MILK HYGIENE CONTROLS IN NORTHERN IRELAND Teachers’ Seminar – Loughry College Heather McCloy BSc (Hons) Food Science Milk Inspectorate Agri-food Inspection Branch Department of Agriculture, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DAERA)

Role of Milk Inspectorate EU Official Controls - Processor and Farm level Dairy Hygiene - for Food Standards Agency (FSA) EU Trader support schemes – processor level Storage Aid - for Rural Payments Intervention - Agency EU Area based schemes – farm level Cross Compliance - for DAERA

Role of Milk Inspectorate EU Official Controls - Processor and Farm level Dairy Hygiene - for Food Standards Agency EU Trader support schemes – processor level Storage Aid - for Rural Payments Intervention - Agency EU Area based schemes – farm level Cross Compliance - for DAERA

What are official controls for? To verify industry are meeting their legal obligations Consumer protection Statutory requirement Permit exports Confidence and reassurance Safeguard reputation of industry, products and control authorities

Role of AfIB Milk Inspectorate in Dairy Hygiene Implement a programme of official controls for dairy hygiene on behalf of the Food Standards Agency What are official controls? Inspections/audits Sampling and testing Investigations Enforcement action What businesses are covered? Approved liquid milk plants Milk intake at approved product plants Primary production holdings (dairy farms) Other milk handlers e.g. purchasers/ depots/ hauliers Raw drinking milk suppliers

Inspection frequency (excluding farm inspection) Risk based: Scoring system - Food Law Code of Practice (Examples of scoring criteria for dairy businesses) Potential hazard - type of food and method of handling - number of consumers at risk Compliance - food hygiene and safety - structure Confidence in management/control procedures 5 categories with inspection intervals ranging from 6 months to 3 years

Controls in Approved Liquid Milk Premises Inspection checklist covers: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Raw milk intake (temperature and testing) Pasteurisation Finished product (temperature and testing) Cleaning Calibration of equipment Water Staff issues Operating procedures Maintenance Pest control Customer complaints Supplier checks Crisis management Traceability procedures Product contamination Waste management policy Audit policy Identification marking/commercial docs. Adherence to recognised Codes of practice

Controls in Approved Liquid Milk Premises Sampling and testing Verification of Food Business Operator’s own testing. Sampling frequency directed by FSA Water and pasteurised milk Enterobacteriaceae & phosphatase Follow-up tests as required

Controls in Approved Liquid Milk Premises Investigations Triggered by test results Notified by Processor AFBI (Agri-food and Biosciences Institute- official testing laboratory for DAERA) District Council Environmental Health Department-public analyst Triggered by complaints member of public/consumer District Council Environmental Health Department FSA

Controls in Approved Milk Product Plants Intake only Local Authority responsible for controls surrounding product manufacture Inspection checklist covers HACCP Raw milk intake (temperature and testing) Cleaning Calibration of equipment Operating procedures Physical inspection

Controls on Primary Production Units Farm inspections 3,235 dairy farms Scheduled at 2 or 10 year frequency [based on earned recognition through Red Tractor Assured Dairy Farm (RTADF) Scheme] 51% (1,664) dairy farms now in RTADF scheme in NI Approx 2,100 inspections/ yr Unannounced 97% of farms are compliant Figures correct at time of publication

Controls on Primary Production Units Hygiene inspections on farm Checklist covers: Registration details Dairy (milk storage area) Milking parlour Livestock housing Farmyard and approaches Isolation facilities Water supply Animals (health/ condition) Traceability Operator Milking operations Equipment Cooling Storage (milk and feed) Collection Records (vet meds/ feeds)

Controls on Primary Production Units Sampling and testing Verification of Milk Purchaser testing of raw milk Sampling frequency directed by FSA Plate count (Total Viable Count), Somatic Cell Count and Antibiotics Re-tests and investigations

Controls on Primary Production Units Investigations Triggered by test results Notified by Processor (tanker rejection) Milk purchaser (reporting of results) DAERA (residues surveillance testing)

Controls at milk handling establishments Milk Purchasers Inspection checklist covers Haulage arrangements Handling animal by-products Raw milk requirements Traceability Crisis management Management of milk from TB/BR reactor herds Antibiotic Audits (following rejections) Milk failure notification

Controls at milk handling establishments Hauliers Inspection checklist covers HACCP based procedures Cleaning and disinfection Milk collection handling practices Personal hygiene practices Calibration of temperature monitoring equipment Traceability Tanker labelling Rejection procedure Other observations

Controls at milk handling establishments Distribution depots/ Sub distributors Inspection checklist covers HACCP based procedures Cleaning and disinfection Pest control Personal hygiene practices Temperature control and calibration Traceability – Identification marking Physical inspection/ general observations

Enforcement A graduated educative approach is taken where non-compliance is identified (verbal and written requests to meet requirements) Where non-compliance is of a serious nature or informal action fails to achieve compliance, formal notices are issued ( 2 main ones Hygiene Improvement Notices and Remedial Action Notices) If notices are not complied with this can result in prosecution.(Max £5000 fine and/or 2 year prison sentence) Hygiene Prohibition Order

Useful links: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/hygiene-regulations-milk-and-milk-product-handlers https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/milk-hygiene-on-farm-ni.pdf