Food Hygiene Regulation

PART ONE

Purpose, Scope, Legal Basis and Definitions

Purpose

ARTICLE 1. (1) The purpose of this Regulation is to establish the general rules on food hygiene that the food business operator must comply with from the primary production of food to its supply to the final consumer, in order to ensure the protection of the consumer in terms of food safety.

Scope

ARTICLE 2. (1) This Regulation covers the procedures and principles regarding the general hygiene rules and responsibilities that the food business operator must comply with in order to ensure food hygiene at all stages of production, processing and distribution, including the primary production stage.

(2) This Regulation is also valid for food business operators to which import and export controls and the Regulation on Special Hygiene Rules for Foods of Animal Origin apply.

(3) This Regulation;

Does not apply to primary production for personal consumption,
Does not apply to the preparation, processing and storage of food for personal consumption,
Does not apply to the direct supply by the producer of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local retailers selling directly to the final consumer,
Does not apply only to collection centers and tanneries which supply raw material for the production of gelatin and collagen and which by definition fall within the scope of a food business.

Legal Basis

ARTICLE 3. (1) This Regulation,

Has been prepared on the basis of Articles 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 34 of the Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed dated 11/6/2010,
In parallel with Regulation 852/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs.

Definitions

ARTICLE 4. (1) In addition to the definitions in Article 3 of Law No. 5996, the definitions in the second paragraph of this Article are also valid.

(2) In the application of this Regulation;

Wrapping/wrapper: The placement of food in a container in direct contact, or the container itself,
Ministry: The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock,
Contamination: A hazard or its onset,
Equivalent: Different systems or measures capable of meeting the same objectives,
Food hygiene: All measures and conditions necessary to control the hazard and to ensure fitness for human consumption, taking into account the intended use of the food,
Food business: Any activity, whether for profit or not, carried out by public institutions and organizations or by natural or legal persons, related to any stage of the production, processing and distribution of food,
Hermetically sealed container: A container designed to provide security against the entry of a hazard,
Drinking water: Water intended for human consumption that meets the characteristics set out in the Regulation on Water Intended for Human Consumption, published in the Official Gazette No. 25730 dated 17/2/2005,
Processing: Any operation that substantially alters the initial product, including heat treatment, smoking, curing, ripening, drying, marinating, extraction, extrusion or a combination of one or more of these,
Unprocessed products: Foods not subjected to processing, including products that have been harvested, divided, parted, sliced, chopped, boned, minced, skinned, peeled, ground, cut, cleaned, sorted, trimmed, shelled, milled, chilled, frozen, deep-frozen or thawed,
Processed products: Foods obtained as a result of the processing of unprocessed products and containing components that are necessary for their production or that give them their characteristic properties,
Law: The Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed,
Packaging/package: The placement of one or more wrapped foods into a second container, or the second container itself,
Final consumer: The last consumer who will not use the food for any commercial business or activity,
Clean sea water: Natural, artificial or purified sea water, or saline water that does not contain micro-organisms, harmful substances or toxic marine plankton at a level that would directly or indirectly affect the health quality of the food,
Clean water: Clean sea water and fresh water of the same quality,
Establishment: Any unit in the food business.

PART TWO

General Responsibilities of the Food Business Operator, General Principles, General and Special Hygiene Requirements

General responsibilities of the food business operator

ARTICLE 5. (1) The food business operator is responsible for ensuring that all stages of production, processing and distribution under its control meet the relevant hygiene requirements specified in this Regulation.

General principles

ARTICLE 6. (1) The rules on food hygiene set out in this Regulation for the food business operator have been established taking into account the following general principles.

Responsibility for ensuring food safety lies primarily with the food business operator.
Food safety must be ensured throughout the food chain, starting from primary production up to the final consumer.
For foods that cannot be safely kept at ambient temperature, in particular those that must be kept refrigerated, the cold chain must be maintained.
The food business operator is responsible for the implementation of procedures based on hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP principles together with good hygiene practices.
Guides to good practice are an important tool that help the food business operator to comply with food hygiene rules and with hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP principles at all stages of the food chain.
Microbiological criteria and temperature control requirements based on scientific risk assessment must be established.
Imported food must be subject to at least the same hygiene rules as domestically produced food, or to an equivalent rule.

