Presidential Decree No. 856 or the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (CSP) prescribed sanitation requirements and utilized the Environmental Health Service (EHS) Form 103-A in inspecting the safety of food service establishments (FSE). With the increasing number of FSEs and modernization, the same inspection form and process from two decades ago are still being used. The tool was identified to have gaps such as outdated standards, lacked specific details and employed a reactive demerit system. With the enactment of the Food Safety Act of 2013, a proactive and risk-based approach is needed to ensure the compliance of FSEs to food safety.
DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools were developed which consist of Food Inspection Checklist (FIC), Code of Standards (COS) for the Food Inspection Checklist and Grading System of Food Service Establishments and Operations Manual (OM) for Risk-based Inspection and Grading System of Food Service Establishments. FIC is a 38-item standardized assessment tool that measures the compliance with safe food handling and operational requirements of FSEs. The COS consists of requirements and standards that will serve as an interpretative guideline for the criteria found in the FIC. The OM is a handy reference for sanitation inspectors with practical and accurate recommendations for performing risk-based inspections. These tools work together to award FSEs with a star rating that can evoke more confidence among consumers in the safety and cleanliness of food.
DOST Food and Nutrition Research Institute
DOST-GIA
DOST-PCIEERD
The project aims to develop and recommend a modified food inspection checklist and grading system following a risk-based approach for use in rating food establishment’s compliance to food safety
• Two (2) Technical paper on the Development of grading system for adoption of food establishments in the Philippines
• One (1) Copyright for the enhanced food inspection and grading system for food establishment
• Two (2) products: Food Inspection Checklist and Grading system
• Partnerships with DOH, DOH-ROs, WHO, Bureau of Quarantine, DOST-ROs, DILG-LGUs, Food establishments, academe, hotel and restaurant group/s
• One (1) Policy statement on the use of enhanced grading system for food establishments to ensure food safety
Claire Malibiran-Gacias
May Ann D. Gironella,Eirene Agustin B. Arnejo
https://www.none.com
Completed
09/30/2021
Address
NCR (National Capital Region)
NCR, Fourth District
Map Coordinates
14.490135934496
121.05302810669
Intellectual Property
Tools and AVPs
Expected Outputs/6Ps
Draft publications for finalization and routing:
1. Development of a risk-based inspection checklist and grading system for use in food service establishments in the Philippines
2. Evaluation of DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools through pilot testing among Food Service establishments in the Philippines
Four (4) copyright of DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools
a. Revised Food Inspection Checklist (O2021-1140)
b. Code of Standards for the Food Inspection checklist and Grading System of Food Service Establishments (A2021-2211)
c. Operations Manual for Risk Based Inspection and Grading System Food Service Establishments (A2021-2212)
d. Food Safety Compliance Rating (O2021-1141)
Five (5) copyrighted AVPs on the overview of the project and DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools
e. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Introduction (L2022-485)
f. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Food Inspection Checklist (FIC) (L2022-484)
g. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Code of Standards (COS) (L2022-482)
h. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Operations Manual (L2022-481)
i. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Feedback from stakeholders (L2022-483)
Developed Four (4) DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools
a. Revised Food Inspection Checklist
b. Code of Standards for the Food Inspection checklist and Grading System of Food Service Establishments
c. Operations Manual for Risk Based Inspection and Grading System Food Service Establishments
d. Food Safety Compliance Rating
Developed five (5) Audio-visual Presentations on the overview of the project and tools
e. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Introduction
f. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Food Inspection Checklist (FIC)
g. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Code of Standards (COS)
h. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Operations Manual
i. DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools AVP: Feedback from stakeholders
Post Project Accomplishments:
• FSGS Software App (Alpha version)
Developed a mobile software application of the Food Safety Grading System Tools to convert the usual pen and paper into digitalization and more streamlined process when conducting risk-based inspections. The software is in Alpha version only.
Conducted a training among four (4) Sanitation Inspectors from Taguig City, Cainta and Taytay, Rizal titled “Training on the use of the DOST-FNRI-developed Food Safety Grading System Tools among Sanitation Inspectors” on May 20 – 21, 2021.
Conducted a training among eight (8) Sanitation Inspectors from Taguig City, Cainta and Taytay, Rizal titled “Introduction to Food Safety and Making Food Safe in Food Service Establishments” (May 20, 2021)
50 organizations/institutes/establishments
Post Project Accomplishments:
Development of Memorandum of Agreement on the adoption of the DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools
a. University of the Philippines – Los Baños (on-going)
b. City Health Office – Baguio City (on-going)
Policy statements were prepared by the Nutrition Intervention, Evaluation and Policy Section (NIEPS) of DOST-FNRI
Provincial Policy Forum: Translating Research Results to Policy Statements: An Easy Access to Nutrition Information"" for the topic ""Star-rated Na Kainan, Sigurado ang Kalinisan: Level-up Inspections and Food Safety of Food Service Establishments
a. Mountain Province (December 2, 2023)
b. Samar Province (December 7, 2023)
c. Davao Occidental (December 13, 2023)