity or Confirmation of declaration of food safety compliance, and periodic testing results) for the beer products produced at the facility.

Equipment, tools, packaging

Tools and packaging for beer must comply with the regulations in Circular No. 34/2011/TT-BYT dated August 30, 2011, of the Ministry of Health, which promulgates National Technical Regulations on hygiene and safety for packaging and tools in direct contact with food.
Equipment and tools containing raw materials and finished products must be made of materials that do not leach into the product.
Grinding and milling equipment must be suitable for the technological requirements of each type of raw material and must be kept clean before and after milling.
Cooking, saccharification, and wort filtration equipment:
- Must have all safety valves in good working condition, maintained and repaired periodically to ensure safe operation under conditions of high pressure, high temperature, and agitation.
- Must ensure the heating rate is within a period suitable for the technology and designed capacity, with even heating on the surface of the cooking pot.
- Must be cleaned with chemicals and disinfected according to the industrial hygiene process issued by the facility owner. Openings in the lid of the cooking pot are protected by raised rims to prevent contamination from water used for cleaning the equipment surface.
Beer filtration equipment must be made of materials that prevent leaching, are easy to install, clean, and maintain. It must be sealed to prevent CO2 loss and the intrusion of oxygen and microorganisms.
Fermentation equipment:
- Pipe ends connected to the yeast propagation equipment must be hung on a rack, not placed directly on the floor, and must be sterilized before use.
- Must be cleaned with chemicals and disinfected according to the industrial hygiene system specified by the facility owner.
- Openings in the lid of the fermentation tank must be protected by raised rims to prevent contamination from water used for cleaning the equipment surface.
Deaeration and CO2 saturation equipment must be made of a suitable material.
Filling equipment: Must ensure correct volume filling without foaming; must always be kept clean and sterile before operation, and must have a cleaning and disinfection procedure.
Product pipelines must be cleaned with chemicals and disinfected according to the industrial hygiene process issued by the facility owner.
Internal transport equipment (forklifts) must be kept clean before, during, and after transporting the product. Use specialized transport equipment made of materials that do not contaminate the beer product to ensure food safety.
Auxiliary equipment:
- Boilers, heating systems, and steam supply systems are designed to ensure food safety. Hot gas and steam must not contaminate the product.
- Inspection, measurement, testing equipment, and equipment with strict safety regulations must be calibrated and audited as required.
Other regulations:
- Equipment and tools used in production must be periodically maintained, inspected, repaired, or replaced when damaged or showing signs of damage.
- Containers for waste and toxic chemicals must be designed for easy identification, have a suitable structure, be made of durable, less perishable material, and be lockable to prevent contamination.
- Repair and maintenance of machinery should only be carried out outside the production area or when production is stopped. In case of on-site repair or periodic maintenance, after completion, the equipment and surrounding area must be cleaned.
- Lubricants for parts of equipment in direct contact with the product must be of a type permitted for use in food production.

CHAPTER 3: SOME DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Question 1: What is food?

Answer: Food is generally understood as any substance, consisting mainly of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, or water, that can be eaten or drunk by humans or animals for the primary purpose of obtaining nutrients to nourish the body or for pleasure. Foods can be of plant origin, animal origin, microbial origin, or products processed through fermentation methods such as wine and beer.

Clause 20, Article 2 of the 2010 Law on Food Safety stipulates: Food is a product that humans eat or drink in fresh, raw form or after preliminary processing, processing, or preservation. Food does not include cosmetics, tobacco, and substances used as pharmaceuticals.

Question 2. What is food poisoning? What are the main causes of food poisoning?

Answer: Food poisoning: Clause 10, Article 2 of the 2010 Law on Food Safety states: “Food poisoning is a pathological condition caused by the absorption of contaminated food or food containing toxic substances.” Causes of food poisoning: due to microorganisms, natural toxins, chemicals, and undetermined causes… (according to 2017 data from the Food Safety Department).

Toxin: is a substance that, when introduced into the body, can cause harm to human health.

Toxins form in food through many factors and pathways, some of which can be listed as follows:

Question 3: What are the hazards of contamination in food?

Answer:

Question 4: What are the pathways of biological contamination into food?

Answer: The pathways of biological contamination into food are shown in the diagram below:

Question 5: What do chemical hazards include? What are the harmful effects of some chemical hazards?