General and special hygiene requirements

ARTICLE 7. (1) The food business operator carrying out primary production and the related activities specified below shall fulfil the special hygiene requirements specified in Articles 8 and 9 of this Regulation and, in the case of products of animal origin, in the Regulation on Special Hygiene Rules for Foods of Animal Origin.

Activities relating to the transport, storage, sorting and other similar operations of primary products, provided that they do not substantially alter their characteristics at the place of production and do not cause new hazards.
Where necessary for the purpose of this Regulation, activities relating to the transport of live animals.
In the case of plant products, fishery products and wild game products, activities relating to the transport from the place of production to an establishment, provided that the characteristics of the primary products are not substantially altered.

(2) Following the activities specified in the first paragraph of this Article, the food business operator carrying out one of the stages of production, processing and distribution of food is responsible for fulfilling the general hygiene requirements set out in the third part of this Regulation together with the special hygiene requirements set out in the Regulation on Special Hygiene Rules for Foods of Animal Origin.

(3) The food business operator must comply with the following special hygiene rules where required by the nature of its activity.

Comply with the microbiological criteria established for foods.
Apply the procedures necessary to achieve the objectives of this Regulation.
Comply with the temperature control requirements for foods.
Maintain and record the cold chain.
Take samples and analyze them or have them analyzed.

(4) As the sampling and analysis method, the food business operator uses the appropriate methods specified in the legislation or, in the absence of such methods, reference methods scientifically validated according to internationally accepted rules or protocols that provide results equivalent to those obtained.

(5) The food business operator may use guides to good practice in order to fulfil the obligations of this Regulation.

General hygiene rules for primary production and related activities

ARTICLE 8. (1) The food business operator responsible for primary production shall ensure that primary products are protected against contamination as far as possible, taking into account that they will subsequently be subjected to any processing.

(2) The food business operator shall apply the provisions specified in the relevant legislation regarding hazard control in primary production and related activities, including the following:

Take measures regarding the control of contamination arising from air, water, soil, feed, fertilizer, veterinary medicinal products, plant protection products, biocides, storage, handling and waste.
Take measures relating to animal health, animal welfare and plant health that have an impact on human health, including programs covering the control and monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents.

(3) The food business operator who raises, hunts, collects or produces primary products of animal origin shall take adequate measures regarding the following:

Keeping clean all facilities used in connection with primary production or related activities, including buildings used for the storage and handling of feed, and, where necessary, properly disinfecting them after cleaning.
Keeping clean equipment, containers, crates, vehicles, vessels and boats, and, where necessary, properly disinfecting them after cleaning.
Ensuring as far as possible the cleanliness of animals going to slaughter and, where necessary, of animals used in the production of food of animal origin.
Using drinking water or clean water where necessary to prevent contamination.
Ensuring that personnel in contact with food are healthy and receive training on health risks.
Preventing animals and pests that may cause contamination.
Storing and handling waste and harmful substances in a manner that prevents contamination.
Preventing the introduction and spread of infectious diseases transmissible to humans through food, including taking precautionary measures when new animals are introduced, and notifying the Ministry of suspected cases of such diseases.
Taking into account the results of analyses carried out on samples taken from animals or other samples that are important for human health.
Using feed additives and veterinary medicinal products as specified in the relevant legislation.

(4) The food business operator who produces or harvests plant products shall take adequate measures regarding the following:

Keeping clean equipment, containers, crates, vehicles, vessels and boats, and, where necessary, properly disinfecting them after cleaning.
Ensuring, where necessary, the hygienic cleanliness of plant products and the conditions of production, transport and storage.
Using drinking water or clean water where necessary to prevent contamination.
Ensuring that personnel in contact with food are healthy and receive training on health risks.
Preventing animals and pests that may cause contamination.
Storing and processing waste and harmful substances in a manner that prevents contamination.
Taking into account the results of analyses carried out on samples taken from plants or other samples that are important for human health.
Using plant protection products and biocides as specified in the relevant legislation.

(5) The food business operator responsible for primary production is obliged to apply corrective actions for problems identified during official inspections and controls.

Record keeping for primary production and related activities

ARTICLE 9. (1) The food business operator is obliged to keep and maintain records of the measures it applies for the appropriate control of hazards, in accordance with the field of activity and size of its business, and to present them to the Ministry and the purchaser upon request.

