How to Obtain Your R638 Certificate of Acceptability

It is illegal to trade without an R638 Certificate of Acceptability if you are making, selling, or transporting food.  

Here are 6 steps for getting your Certificate of Acceptability for your premises:  

Step 1: Study the R638 Food Hygiene Regulations  

• Download a copy of the R638 here.  

• Ensure that your building and equipment comply with the hygiene requirements.  

• Implement Pest Control measures – contact a licensed Pest Control Service provider to help you.  

• Provide the correct personal protective equipment for your staff.  

• Provide the correct ablution, changing, handwashing, and toilet facilities for your staff.  

• Make sure that fridges, freezers, and display cabinets are operating at the correct temperatures.  

• Keep raw and cooked food separate.  

• Implement a cleaning and sanitising programme for your plant.  

• Store chilled and frozen foods at the correct temperatures – see Annexure E of the R638.  

• Cook foods at the correct temperature for the required amount of time.  

• Keep ready-to-serve foods hot at the correct temperatures – see Annexure E of the R638.  

• Implement an allergen control programme.  

• Ensure that food handlers are clean, hygienic, and free of illness, disease, or injuries that may cause food contamination, and are fit to work with food. 

Step 2: Person in Charge to receive Accredited Training  

• The R638 requires that the Person in Charge attends Accredited Food Safety Training or that the Person in Charge is trained by a health inspector, as appropriate.  

• Entecom offers two FoodBev SETA Accredited R638 training options for the Person in Charge Training.  

• e-Learning (convenient, affordable and flexible).  

• Classroom (face to face option is you prefer).  

Step 3: Food Handlers to receive Food Hygiene Training  

• The R638 requires that the employees handling food attend Basic Food Hygiene Training. 

• Entecom has the following options available:  
  • eLearning Basic Food Safety Practices Training. 
  • Onsite Hygiene Awareness training.  
  • DIY Food Hygiene Awareness training kit.  

Step 4: Implement Hygiene documentation and records  

• The R638 requires the implementation of the following documentation and records:  
  • Evidence that the Person in Charge whose name will appear on the Certificate of Acceptability has received Accredited Food Safety Training or that the training has been conducted by an inspector, where applicable.  
  • Evidence that the Food Handlers working with the food on the premises have received training.  
  • You need to keep evidence of the attendance of the training, assessment records and any refresher training.  
  • The training curriculum or training content of the above training programs.  
  • Records applicable to processing, production and distribution must be kept and retained for at least 6 months after the shelf -life of the product.  
  • Staff, health and hygiene monitoring records.  
  • Temperature monitoring records.  
  • Master Cleaning schedule and checklist. 
  • Pest monitoring.  
  • A traceability system needs to be in place.  
  • A documented product recall procedure.  

Step 5: Check that your products and labels comply  

• The Foodstuffs Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act No 54 of R1972 controls the sale, manufacture, importation and exportation of foodstuffs, cosmetics and disinfectants.  

• Check that your product complies with the R146 Regulations Related to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs). Our eBook Labelling Guide may also assist you.  

• Contact Tenzing Marketing to assist you with your labelling compliance and label design.  

Step 6: Contact the Local Municipality to conduct an inspection to issue you with a COA  

For additional reading, check out this article from SMESouth Africa.  

For more information on this process read this article on How do I get my Certificate of Acceptability by Food Focus.