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Standard operating procedures available for monitoring and enforcement by food control agency
This indicator assesses whether the government’s food control agency (or similar body) has a written Standard Operating Procedures in place as described in ISO/IEC 17020 for inspections of domestic salt factories, border points of imports, and the markets (1).
The iodization level of salt influences the effectiveness and safety of the intervention. Monitoring and enforcement by the food control agency helps to ensure that salt producers are adequately fortifying salt with iodine and supports the production of quality iodized salt. A written Standard Operating Procedures document describes the monitoring and enforcement procedures and supports quality monitoring and production of iodized salt.
Legislation and regulations establish the authority of the government to ensure that iodized salt meets government standards, and external monitoring by the government is done under the guidance of relevant regulations. Governments must have some method of periodically checking that salt producers are maintaining adequate quality assurance measures, and that salt leaving production facilities meets government standards. Often this monitoring is a function of the Food Control Agency of the Health Ministry. In other countries, the Ministry of Industry, or Mines, or Agriculture has this responsibility. In the case of importation of salt, the Customs Authority is often in charge of checking the specifications in the importation document, and may take samples to check the iodine level in the salt.
In a country context, salt must be iodized indefinitely, or until it is demonstrated that an adequate iodine intake is available from other sources. The infrastructure, together with the annual budget to support the government inspection system, must be permanently established. In order to guarantee this, it is essential that inspection and collection of iodized salt samples be integrated into the existing food inspection system in the country.
The government’s food control agency (or similar body has a written Standard Operating Procedures in place as described in ISO/IEC 17020 (1) for inspections of domestic salt factories, border points of imports, and the markets: Yes/No
Foodcontrol agency,salt inspection,quality management system,standard operating procedures,enforcement regimen,job performance,
Food fortification
Activity
Production and supply, Quality
All
Early childhood development, Emergency setting or displaced population, Lactation, Pregnancy
Iodine
Market-based
In many countries, the food control agency or its accredited agents perform the regulatory inspections of iodized salt production facilities as part of the overall monitoring system for food fortification. The written Standard Operating Procedures should be available from the responsible agency.
A relatively easy and feasible indicator to assess in most circumstances.
This indicator does not assess the implementation of SOP for monitoring and enforcement. As such, quality management system and Standard Operating Procedures in place do not guarantee monitoring and enforcement are done regularly or effectively.
In a large country, the Committee of Food Safety is the State Food Safety Authority and employs Committee Officials as Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers. Standard Operating Procedures are in place for inspections of domestic salt factories and are defined by regulations.
For this indicator (standard operating procedures available for monitoring and enforcement by food control agency), the response was “Yes”.
1. ISO/IEC 17020, Conformity assessment. Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspections, second edition. Geneva: International Organization for Standardization; 2012 (http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=52994).