(2) The food business operator who raises animals or produces primary products of animal origin shall keep records relating in particular to the following:

The nature and origin of the feed given to the animals.
Veterinary medicinal products or other treatments applied to animals, the dates of application and withdrawal periods.
Diseases that may affect the safety of foods of animal origin.
The results of analyses carried out on samples taken from animals or other samples taken for diagnostic purposes that are important for human health.
All reports relating to controls applied to animals and products of animal origin.

(3) The food business operator who produces or harvests plant products shall keep records relating in particular to the following:

Any use of plant protection products and biocides.
The appearance of pests and rodents or diseases that may affect the safety of plant foods.
The results of analyses carried out on samples taken from plants or other samples that are important for human health.

(4) The food business operator may obtain assistance from persons who have received relevant professional training for the keeping of records.

PART THREE

General Hygiene Requirements for Food Businesses Other Than Primary Production and Related Activities

General requirements for food businesses other than those specified in Article 12

ARTICLE 10. (1) Food businesses shall be kept clean and in good condition, and their maintenance and repair shall be carried out regularly.

(2) The layout, design, construction, siting and size of food businesses;

Shall provide adequate working space allowing for adequate maintenance, cleaning and/or disinfection, preventing or minimizing airborne contamination, and suitable for all activities to be carried out hygienically.
Shall prevent the accumulation of dirt, contact with toxic materials, the falling of particles into the food, and condensation or the formation of undesirable mould on surfaces.
Shall allow good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and, in particular, pest control.
Where necessary, shall provide storage conditions of adequate capacity for keeping food at appropriate temperatures, along with suitable temperature-controlled handling, monitoring of temperatures and, where necessary, recording.

(3) An adequate number of flush toilets connected to an effective drainage system shall be provided. Toilets shall not open directly into rooms where food is handled.

(4) An adequate number of washbasins, suitably located and designed for cleaning hands, shall be provided. Hand-washing basins shall have hot and cold running water and materials for cleaning and hygienically drying hands. Where necessary, food-washing facilities shall be separate from hand-washing facilities.

(5) Suitable and adequate natural or mechanical ventilation arrangements shall be provided. Mechanical air flow from a contaminated area to a clean area shall be prevented. The ventilation system shall be installed so that filters and parts requiring cleaning and replacement are easily accessible.

(6) Adequate natural or mechanical ventilation shall be provided in staff toilets, showers and changing rooms.

(7) Adequate natural and/or artificial lighting shall be provided in food businesses.

(8) A drainage system shall be installed in accordance with the intended purpose. The drainage system shall be designed and constructed to prevent the risk of contamination. Where drainage channels are wholly or partly open, these channels shall be designed to prevent waste from flowing from a dirty area towards or into a clean area, in particular areas where foods that pose a high risk to the final consumer are handled.

(9) Where necessary, changing and dressing facilities of adequate capacity and number that allow the hygienic arrangement of work clothes for staff, along with an adequate number of showers, shall be provided.

(10) Cleaning and disinfection materials shall not be stored in areas where food is handled.

Special requirements for dining areas and for rooms where food is prepared, handled or processed, other than the food businesses specified in Article 12

ARTICLE 11. (1) The design and layout of rooms where food is prepared, handled or processed, including rooms containing transport vehicles, shall be designed and planned to allow good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination between and during operations;

Floor surfaces must be sound, easy to clean and, where necessary, capable of being disinfected. Floor surfaces must be made of impermeable, non-absorbent, washable and non-toxic materials. Where appropriate, floor surfaces shall allow adequate drainage.
Wall surfaces must be sound, easy to clean and, where necessary, capable of being disinfected. Wall surfaces must be made of impermeable, non-absorbent, washable and non-toxic materials, and the walls must have a smooth surface up to a height appropriate for the operations.
Ceilings or, where there are no ceilings, the inner surface of the roof and the structural elements and fittings in the roof or ceiling must be such as to prevent the accumulation of dirt and to reduce condensation, the growth of undesirable mould and the falling of particles.
Windows and other openings shall be constructed to prevent the accumulation of dirt. Those opening to the outside shall, where necessary, be fitted with insect and rodent screens that can be easily removed for cleaning. Where open windows could cause contamination, windows shall be kept closed and fixed during production.
Doors must be made of smooth and non-absorbent material that is easy to clean and, where necessary, can be disinfected.
Surfaces in areas where food is handled, and in particular all surfaces in contact with food, including equipment surfaces, must be sound, easy to clean and, where necessary, capable of being disinfected. Surfaces must be made of smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic materials.

