August Newsletter – 2019
Dear Members,
Since joining SAMPA in Feb 2019 I have been busy learning the ropes and getting to know the members, regulators and all our partners in the industry. Since joining there have been numerous meetings of the SAMPA technical working group, SAMPA Executive Committee as well as engagements with the various regulators ( DAFF, DTI, DOH, NRCS) and allied organization’s such as the CGCSA, SAPPO, AMIESA and the RMIF.
Many members have expressed a desire to be more informed of the activities of SAMPA so through a monthly newsletters I will endeavor to do just that. Welcome to newsletter # 1.
Stellenbosch University Centre for Food Safety
In February, SAMPA donated R 1 000 000 to Stellenbosch University Centre for Food Safety, to support the excellent research work they perform in the advancement of food R & D to the benefit of all South Africans.
Led by Professor Pieter Gouws new research in pathogen management and improved food safety technologies are being developed which over time will improve our knowledge and management of food safety.
SAMPA Food Safety Workshops
At the SAMPA AGM held in March, members asked for food safety workshops that were short in duration and aimed at business owners and senior management. ½ day high level workshops were run in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban in June.
The workshops focused on food safety, pathogen risk vs hazard, legal obligations, and the regulatory framework as well as how to protect your business against financial risk especially in the event of a recall.
Presenters were Prof Pieter Gouws (Stellenbosch University), Prof Lucia Anelich (Anelich Consulting), Janusz Luterek (Hahn & Hahn Attorneys) and Chris Thompson (AIG Risk Insurance). Linda Jackson was MC and the Food Focus team organized the logistics for these workshops.
In total we had 85 delegates attend the 3 days.
HACCP – R 908
This regulation came into law on the 14th June 2018 following the Listeria crisis of March 2018. R 908 required all producers of RTE processed meat to become HACCP certified to a SANAS standard. SAMPA engaged with the Department of Health and following these negotiations, the DoH agreed to allow industry 9 months to implement and comply with the R 908 regulation.
That meant that by 14th March 2019 all producers of RTE Processed meat were required to be HACCP certified by a SANAS accredited certifying body.
No time extension has been granted for this regulation to be fully implemented by the DoH.
R 638 – Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters
This was not a new regulation but there was one clauses that became mandatory from June 2019 – Clause 10.1 (a)
10.1(a) – The person in charge of food premises must ensure – he or she is suitably qualified or adequately trained in the principles of food safety and hygiene…… and the training is accredited.
The person in charge is the person whose name is on your Certificate of Acceptability for a Food Premises (COA), issued to you by the local Environmental Health Inspector (EHP).
Does your person in charge meet this requirement?
Regulation regarding the Classification, Packing and Marking of Cooked Processed Meat Products intended for Sale in the RSA
Originally part of SANS 885 this has been removed from the SANS 885 standard and in future will form a new regulation under the Animal Products Standards Act, regulated by DAFF. The SAMPA Technical Working Group has spent many hours reviewing these specifications which are in their final revision, they are expected to be signed by the Minister later this year for implementation in 2020.
This regulation will cover Bacon, Hams, Salami, Vienna’s, Pates, Spreads, Polony, Russians, and Smokies etc.
Regulation regarding the Classification, Packing and Marking of Raw Processed Meat Products intended for sale in the RSA
These have been removed from the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act that falls under Minister of Health, as the Regulation has nothing to do with food safety, but rather with quality which falls under the APS Act falling under DAFF.
This regulation is in the 3rd draft stage with final comments due on 9th September. SAMPA’s TWG will submit final comment this week.
These regulations will cover – Mince, Ground Beef, Sausages, Burgers, Grillers, Boerewors etc.
This regulation will likely be finalized in late 2019, and signed into law in 2020.
VC9100
This was signed by Minister Patel of the DTI on 8th August 2019 and is causing a great deal of concern to SAMPA members.
I sent the VC to members together with SANS 885 edition 4 after it was signed into law on Monday 12th August. If you have not received it please drop me a mail and I will send a copy.
SAMPA members have had time to examine what is required and how it will impact your business. Undoubtedly the biggest concern is the cost impact and potentially loss in sales.
It is important to realize that SANS 885 was asked for by SAMPA members as far back as 2002 and SAMPA was integrally involved in the drafting of the standard. It has taken a long time to get to this point, but the regulators have pushed hard since March 2018 to implement the SANS 885 standard.
What are the most important impacts of the VC?
- SANS 885 moves from a voluntary standard to a compulsory standard
- It appoints the NRCS as the inspection body for the VC
- It allows the NRCS to charge for enforcement/inspection of the VC
- It gives the NRCS powers to inspect the implementation of HACCP – R 908
- Compositional testing is excluded from the VC as this will fall under DAFF
- Microbiological testing remains part of SANS 885 and will be tested as part of the VC
- Payment of levies in compulsory as outlined in the VC
What are the next steps?
- NRCS must engage SAMPA/ Industry on implementation and enforcement
- NRCS must engage SAMPA/Industry on a fee structure for inspection
- SAMPA need to ensure that NRCS inspect ALL producers of processed meat not just a select few
What will the NRCS inspector ask for?
