The UK's Chilled Food Association has launched what it claims are the world's most advanced guidelines for the production, distribution and retail sales of chilled foods. The new CFA guidelines - a total revision and expansion of the original guidelines published four years ago - promote the highest standards of good hygiene practice across the chilled food supply chain. Developed in conjunction with the Department of Health, MAFF, leading distributors and retailers, the guidelines reflect the sweeping changes in technology, legislation and in the chilled foods market place in recent years. The guidelines present the very latest hygiene and control requirements and, in addition to ready-to-eat chilled foods, now cover products which need to be cooked by consumers. Consequently, the guidelines now feature six major product categories, two more than the first edition. The two new categories relate to uncooked products comprising raw ingredients (eg stir fry vegetables) and those containing raw and cooked elements (eg pizza and some recipe dishes). In setting standards which ensure that chilled products are handled correctly throughout the supply chain, the guidelines feature the specification of high quality ingredients, scrupulous processing, storage and handling conditions and monitoring systems for the production, distribution and retail sale of chilled foods. The guidelines also highlight specific hygiene requirements for three manufacturing categories, covering the full spectrum of chilled food production in which both raw and cooked ingredients are used. More emphasis has been placed on background information in the new guidelines which include a summary of principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), pathogen characteristics hurdles (factors inhibiting or eliminating microorganisms) and a extensive reference list. The guidelines are free to all CFA members and are available to non-member companies for #250. The launch of the Guidelines follows the introduction of an associate membership scheme by CFA (FIN June 1993 p6), allowing chilled food producers 18 months to prepare for accreditation to the organisation while benefiting from access to CFA's technical expertise and activities. Tel: 071 836 2460.