(2) Where necessary, adequate equipment and space shall be provided for cleaning, disinfecting and storing working tools and equipment. This equipment and space must be made of corrosion-resistant material, easy to clean and have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.

(3) Where necessary, adequate equipment shall be provided for washing food. The sink or similar equipment used for washing food must comply with the requirements of Article 16 of this Regulation, have an adequate supply of hot and/or cold drinking water, be kept clean and, where necessary, be disinfected.

Requirements for movable and/or temporary food businesses such as tents, kiosks and mobile sales vehicles, for buildings whose primary purpose is private residence but in which food is regularly prepared for placing on the market, and for vending machines

ARTICLE 12. (1) Movable and/or temporary food businesses shall be designed, constructed, sited, kept clean and maintained in good condition so as to prevent the risk of contamination, in particular that arising from animals and pests.

(2) Where necessary;

Adequate facilities shall be provided, including for the hygienic washing and drying of hands, compliance with hygiene rules and, where necessary, for changing clothes, in order to ensure an adequate level of personal hygiene of staff.
Surfaces in contact with food must be sound, easy to clean and, where necessary, capable of being disinfected. These surfaces must be made of smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic materials.
Adequate facilities shall be provided for cleaning and, where necessary, disinfecting working tools and equipment.
Where the cleaning of food is part of the activities carried out in the food business, adequate facilities shall be provided so that this operation can be carried out hygienically.
An adequate supply of hot and/or cold water of drinking quality shall be provided.
Adequate arrangements shall be made or facilities provided for the hygienic storage and removal from the business of dangerous and/or inedible substances and liquid or solid waste.
Adequate arrangements shall be made or facilities provided for maintaining and monitoring the temperature conditions appropriate to the nature of the food.
Food shall be placed so as to prevent the risk of contamination as far as possible.

Transport

ARTICLE 13. (1) Vehicles and/or containers used for transporting food shall be kept clean, maintained and kept in good condition to protect food from contamination, and where necessary shall be designed and manufactured to allow adequate cleaning and disinfection.

(2) Containers in transport vehicles and/or containers shall not be used for the transport of any substance other than food, as this could cause contamination.

(3) Where necessary, when food and non-food substances or different foods are transported together at the same time in containers and/or transport vehicles, adequate separation of the products from one another shall be ensured.

(4) Liquid, granular and powdered food that has not been prepacked shall be transported in containers and/or containers/tankers reserved for the transport of food. Such containers shall be marked, in Turkish or in Turkish together with any other foreign language, in a clearly visible and indelible manner showing that they are used for this purpose, with the words "For Food Only.", in order to indicate that they are used for the transport of food.

(5) Where vehicles and/or containers are used for transporting substances other than the food continuously transported or for transporting different foods, they shall be effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected between loads to avoid the risk of contamination.

(6) Foods shall be placed in and protected within vehicles and/or containers so as to minimize the risk of contamination.

(7) Vehicles and/or containers used for transporting foods must, where necessary, be capable of maintaining transported foods at appropriate temperatures and of allowing those temperatures to be monitored.

Requirements relating to equipment

ARTICLE 14. (1) Materials, tools and equipment in contact with food:

Shall be effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected, with cleaning and disinfection carried out at a frequency sufficient to prevent the risk of contamination.
Must be made so as to minimize the risk of contamination and made of material suitable for this purpose, and kept in working order, maintained and in good condition.
Except for non-returnable transport containers and packaging materials, equipment must be made so as to allow cleaning and, where necessary, disinfection, made of material suitable for this purpose, and kept in working order, maintained and in good condition.
Equipment shall be installed so as to allow adequate cleaning of itself and the surrounding area.

(2) To ensure that the objectives of this Regulation are met, a suitable control device shall, where necessary, be installed on the equipment.

(3) Where chemical substances need to be used to prevent corrosion in equipment and transport containers, these substances shall be used in accordance with good practice principles.

Food waste

ARTICLE 15. (1) Food waste, by-products not consumed as food and other waste shall be removed as quickly as possible to prevent their accumulation in areas where food is present.

