Food micro

• Food safety is the protection of consumer’s health and wellbeing by safeguarding food from anything that can cause harm
• In the Philippines, consumers are protected by law under Republic Act (R.A) 10611, also known as the Food Safety Act of 2013
• (R.A) 10611 - Food Safety Act of 2013: '“An act to strengthen the food safety regulatory system in the country to protect consumer’s health and facilitate market access to local foods and food products, and for other purposes”'
• Food Regulatory Agencies under the DA


  • Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)
  • National Dairy Authority (NDA)
  • National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)
  • Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
  • Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)
  • Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA)
  • Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
  • Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA)
  • National Food Authority (NFA)
  • Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS)
• Department of Health


  Responsible for the safety of processed and prepacked foods, foods locally produced or imported under this category and the conduct of monitoring and epidemiological studies on food-borne illness
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)


  Regulatory authority under the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) that implements the FDA Law
• FDA Center for Food Regulation and Research (CFRR)


  Responsible for implementing a performance-based food safety control management system
• Department of Trade Industry (DTI)

  Primarily tasked with implementing the Consumer Act and dedicated to protecting consumer's rights and interests
• Bureau of Product Standards (BPS)


  Formulates Philippine National Standards for consumer products, including food
• Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ)


  Provides sanitation and ensures food safety in its area of responsibility in both domestic and international ports and airports of entry
• Entities that manufacture, import, export, sell, and distribute food products in the Philippines need to obtain a License to Operate (“LTO”) and a Certificate of Product Registration (“CPR”) for each food product
• An LTO covering a particular food establishment is prima facie evidence of the licensee’s authority to engage in the specified activities
• A CPR covering a food product is prima facie evidence of the registrant’s marketing authority for the said health product
• Only establishments with a valid LTO from the FDA may apply for a CPR
• The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) ensures food safety in domestic and international ports and airports of entry, including in-flight catering, food service establishments, sea vessels, and aircraft
• Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) shall provide sanitation and ensure food safety in its area of responsibility in both domestic and international ports and airports of entry, including in-flight catering, food service establishments, sea vessels and aircraft (Section 18c)
• National Epidemiology Center (NEC)
• Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM)
• National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC)
• NCDPC, NEC, and RITM


  Shall conduct and document epidemiological monitoring studies on foodborne illnesses for use in risk-based policy formulation
• National Center for Health Promotion (NCHP) shall be responsible for advocating food safety awareness, information, and education to the public (Section 18e)
• Microbiological Standards


  Essential for food safety and quality assurance, ensuring that food is safe to eat and free from contaminants that could cause illness or food poisoning
• Benefits of Microbiological Standards

  • Provide assurance that food is safe to eat and free from contaminants that could cause foodborne illness
  • Help reduce the risk of food spoilage and food poisoning
  • Ensure that food products remain safe and of high quality while they are being stored and transported
• Components of Microbiological Criteria for Ready-to-eat Food in General

  • Aerobic plate count (APC)
  • Hygiene indicator organisms – E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae
  • Specific foodborne pathogens – ten specific bacterial pathogens
• Aerobic Plate Count


  • Total number of bacteria able to grow in an aerobic environment in moderate temperature, indicator of quality, not safety
• Hygiene Indicator Organisms


  • Selected surrogate markers reflecting the hygienic quality of food
  • E. coli presence indicates fecal contamination
  • Enterobacteriaceae presence indicates inadequate cooking or post-processing contamination
• Specific Foodborne Pathogens


  • Examination for bacteria that may cause food poisoning in ready-to-eat food contributes to food safety
  • Symptoms of food poisoning vary from nausea and vomiting to severe conditions like septicaemia, meningitis, paralysis, and death
  • Infective doses of different foodborne pathogens vary from less than ten to more than 108 organisms