- A valid COA
- A HACCP compliance certificate issued by a SANAS accredited certifying body – R 908
- Microbiological lab records of products falling under the VC to show evidence that your products meet the statutory minimum requirements as defined in SANS 885
- Evidence (Food Safety Audit or Physical inspection or both) that facilities meet the SANS 885 standard
- That R 638 -10.1 (a) has been met
There are still many unanswered questions and we have asked that the NRCS schedule meeting as soon as possible to engage the industry. As SAMPA engages with the NRCS and obtains a clearer understanding of the way forward we will communicate with our members.
Implementation of compositional regulation via DAFF’s assignee -AFSQ
In a recent meeting with the Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, he made it clear that Compositional testing and enforcement will be done by the DAFF assignee – AFSQ (Agency for Food Safety & Quality (Pty) Ltd). They have been appointed an assignee under the Agricultural Products Standards Act 1990 (APS).
SAMPA will engage further with AFSQ and DAFF on 11th September to discuss how best to implement their mandate at lowest cost to SAMPA members.
I will provide feedback after this meeting.
Perten testing of Total Meat Equivalent (TME)
In 2017 SAMPA purchased a Perten 7250 electronic testing device, enabling quick, cost-effective testing for TME. Previously testing was done in accredited laboratories at great cost. The Perten TME testing is funded by the voluntary levies paid by members and 30 – 50 products are tested each month. Samples are drawn from retail stores all over South Africa based on a monthly sampling schedule.
In June 2019, SAMPA partnered with Food Consulting Services (FCS) a Food Micro and Chemical Lab in Halfway House to provide a professional service by collecting and testing the samples as well as providing detailed reports to SAMPA.
Products are bought, stored in cooler boxes with ice and couriered to the FCS facilities from all over South Africa by the FCS field teams.
Results are kept confidential and only product samples that show results <60% TME, will result in me contacting the producer to rectify the non-compliance. FCS will immediately do a lab test to validate non-compliant products. FCS will retest a new sample a week later, a 2nd failure will be referred to the regulator for their attention. Results are not shared and are at all times kept confidential.
I am happy to say that we have had no product this year below the 60% minimum TME.
Who is on the SAMPA executive and Technical Working Group?
SAMPA Executive
Andrew Cocks (Chairman) Tiger Brands
Arnold Prinsloo (Vice Chairman) Eskort
Brent Fairlie Lynca
Alistair Hayward Feinschmecker
Alida Rossouw Crown National
Melindi Wyma Eskort
Bruce Smit Federated Meat
Thorsten Sache Q Meats
Wesley de Jager Freddy Hirsch
SAMPA Technical Working Group
Alida Rossouw Crown National
Melindi Wyma Eskort
Najib Salim RCL
Rosalind Govender RCL
Wesley de Jager Freddy Hirsch
Pieter du Toit Deli Spice
Cherisa Roodt Massfresh
Renusha Chanda Tiger Brands
Melanie Britow Anchor Foods
Henry Hawthorn Deli Spices
Jennifer Rickets Deli Spice
Adrian Johnson Deli Spice
The following is a list of SAMPA members as at end August 2019
Full Members | Associate Members |
Al-Amien Foods | BT Enterprises |
Bluff Meat Supply | Bidfood Technologies t/a Crown National |
Brito’s Meat | Deli Spices (Pty) Ltd |
Classic Processed Products (Pty) Ltd | University of the Free State |
Enterprise Foods | University of Pretoria |
Eskort Limited | Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd |
Farm2U | Merlog Foods (Pty) Ltd |
Frey’s Quality Meats | Meat Board of Namibia |
Meatrite SA (Pty) Ltd | RSF Trading |
New Style Pork t/a Lynca Meats | SAPPO – South African Pork Producers Organization |
Q Meats | MANE South Africa (Pty) Ltd |
Rica Cold Meats (Pty) Ltd | Federated Meats |
Thaba’nchu t/a Sky Country Meats | Pretoria Primal Traders |
Watsons Meats | Advanced Food Solutions |
Rainbow Farms (Pty) Ltd | PHT Trading International Pty Ltd |
Feinschmecker (Pty) Ltd | MLS – National Laboratory Services |
Super Meat Products | Certification Partners Global |
Pendale Foods | Stellenbosch University – Centre for Food Safety |
O’Kin (Pty) Ltd | Central University of Technology – OFS |
Van Wyngaard | |
FF Meat | |
Tip Top Meat Products | |
Spath’s Cold Meats cc | |
Moja Cold Meats cc | |
Theronda cc t/a Therons Meat Products | |
Superfecta Foods | |
Freezeland Foods cc | |
Woody’s Consumer Brands (Pty) Ltd | |
Tirolean Meats Pty Ltd | |
Anchor Foods (Pty) Ltd | |
Nesta Foods cc | |
Milpro Meats ( Pty) Ltd | |
Meat World Factory cc | |
Barbeque Rib Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd |
If you are not yet a member of SAMPA and wish to join, please send a mail to peter@savam.co.za and I will send you forms to complete.
Full Members (Producers) – R 5 400.00 pa per 200 employees
Associate Members (Service Industry) – R 2 160.00 pa
The more members, the more we can truly say we represent the industry.
Website News
SAMPA is busy upgrading and improving the website in order to enable easier and safer use by members. I hope to have it up and running by end September.
Warm Regards
Peter Gordon
CEO