(2) Food waste, by-products not consumed as food and other waste shall be collected in closable containers or by an alternative system suitable for the purpose of this Regulation. The containers or the alternative system must be appropriately constructed, kept in sound condition, and suitable for easy cleaning and, where necessary, disinfection.

(3) Adequate facilities shall be provided for the storage of food waste, by-products not consumed as food and other waste, and for their removal from the business. Waste stores shall be designed and used so as to allow them to be kept clean and, where necessary, protected from animals and pests.

(4) All waste shall be removed from the environment in a hygienic and environmentally harmless manner in accordance with the legislation, and it shall be prevented from being a direct or indirect source of contamination.

Water supply

ARTICLE 16. (1) The water to be used in the food business shall be supplied so as to meet the following conditions.

An adequate supply of drinking water, always ready for use, shall be provided to prevent contamination of the food.
Clean water may be used for whole fishery products. Clean sea water may be used for live bivalve molluscs, live echinoderms, live tunicates and live marine gastropods. Clean water may also be used for the external cleaning of these products. Where clean water is used, facilities and procedures for its supply must be in place to prevent it from being a source of contamination of the food.

(2) Where non-drinking water is used for fire control, steam production, refrigeration and other similar purposes, this water shall circulate in a separate, suitably marked system, and there shall be no connection of, or possibility of mixing with, the drinking water system.

(3) Where recovered water is used in processing or as an ingredient, it must not pose a risk of contamination. This water must be of the same quality as drinking water unless it is proven to the Ministry that the quality of this water will not affect the wholesomeness of the final food.

(4) Ice that comes into direct or indirect contact with food shall be made from drinking water or, where used to chill whole fishery products, from clean water. Ice shall be produced, handled and stored so as to be protected from contamination.

(5) Steam that comes into direct contact with food shall not contain any substance hazardous to health or be likely to contaminate the food.

(6) Where heat treatment is applied to food in hermetically sealed containers, it shall be ensured that the water used to cool the containers after heat treatment is not a source of contamination for the food.

Personnel hygiene

ARTICLE 17. (1) All personnel working in areas where food is handled must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and wear clean and, where necessary, suitable protective clothing.

(2) Persons suffering from or being a carrier of a disease transmissible through food, or having infected wounds, skin infections, sores or complaints such as diarrhoea, shall not be permitted to come into contact with food, to handle food or to enter areas where food is handled, if there is any possibility of direct or indirect contamination.

(3) Persons working in the food business who are likely to come into contact with food and who show the symptoms mentioned in the second paragraph of this Article shall report their illness or symptoms and, if possible, the causes of their illness to the food business operator.

Provisions applicable to foods

ARTICLE 18. (1) The food business operator shall not accept raw materials or ingredients, other than live animals, or other substances used in the production of processed products, that are known to be contaminated or spoiled by parasites, pathogenic microorganisms or toxins, or to be foreign matter or contaminated with foreign matter, in such a way that, despite the hygienic application of normal sorting and/or preparation or processing procedures, the final product would be rendered unfit for human consumption.

(2) All ingredients and raw materials stored in the food business shall be kept under appropriate conditions designed to prevent spoilage, putrefaction and contamination.

(3) Food shall be protected at all stages of production, processing and distribution against any contamination that may render it unfit for human consumption, harmful to health, or whose consumption would not be expected as a result of contamination.

(4) Appropriate procedures shall be applied for the control of pests and rodents. These procedures shall also be applied to prevent domestic animals from entering places where food is prepared, handled or stored.

(5) Raw materials, ingredients, intermediate and final products that may allow the growth of pathogenic microorganisms or the formation of toxins must not be kept at temperatures that could pose a health risk, and the cold chain must not be broken. To allow practices such as preparation, transport, storage, display and food service, the products in question may be kept at ambient temperature for limited periods, provided that this does not pose a health risk. Food businesses that produce, handle and package processed food must have rooms and cold stores of adequate size to ensure the separate storage of raw materials and processed materials.

(6) Where food is kept at low temperatures or served, it must be cooled immediately, following the heat treatment stage or, if no heat treatment has been applied, after the final preparation stage, to a temperature that will not pose a health risk.

