Ensuring Food Safety: The Importance of Regulation 638

Considering the recent events bringing to light poor or even non-existent food safety standards in some establishments that have led to the very sad loss of life in the most extreme cases and given President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Friday evening, we at PM Instrumentation would like to highlight Regulation 638, its purpose and how to obtain a COA.

What is Regulation 638?
Implemented in June of 2018, R638 details standards and requirements for various sectors within the food industry including but not limited to storage, handling and transportation of food. This regulation is designed to safeguard public health by preventing food-borne illnesses. Mandates are set within this regulation to ensure the relevant businesses maintain hygiene practices and safety throughout their operations thus reducing risk to the consumer. What we have learnt is that most establishments linked to recent illnesses were not compliant in terms of this regulation.

What is a Certificate of Acceptability?
The first step towards compliance within R638 is to obtain a certificate of acceptability or COA. Having a COA ensures that that establishment has met the minimum requirements of acceptability. This requirement was highlighted by President Ramaphosa in his address, stating all food handling facilities will have 21 days to obtain the mandatory registration or COA. A valid COA is an establishment’s confirmation to the consumer that they have been inspected and passed the inspection by being compliant with the general hygiene regulations.

How do you obtain a COA?
The first step in gaining your COA is to submit an application to the relevant authority and then to prepare for the COA inspection. It is vital that the applicant understands the requirements and prepares their facility ahead of inspection.
To be granted a COA your establishment must be inspected by the local authority or regulatory body to ensure certain measures are in place. Part of this inspection to be approved is the assessment of the building itself, good food handling practices, record keeping, suitable equipment, pest control measures, and trained staff. Once all requirements are satisfied the establishment will be issued a COA.

What happens once you have a COA?
Once the COA is granted there are ongoing requirements in order to retain your certification including having your COA displayed so that the public can be ensured that you have been inspected and have made a commitment to comply with the regulations set out in R638.
Once issued a COA must be renewed every 24 months and can be revoked if the establishment is found to no longer be compliant.

Why should consumers be made aware of these regulations?
As a consumer understanding where your food comes from and how it should be stored and labelled can encourage manufacturers and retailers to maintain quality standards and ensure that they are held responsible for what they supply to their customers.
Also highlighted by President Ramaphosa is the education of our children around the importance of food safety and the vigilance of communities to ensure the shops that they purchase their food from are compliant and if they aren’t to report them.

Can we rely on the government to enforce R638?
It is a sad reality that unfortunately in many instances such as the recent events it is only once there is loss of life or public outcry that the government takes decisive action. We obviously know that the establishments themselves were not in compliance with regulation 638, but did they know that? Had they ever been inspected and educated about what they were required to do. Furthermore, how many of these businesses are going to be able to comply within the 21-day period?

In Summary, it is the role of the business owner, the regulatory bodies and the consumer to make sure that food safety systems are in place and that all involved are educated on the regulation of those systems and the importance of compliance to them.
Let us hope that this is not a passing issue, and that food safety remains on the top of our minds whether we are the consumer, the supplier, the manufacturer and most importantly of all the regulator.