(7) The thawing of frozen food shall be carried out at temperatures that minimize the risk of growth of pathogenic microorganisms or formation of toxins in the food and that do not pose a health risk. Liquids arising during thawing shall be drained appropriately, as they may pose a health risk. After thawing, food shall be handled so as to minimize the risk of growth of pathogenic microorganisms and formation of toxins.

(8) Dangerous and/or inedible substances, including animal feed, shall be appropriately labelled and stored separately in secure containers.

Provisions relating to the wrapping and packaging of foods

ARTICLE 19. (1) The material used for wrapping and packaging shall not be a source of contamination.

(2) Wrapping material shall be stored so as not to be exposed to the risk of contamination.

(3) Wrapping and packaging operations shall be carried out so as to prevent contamination of the products. Where appropriate, and in particular where tin cans and glass jars are used, the integrity of the structure and the cleanliness of the containers must be ensured.

(4) Wrapping and packaging material reused for foods must be easy to clean and, where necessary, disinfect.

Heat treatment

ARTICLE 20. (1) Where food is placed on the market in hermetically sealed containers, the following requirements shall be complied with:

Any heat treatment method used to process an unprocessed product or to further process a processed product must raise every part of the product subjected to treatment to the desired temperature within the given time period and must prevent contamination of the food during the process.
The food business operator must regularly check the relevant key parameters, in particular temperature, pressure, sealing and microbiology, including through the use of automatic devices, to ensure that the method applied can achieve the desired objectives.
The method used must comply with internationally accepted standards such as pasteurization, ultra-high temperature/UHT or sterilization.

Training

ARTICLE 21. (1) The food business operator,

Ensures that staff working in the food business are supervised and informed and/or trained in food hygiene matters required by their work,
Ensures that staff responsible for the development and maintenance of the procedure specified in the first paragraph of Article 22 of this Regulation, or for the application of guides to good practice, receive adequate training in the application of hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP principles.

PART FOUR

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points/HACCP, Official Controls, Approval and Registration

Hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP

ARTICLE 22. (1) The food business operator shall put in place, implement and maintain procedures based on hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP principles, or a permanent procedure.

(2) Hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP includes the following seven basic principles;

Identifying the hazards that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels,
Identifying the critical control points at the stage or stages that form the basis of control for the prevention or elimination of a hazard or its reduction to acceptable levels,
Establishing critical limits at the identified critical control points which separate acceptability from unacceptability for the prevention, elimination or reduction of the identified hazard,
Establishing and applying effective monitoring procedures at the critical control points,
Establishing and applying corrective action procedures for cases where monitoring shows that a critical control point is not under control,
Establishing procedures to be carried out regularly to verify that the measures specified in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), (ç) and (d) are being applied effectively,
Establishing documents and records appropriate to the nature and size of the business to demonstrate that the measures specified in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), (ç), (d) and (e) are being applied effectively.

(3) The food business operator shall review the procedure and make the necessary changes to it whenever it makes a change to the product, to the processing method of the food produced, or at any stage of production.

(4) The first paragraph of this Article applies only to the food business operator carrying out one or more of the stages of production, processing and distribution of food after primary production and related activities.

(5) The food business operator;

Provides, as requested by the Ministry, the information and documents proving that it meets the conditions specified in the first paragraph of this Article, taking into account the field of activity and size of its business.
Keeps up to date all documents describing the procedures developed in accordance with this Article.
Retains all other documents and records for an appropriate period.

Official controls, approval and registration

ARTICLE 23. (1) The food business operator shall cooperate with the Ministry on the application of the legislation published on the basis of the Law.

(2) The food business operator is obliged to have the registration or approval procedures of its establishment operating at any of the stages of production, processing and distribution of food carried out in accordance with the Regulation on the Registration and Approval Procedures of Food Businesses.

PART FIVE

Guides to Good Practice and Recommendations for Guides

Guides to good practice

ARTICLE 24. (1) The Ministry encourages the preparation of guides to good practice, the conditions of which are specified below, covering the application of hazard analysis and critical control points/HACCP principles and good hygiene practices. These guides, prepared for the use of the food business operator, are voluntary in nature.

(2) Where guides to good practice are prepared, the following matters shall be taken into account.

Guides to good practice shall be prepared by the food sector, with the participation or opinion of the relevant parties that may be affected by the guide, including the Ministry and consumer organizations, taking into account the existing guides to good practice of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the provisions of the legislation.
In the preparation of guides to good practice for the food business operator carrying out primary production and the activities set out in the first paragraph of Article 7 of this Regulation, the provisions set out in Article 25 of this Regulation shall be taken into account.

(3) Guides to good practice may also be prepared under the auspices of the Turkish Standards Institution, which is referred to as the National Standardization Body in the Regulation on the Notification between Turkey and the European Union of Technical Legislation and Standards, published in the Official Gazette No. 24715 dated 3/4/2002.

(4) In the evaluation by the Ministry of the prepared guides to good practice, the following matters shall be taken into account:

That the guides to good practice have been prepared in accordance with the second paragraph of this Article.
That the content of the guides to good practice is applicable by the relevant sector.
That the guides to good practice provide guidance to the relevant sector for the foods they cover in order to fulfil the obligations specified in Articles 6, 7 and 22 of this Regulation.

Recommendations for guides to good practice for primary production and related activities

ARTICLE 25. (1) Guides to good practice provide guidance on good hygiene practices regarding the control of hazards in primary production and the activities set out in the first paragraph of Article 7 of this Regulation.

(2) Guides to good practice include information on the hazards that may arise in primary production and the activities set out in the first paragraph of Article 7 of this Regulation, and the actions relating to the control of these hazards, so as to include the measures determined by all programs specified in the Law and carried out by the Ministry, including control. Examples of these hazards and measures include the following:

Control of contaminants such as mycotoxins, heavy metals and radioactive substances.
Use of water, organic waste and fertilizers.
Correct and appropriate use and monitoring of plant protection products and biocides.
Correct and appropriate use and monitoring of veterinary medicinal products and feed additives.
Preparation, storage, use and monitoring of feed.
Appropriate removal from the business of dead animals, waste and refuse.
Taking preventive measures to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases transmissible to humans through food, and notifying the Ministry.
Procedures, practices and methods that ensure that the production, processing, packaging, storage and transport of food take place under appropriate hygienic conditions, including effective cleaning and pest and rodent control.
Measures relating to the cleanliness of animals raised for slaughter and production purposes.
Measures relating to record keeping.

PART SIX

Import and Export

Import

ARTICLE 26. (1) The hygiene requirements of imported foods must comply with the requirements specified in Articles 6, 7, 22 and 23 of this Regulation.

Export

ARTICLE 27. (1) The hygiene requirements of exported or re-exported foods must comply with the requirements specified in Articles 6, 7, 22 and 23 of this Regulation.

PART SEVEN

Miscellaneous and Final Provisions

Repealed regulation

ARTICLE 28. (1) The Regulation on the Work Permit and Food Registry and Production Permit Procedures of Workplaces Producing Food and Materials and Articles in Contact with Food and on the Employment of a Responsible Manager, published in the Official Gazette No. 25566 dated 27/8/2004, has been repealed as of the date of publication of this Regulation.

Transitional provisions

PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 1. (1) The food business operator operating with a work permit document, work permit and food registry document, registration document or an equivalent document obtained before the date of publication of this Regulation is obliged to bring its business into compliance with the business requirements of this Regulation by 31/12/2012. However, a food business operator that cannot comply with the business requirements of this Regulation by 31/12/2012 may have this period extended until 31/12/2013, provided that it submits a plan for the modernization of its business.

(2) Food businesses currently in operation shall continue, from the date of publication of this Regulation until approval is obtained, to apply the provisions, not contrary to the provisions of this Regulation regarding business requirements, of the Regulation on the Work Permit and Food Registry and Production Permit Procedures of Workplaces Producing Food and Materials and Articles in Contact with Food and on the Employment of a Responsible Manager, published in the Official Gazette No. 25566 dated 27/8/2004, the Regulation on the Procedures and Principles for the Production, Operation and Inspection of Red Meat and Meat Products, published in the Official Gazette No. 25691 dated 5/1/2005, and the Regulation on the Procedures and Principles for the Operation and Inspection of Poultry Meat and Meat Products Production Facilities, published in the Official Gazette No. 25694 dated 8/1/2005.

Entry into force

ARTICLE 29. (1) This Regulation enters into force on the date of its publication.

Execution

ARTICLE 30. (1) The provisions of this Regulation are executed by the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.